Recorded 1 September 2018 at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington by RNZ Concert.Is there anything new to say about this favourite work of choral societies, which, ever since Alfredo Casella revealed it to the world in the Vivaldi ‘week’ held at Siena in 1939, has been revered as a locus classicus of its composer’s style? The audacious simplicity of the pounding unison octaves with which it opens is as eloquent and dynamic as anything in Vivaldi’s concertos, and the siciliana-like movement for soprano, obbligato instrument (the composer allows the alternative of oboe or violin) and continuo on the text ‘Domine Deus, rex coelestis’ is the epitome of melting Vivaldian lyricism. What we do know is that all the female performers of the Pietà were hidden behind a grille to preserve their modesty, which ironically only made them more mysterious and alluring to visitors. A number of residents lived there well into their 70s. The Pietà was home to some very talented women, and not all of them were teenagers. Many of the women there assumed the nick-names of their instruments. In convent records, one of students was nick-named Anna dal Basso – whether this referred to her playing a bass instrument or singing bass no one knows for certain. Were men contracted to sing them and separated by screens from the female singers? Were the lower parts simply played by instruments or were there women who could actually sing these low parts? 'Gloria' was conceived for female voices alone, which has raised questions about who sang the lower parts. This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.Īnna van der Leij, Anna Sedcole, Amanda Barclay (sopranos), Megan Hurnard, Eleanor McGechie (altos), The Tudor Consort, Chiesa Ensemble directed by Michael Stewart. Add to playlist Playlist VIVALDI: Gloria in D RV589