Rossini initially composed only six of the twelve numbers for the Stabat Mater, having his friend Giovanni Tadolini complete the remaining six.
Composition History
Rossini's Stabat Mater was commissioned in 1831 by Don Manuel Fernandez Varela, Archdeacon of Madrid, who insisted Rossini compose a sacred work.
Critical Reception
The Stabat Mater was criticized by figures like Richard Wagner for its operatic forms and tones, which was seen as a 'profanation of sacred music' by the emerging Cecilian Movement.
Composer Biography
Gioachino Rossini, like other 19th-century Italian opera composers, occasionally composed sacred music, often as an alternative to his operatic work.
Composition History
The definitive version of Rossini's Stabat Mater was completed in 1842 after the original commissioner's heirs decided to sell the score, prompting Rossini to finish it himself.
Notable Performances
The first performance of the definitive Stabat Mater took place in Paris on January 7, 1842, with a cast of highly acclaimed soloists.
Critical Reception
Rossini's Stabat Mater caused a stir and was enthusiastically received, surprising the composer himself.
You might also enjoy...
Santo
Leontyne Price - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Robert Craft Conducts Schütz
Ave Maria
Gounod: Ave Maria, CG 89a (After J.S. Bach: Prelude in C Major, BWV 846) [Arr. Sabatini]
Braunfels: Te Deum / Hindemith: Konzertmusik, "Bostoner Sinfonie"
Pergament: Den judiska sången (The Jewish Song)
Massenet: Ave Maria sur la Méditation de Thaïs: Andante religioso "Ave Maria, gratia plena" (Arr. Spindler for Soprano, Choir and Orchestra)
