Choral Music Notes - Claudio Monteverdi Motets: Adoramus te, Christe and Cantate Domino (1620)
Dr. Jimbob's Monteverdi page, with a short biography
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The First Book of Motets of Giulio Cesare Bianchi (1620)
Giulio Cesare Bianchi (1590 - 1661) was a colleague of Monteverdi's from Mantua. In 1620, Bianchi published his Libro primo de Motetti (First Book of Motets), and invited his friend Monteverdi to contribute to the volume. Monteverdi sent Bianchi four motets to include in his volume: a setting for six-part chorus on the text Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me, a five-part setting of Christe, Adoramus te, and six-part motets on adaptations of the texts Adoramus te, Christe and Cantate Domino. These motets give us a sense of the church music Monteverdi was writing in his first years at St. Mark's in Venice.
The young Monteverdi established his reputation in Cremona and Mantua by publishing volumes of secular madrigals. The motets of 1620 sound like sacred madrigals, with their relatively short phrases, expressive use of suspensions and dissonance, and simple counterpoint with close echoes and contrasts achieved by alternating voicings. Musical phrases are even borrowed from other madrigals, though the musical effects obtained are distinctly different.
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Motet Adoramus te, Christe (1620) in 6 parts
The motet text Adoramus te, Christe is sung during Vesper services on the feast days associated with the Holy Cross. The standard text reads, "We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. For by your holy cross and passion you have redeemed the world. O Lord, have mercy on us." Monteverdi's setting for six-part choir and continuo uses a condensed version of the text, and brings out the pathos of the last two lines by repeating the entire phrase and using a melodic line which reminds me of the opening phrase of Thomas Morley's madrigal Weep O Mine Eyes (published 1599). I don't know if Monteverdi actually knew this music, but the use of such a lament-type motif for the text "with your precious blood you have redeemed the world" seems quite appropriate.
The left column contains the Latin text, plus a word / for / word / translation / where / necessary. The right column contains a more idiomatic English translation.
Adoramus / te, / Christe, / et / benedicimus / tibi:
we adore / you / Christ / and / we bless / you
Quia / per / sanguinem / tuum / pretiosum
because / through / blood / your / precious
redemisti / mundum, / miserere / nobis.
you have redeemed / world / have mercy / on us
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We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because with your precious blood
you have redeemed the world. Have mercy on us.
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Motet Cantate Domino (1620) in 6 parts
The text for this motet is liberally adapted from Psalm 98, which is an Enthronement Hymn. Psalm 98 and Psalm 96 are both songs of celebration for God's victory over the enemies of Israel. These texts were often used in services around Christmas and Easter times in celebration of the "new song" representing Christ, and their call for music and singing made them favorite subjects for musical settings. Monteverdi's abbrevation of Psalm 98 focuses on the musical imagery of songs and instruments, and compresses the text into two groups of three verses, each ending with the phrase, "for He has done wonderful things." This setting is also in six parts with continuo. It seems to borrow at least one idea from an earlier Monteverdi madrigal, Ecco mormorar l'onde (published 1590), and its playful echoing and give-and-take between the six parts make for a celebration in a distinctive madrigal style.
The left column contains the Latin text, plus a word / for / word / translation / where / necessary. The right column contains a more idiomatic English translation.
Cantate / Domino / canticum / novum,
sing / to the Lord / song / new
cantate / et / benedicite / nomine / ejus.
sing / and / speak well / name / his
Quia / mirabilia / fecit:
because / wonders / he has done
cantate / et / exultate / et / psallite,
sing / and / exult / and / play
psallite / in / cithara / et / voce / psalmi:
play / on / lyre / and / voices / sing
quia / mirabilia / fecit.
because / wonders / he has done
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Sing ye to the Lord a new song,
sing and bless His name
for He has worked wonders.
Sing and exult and make music,
strike the lyres and let voices sing,
for He has worked wonders.
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Recommended recordings
Recordings of these two motets of 1620 are scattered around. The Adoramus te, Christe is included in Philippe Herreweghe's Harmonia Mundi CD with the Masses of 1610 and 1650. It does not include the repeat, and omits the continuo part, but is available at an unbeatable price as of January 2003 at the Berkshire Record Outlet. There is also a Virgin Classics 5-CD set of Italian Baroque music which includes a range of music both sacred and secular, from Gabrieli to Vivaldi, featuring Andrew Parrott and the Taverner Consort and Choir. This recording of the Adoramus te, Christe includes the repeat and the continuo part, and is sung with one singer on a part. There are some other interesting performances on the set, including a fine Vivaldi Four Seasons.
The Cantate Domino exists on two Hyperion recordings. One is Harry Christophers's recording on Hyperion with The Sixteen, also with the Masses of 1610 and 1650. This set includes the continuo parts. Another recording with the Choir of Westminster Cathedral under James O'Donnell can be obtained in a Hyperion collection of great Renaissance motets or on a budget Best of Hyperion collection.
I have only come across one CD which has both motets in a single collection. It's an Opus 111 collection of Monteverdi sacred music conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini, who has a good reputation for his Monteverdi recordings.
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Recommended Reading
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For more information:
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Last updated: January 30, 2003 by James C.S. Liu
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