Isaaco. Oratorium (1781). /Vocal Score

Description

Instrumentation: Oratorio for Soli, Choir and Orchestra
Edition: vocal score
Difficulty: medium difficulty

Suitable for good amateur orchestra and in combination with other pieces of the same time.

Isacco. Figura del Redentore. Del Sigre Abate Metastasio posto in Musica
la Sig: Marianna Martines Nel 1781

Personen:
Abramo Bariton, Isacco Sopran, Sara Sopran, Gamari Tenor, Angelo Sopran, Chor der Diener und der Hirten

Orchester:
2 Flöten, 2 Oboen, 2 Fagotte, 2 Hörner, 2 Trompeten, Pauken, Violine 1, Violine 2, Viola, Cello, Kontrabass

Contents:
Parte Prima
1. Ouvertüre Seite 2
2. Accompagnato Abramo, Isacco 57
3. Aria Isacco 71
4. Accompagnato Abramo, Angelo 89
5. Aria Angelo 94
6. Accompagnato Abramo, Gamari, Sara 103
7. Aria Abramo 115
8. Accompagnato Sara, Isacco, Gamari 128
9. Aria Isacco 134
10. Recitativo Gamari, Sara 148
11. Aria Sara 149
12. Recitativo Gamari 161
13. Aria Gamari 163
14. Coro Pastori 180
Parte Secunda
15. Accompagnato Sara 200
16. Aria Sara 206
17. Accompagnato Gamari, Sara 216
18. Aria Gamari 221
19. Accompagnato Sara, Gamari, Isacco, Abramo 238
20. Aria Abramo 243
21. Recitativo Gamari, Sara, Isacco, Abramo 257
22. Aria Isacco 270
23. Accompagnato Gamari, Sara 286
24. Aria e Coro Sara, Servi 288
25. Accompagnato Abramo, Angelo 310
26. Aria Angelo 313
27. Accompagnato Sara, Isacco, Abramo 338
28. Coro Servi 345

The oratorio was composed in 1781, based on a textbook written by Pietro Metastasio. Metastasio was a celebrated poet at the court in Vienna – “Poetra Cesareo” – and had written the text as early as 1740. Com-bined with music by Predieri, the oratorio was performed in Holy Week 1740, as the Lent was the time of the year in the 18th century when operas were replaced by oratorios. It had long been musico-religious tradition at the imperial court in Vienna to attend the performance of an oratorio in the court chapel during Holy Week. Naturally, the ‘action’ of the oratorio had to be closely connected to the Passion of Jesus and the text had to be written in Italian language.

The fact that Marianna Martines sets this text to music again – 40 years after the first composition – may be explained from her biography. But only in part, because up to the end of the 18th century Metastasio’s text were repeatedly used as the basis of new compositions. Even Mozart was one of these composers who set Metastasio’s texts to music once again.
The oratorio was premiered just a few months after Metastasio’s death.