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Home »
Italian Composers »
Jommelli
Niccolò Jommelli (1714-1774) & His Rival Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751)
Jommelli is credited with the invention of crescendo and diminuendo, effects
which were not employed during the baroque era. See page 513 of Music in
European Capitals: The Galant Style, 1720-1780 by Daniel Heartz (NewOlde.com
review), excerpted here:
[Quoting from Burney:]
. . . . Since the discovery which the genius Stamitz first made,
every effect has been tried which such an aggregate of sound can
produce; it was here that the Crescendo and Diminuendo had
birth; and the Piano, which was before chiefly used as an echo,
with which it is generally synonimous, as well as the Forte, were
found to be musical colours which had their shades, as
much as red or blue in painting.
. . .
Other commentators of the time have similar things to say
about the crescendo, the origins of which they attribute to Jommelli. Reichart
in 1774 says he experienced the wonder of it at Mannheim. "They tell us that
when Jommelli first introduced this in Rome, the auditors gradually rose from
their seats during the crescendo, and only at the diminuendo noted that it had
taken their breaths away. I myself have experienced the process at Mannheim."
Abbé Vogler, writing at Mannheim four years later credited Jommelli as inventor:
"to him belong the thanks . . . for waxing and waning of the parts and
especially for the raging, fiery crescendo." Schubart, an authority on all
matters musical pertaining to Mannheim and Stuttgart, confirmed the point.
"Jommelli also raised himself to the level of a musical inventor. . . . The more
precise specifications of musical color and especially the overpowering
crescendo and decrescendo are his!" [Footnotes omitted.]
Recordings
| Jommelli. Sacred Music (Rome
1751). dhm (1 CD, July 2013). Giulio Prandi,
Ghislieri Choir & Consort. Emanuela Galli, soprano;
Romina Basso, contralto; Francesca Boncompagni, soprano;
Karin Selva, soprano.
UK |
FR |
DE |
| Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751).
Sesostri (Rome, 1751). RCOC (3 CDs, July 2011).
Details /
Liner Notes (pdf) /
Score available. Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía
Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Sesostri: Sunhae Im, soprano (video);
Amasi: Kenneth Tarver, tenor (video); Nitocri: Alexandrina
Pendatchanska, soprano (video); Artenice: Ditte Andersen,
soprano (video); Orgonte: Raffaella Milanesi, soprano
(video); Fanete:
Tom Randle, tenor (video). (Terradellas apparently was murdered
in Rome in 1751, 21 years after Vinci met the same
fate.)
This is an outstanding opera, performance and recording.
Highly recommended! No track times or total times
included! tt - CD 1: 75:52; CD 2: 70:11; CD 3: 67:57.
The libretto includes an English tranlation, unlike
Artaserse.
US |
UK |
FR |
DE |
CA |
JP |
| Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751). Arias and
overtures from Artaserse, Merope & Sesostri.
Fuga Libera (1 CD, April 2009). Details. Stefano Demicheli,
Dolce & Tempesta. Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano. "[Terradellas'] death in
Rome in 1751 has remained a mystery to the present day. One
version has it that he was murdered on the orders of his
arch-rival Niccolò Jommelli."
US |
UK |
FR |
DE |
CA |
JP |
| Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751). Artaserse
(S. Giovanni Grisostomo, Venice 1744). RCOC 0800/3 (3 CDs, April 2009).
Details. Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara
(RCOC). Artaserse: Anna Maria Panzarella, soprano; Arbace:
Céline Ricci, soprano; Mandane: Marina Comparato, mezzo-soprano;
Semira: Sunhae Im, soprano; Artabano: Augustin Prunell-Friend,
tenor; Megabise: Mariví Blasco, soprano. Italian/Spanish/French
libretto included. A poorly OCRed
old English translation (1800) is online (scroll down). Burney: "Terradellas seems to have written all his songs for performers of
abilities; for his airs are never made easy and trivial in order to
spare the singer."
A fine opera and performance, if you can tolerate the non-HIP
harp continuo, which is relatively innocuous in comparison to
the noisy strumming guitar and organ found on numerous opera
recordings. Highly recommended.
History of Artaserse -- this was the 24th setting, more or
less.
US |
UK |
FR |
DE |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Armida Abbandonata. (Naples 1770). FNAC Music
592326 (3 CDs 1994). Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques.
Armida: Ewa Malas-Godlewska, soprano; Rinaldo: Claire Brua,
mezzo-soprano; Tancredi: Gilles Ragon, tenor; Erminia: Véronique
Gens, soprano; Rambaldo: Laura Polverelli, mezzo-soprano;
Ubaldo: Patricia Petibon, soprano; Dano: Cécile Perrin, soprano;
Coro: Viviane Durand, soprano; Robert Expert, countertenor;
Jean-François Novelli, tenor; Luc Coadou, bass. The best
Jommelli opera recording to date. Unfortunately, the booklet
designer apparently suffered from dyslexia and color blindness.
The libretto is barely usable, with centered texts and bizarre
color choices.
US |
UK |
FR |
CA |
JP
 Remastered
version issued on Ambroisie AMB 9983 (2005). Ambroisie's
libretto is even worse than FNAC's, as the font point size has
been reduced to the Ambroisie norm, a tiny font unreadable by
anyone over 40, which as Brian Robins notes "will cause some to
seek out their binoculars." The notion of usability, either of
websites or CD booklets, does not seem to have penetrated
France.
US |
UK |
FR |
DE |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Don Trastullo. (Comic intermezzo). Opus 111 OPS
30-280 (1 CD 2001). Antonio Florio, Cappella de'Turchini. Don
Trastulo: Giuseppe Naviglio, bass; Arsenia: Roberta Invernizzi,
soprano; Giambarone: Rosario Totaro, tenor.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Veni Creator Spiritus. Opus 111 OPS 30-254 (1
CD 1999). Also works by Porpora, Barbella, Sabatino & Cafaro.
(Treasures of Naples, volume 9.) Roberta Invernizzi, soprano.
Antonio Florio, Cappella de' Turchini. Truly superb works,
especially the motet by Sabatino. An essential recording.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Il Vologeso (Stuttgart 1766). Orfeo C 420 983 F
(3 CDs 1998). Frieder Bernius, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
Vologeso: Jörg Waschinski, sopranist; Lucilla: Helene
Schneiderman, mezzo-soprano; Flavio: Mechthild Bach, soprano;
Berenice: Gabriele Rossmanith, soprano; Aniceto: Daniel Taylor,
countertenor; Lucio Vero: Lothar Odinius, tenor. Standout
performance by sopranist Waschinski in the title role. Orfeo
saved space and enhanced usability in this set and also in
Didone Abbandonata by putting the notes and biographies in
one booklet and the 4-language libretto in another. Each booklet
fits in a separate leaf of the jewel box.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Vesperae in Sancto Petro Romae / Miserere.
Astrée E 8590 (2 CDs 1996). Bernard Fabre-Garrus, A Sei Voci.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. La Passione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo. K617
063 (2 CDs 1996). Alessandro de Marchi, Berliner Barock
Akademie, Ensemble Vocale Sigismondo d'India, Ensemble Vocale
Eufonia. Maddalena: Anke Herrmann, soprano; Giovanni: Debora
Beronesi, mezzo-soprano; Pietro: Jeffrey Francis, tenor;
Giuseppi d'Armatea: Maurizio Picconi, bass.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Lamentazioni per il Mercoledi Santo. Virgin VC
545 202-2 (1 CD 1996). Gérard Lesne, director and countertenor,
Il Seminario Musicale. Véronique Gens, soprano. Christophe
Rousset, harpsichord.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Niccolò
Jommelli. Didone abbandonata (Rome 1747, version
Stuttgart 1763). Orfeo C 381 953 F (3 CDs 1995). Frieder
Bernius, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (modern instruments but
natural horns). Didone: Dorothea Röschmann, soprano; Selene:
Mechthild Bach, soprano; Enea: Martina Borst, mezzo-soprano;
Araspe: Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Iarba: William Kendall,
tenor; Osminda: Arno Raunig, sopranist.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
 Pergolesi,
Leo, Jommelli, Traetta, Galuppi, Paisiello, Piccinni & Sacchini.
Arie del'700 Italiano. Hungaroton HCD 32253 (1 CD 2004).
Details. Mónika González, soprano. Fabio Pirona, Savaria
Baroque Orchestra. Includes comparative settings of "Se cerca,
se dice" from L'Olimpiade by Pergolesi, Paisiello &
Piccinni and "Lieto così talvolta" from Pergolesi's Adriano
in Siria.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP |
Links
Neapolitan
Comic Opera by Brian Robins
www.newolde.com/jommelli.htm
|
|
Niccolò
Jommelli. Armida Abbandonata. (Naples 1770). FNAC Music
592326 (3 CDs 1994). Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques.
Armida: Ewa Malas-Godlewska, soprano; Rinaldo: Claire Brua,
mezzo-soprano; Tancredi: Gilles Ragon, tenor; Erminia: Véronique
Gens, soprano; Rambaldo: Laura Polverelli, mezzo-soprano;
Ubaldo: Patricia Petibon, soprano; Dano: Cécile Perrin, soprano;
Coro: Viviane Durand, soprano; Robert Expert, countertenor;
Jean-François Novelli, tenor; Luc Coadou, bass. The best
Jommelli opera recording to date. Unfortunately, the booklet
designer apparently suffered from dyslexia and color blindness.
The libretto is barely usable, with centered texts and bizarre
color choices.
US |
UK |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. Don Trastullo. (Comic intermezzo). Opus 111 OPS
30-280 (1 CD 2001). Antonio Florio, Cappella de'Turchini. Don
Trastulo: Giuseppe Naviglio, bass; Arsenia: Roberta Invernizzi,
soprano; Giambarone: Rosario Totaro, tenor.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. Veni Creator Spiritus. Opus 111 OPS 30-254 (1
CD 1999). Also works by Porpora, Barbella, Sabatino & Cafaro.
(Treasures of Naples, volume 9.) Roberta Invernizzi, soprano.
Antonio Florio, Cappella de' Turchini. Truly superb works,
especially the motet by Sabatino. An essential recording.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. Il Vologeso (Stuttgart 1766). Orfeo C 420 983 F
(3 CDs 1998). Frieder Bernius, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
Vologeso: Jörg Waschinski, sopranist; Lucilla: Helene
Schneiderman, mezzo-soprano; Flavio: Mechthild Bach, soprano;
Berenice: Gabriele Rossmanith, soprano; Aniceto: Daniel Taylor,
countertenor; Lucio Vero: Lothar Odinius, tenor. Standout
performance by sopranist Waschinski in the title role. Orfeo
saved space and enhanced usability in this set and also in
Didone Abbandonata by putting the notes and biographies in
one booklet and the 4-language libretto in another. Each booklet
fits in a separate leaf of the jewel box.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. Vesperae in Sancto Petro Romae / Miserere.
Astrée E 8590 (2 CDs 1996). Bernard Fabre-Garrus, A Sei Voci.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. La Passione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo. K617
063 (2 CDs 1996). Alessandro de Marchi, Berliner Barock
Akademie, Ensemble Vocale Sigismondo d'India, Ensemble Vocale
Eufonia. Maddalena: Anke Herrmann, soprano; Giovanni: Debora
Beronesi, mezzo-soprano; Pietro: Jeffrey Francis, tenor;
Giuseppi d'Armatea: Maurizio Picconi, bass.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Niccolò
Jommelli. Lamentazioni per il Mercoledi Santo. Virgin VC
545 202-2 (1 CD 1996). Gérard Lesne, director and countertenor,
Il Seminario Musicale. Véronique Gens, soprano. Christophe
Rousset, harpsichord.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP
Pergolesi,
Leo, Jommelli, Traetta, Galuppi, Paisiello, Piccinni & Sacchini.
Arie del'700 Italiano. Hungaroton HCD 32253 (1 CD 2004).
Details. Mónika González, soprano. Fabio Pirona, Savaria
Baroque Orchestra. Includes comparative settings of "Se cerca,
se dice" from L'Olimpiade by Pergolesi, Paisiello &
Piccinni and "Lieto così talvolta" from Pergolesi's Adriano
in Siria.
US |
UK |
DE |
FR |
CA |
JP