Introduzioni (Vivaldi)

Antonio Vivaldi had written many an " _it. introduzione" to come before certain choral settings of liturgal texts. An introduzione is a motet that, as said earlier, would come before a choral setting.

Introduzioni were typical in the Baroque era, consisting of different instrumentation and vocal arrangement. Typically, the libretti of "introduzioni" are non-liturgical, but certain texts may be paraphrases of certain liturgical texts.

Structure

Vivaldi's "introduzioni" are written for solo vocalist, either for contralto or soprano. Almost all follow the movement formatof "Aria-Recitative-Aria", save for a few. Unlike the works that would come after, the arias employed in "introduzioni" follow the secular format of the "da capo" form, dissimilar to the "religious" aria which is simply an aria resembling the outer (A) section of a "da capo" aria.

In the Ryom Verzeichnis, the "introduzioni" by Vivaldi are ordered from RV 635-642.

List of Introduzioni

All of Vivaldi's "introduzioni" are ordered here by numeric order according to RV number.

Ascende Laeta, RV 635

"Ascende Laeta", written for soprano, is a standard-format ("A-R-A") introduzione meant to come before a setting of the Dixit Dominus in D Major for one orchestra and five-part choir (RV 595), dating around 1715 and therefore written for the Pio Ospedale della Pietà. The present work may have been written in concordance with the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, according to the text employed. This "introduzione" speaks of the Virgin Mary's ascent into heaven, along with celebration from local peasants using musical imagery of reeds and pipe organs. ["Sleeve Notes - Vivaldi Sacred Music, Vol. 9" Michael Talbot. 2003. Hyperion Records. 28 May 2007 ]

Canta in Prato, RV 636

"Canta in Prato, Ride in Fonte", written for soprano, is a standard-format "introduzione" meant to come before the Dixit Dominus for two orchestras and two four-part choirs (RV 594), and shares similar text to an earlier motet, "Canta in Prato, Ride in Monte" (RV 623). The present work speaks of the nightingale Philomela and her joyous singing.

Cur Sagittas, RV 637

"Cur Sagittas" is another standard-form "introduzione," but the piece that would immediately proceed this motet is lost. Vivaldi scholar Michael Talbot, however, has conjectured that "Cur Sagittas" could be an "introduzione" to either the extant Kyrie, RV 587, or a lost setting of the Gloria. ["Sleeve Notes - Vivaldi Sacred Music, Vol. 8" Michael Talbot. 2002. Hyperion Records. 28 May 2007 .] The first aria speaks of mythical creatures who warring against the main character, a man of faith. The second aria then describes the person's strong faith in the Lord.

Filiae Maestae Jerusalem, RV 638

: """Filiae Maestae Jerusalem" is the first of two "introduzioni" to come before a setting of the Miserere in C Minor which might have been composed by Vivaldi himself but is now presumably lost. It is conjectured to be written in 1715. It is written in the unsual formant of "Recitative-Aria-Recitative". This motet speaks of sad daughters of the city of Jerusalem (a possible reference to the "figlie di coro" of the Pietà) after the death of Jesus Christ, then to describe all of creation to mourn along with by halting all processes of life such as river flow and breezes (which ironically are given musical description in the second aria) and a striking earthquake that occurs after Jesus' death. ["Sleeve Notes - Vivaldi Sacred Music, Vol. 2" Michael Talbot. 1996. Hyperion Records. 28 May 2007 ]

Jubilate, o amoeni cori, RV 639

"Jubilate" is the only "introduzione" to come before Gloria (RV 588), in the form of "Aria-Recitative-Aria." It speaks of choirs joying over the celebration of Christ.The last movement of this motet is interwoven with the first movement of the preceding piece (RV 588). Vivaldi cunningly combines both texts into one, the soloist from the "introduzione" singing the text from the motet. The present motet is essentially a call for all others to rejoice with musical instruments.

Longe Mala, Umbrae, Terrores, RV 640

"Longe Mala" is the first of two "introduzioni" for RV 589, and is related to a motet based on similar text, RV 623, composed several years later in Vivaldi's visit to Rome. Unusually, the form for this motet is "Aria-Recitative." The motet speaks of the terrors of the world and asks for the Lord to appear with his glory.

Non in Pratis, RV 641

"Non in Pratis" is the second of two "introduzioni" to come before the lost Miserere, in the form of "Recitative-Recitative-Aria-Recitative". Unlike its counterpart RV 638 which opens in C Minor, RV 641 begins unusually with an F Major recitative, which later gives way to a D Minor aria. This motet, dissimilar to the universal events of RV 638, speaks of the personal pain and lament at the site of Jesus' death. ["Sleeve Notes - Vivaldi Sacred Music, Vol. 5" Michael Talbot. 1999. Hyperion Records. 28 May 2007 ]

Ostro Picta, RV 642

"Ostro Picta" is the second of two "introduzioni" for RV 589. As usual in "introduzioni", the motet is split into the format of "Aria-Recitative-Aria." In a form of a pun, the motet speaks of the fast-leaving glory of the world while the Virgin Mary's glory is everlasting. ["Sleeve Notes - Vivaldi Sacred Music, Vol. 10" Michael Talbot. 2004. Hyperion Records. 14 April 2007 .]

References