Padua, at the Oratory of San Giorgio, a fourteenth-century pictorial casket, "Historia di Jephte" by Giacomo Carissimi

L'Oratory of San Giorgio, overlooking the square in front of the famous Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, Sunday 5th December (6.45 pm) will host a precious musical event.

The tenor Haruyuki Hirai, the soprano Sara Ricci and the top Sara Tommasini, together with Chamber Choir of the Concentus Musicus Patavinus and all'Instrumental ensemble El Melopeo (Martina Baratella, viola da gamba, Matthew Zabadneh, violone, Roberto Loreggian, organ) directed by the Maestro Ignacio Vazzoler, they will execute the seventeenth-century oratory "Historia of Jephte" from Giacomo Carissimi.

The Oratory of San Giorgio, entirely covered by the magnificent late fourteenth-century frescoes by Altichiero da Zevio and recently registered - as part of the serial site Urbs Picta, The frescoed cycles of the fourteenth century in Padua - in the list of UNESCO heritage, will be the setting for Carissimi's baroque masterpiece.

Giacomo Carissimi (Marino 1605 - Rome 1674), choirmaster at the Roman basilica of Sant'Apollinare from 1630 to his death, is one of the greatest European composers of the seventeenth century, particularly active in the field of sacred music. Its production is decisive in the definition and evolution of the musical oratorio in Latin.

L'Historia of Jephte it was probably composed around the middle of the century (1649, or shortly before). According to the practice of the time, the author obtained the text by freely cutting and interpolating the Vulgate and, as in all his Latin oratories, the structure appears to be designed with a single span outlined in three tableaux (the battle - the celebrations for the victory - the laments) in which the melodic dryness of the recitatives and numerous sections in arioso style alternate.

Considered one of the great masterpieces of the oratorial genre, Carissimi's work evokes the biblical story of Jephte, leader of the Israelites, narrated in three chapters of the book of Judges. Jephte, to propitiate the victory over the Ammonites, makes a vow to sacrifice to God the first person who will meet him after the victory. His only daughter is presented to him and the joy of success is suddenly transformed into tragedy and a heartfelt lament that juxtaposes, in stark contrast, the victory of Israel with the death of the virgin.

"The concluding chorus is undoubtedly the most admired piece of the entire oratorio- says Maestro Vazzoler - Haendel was so impressed that he borrowed several elements for his own Samson's choir. It is actually music of exceptional expressive impact, undoubtedly the most sublime conclusion of the episode of the lament. It is also a sectional piece. The homorhythmic debut, in its painful compunction, sounds like a solemn opening towards endless horizons. Both the dissonances that are fraught with the hint of fugato on the words "in carmine doloris" as well as the polyphonic work that animates the following sections appear to be the emblem of an anguish for which, in purely human terms, neither possible nor rational explanation nor lasting comfort. "

Two compositions by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643) for bass and continuo: the Canzona VII for bass only said The Superb or Tuccina and the Canzona VIII for bass solo said The Ambitiosa. Frescobaldi can be considered the first "independentist" of instrumental music, hitherto always subordinated to vocality, to the words of a text. Raising it to art, he evokes the feelings of listeners by suggesting new emotions.

The concert is included in the 2021 edition of PadovAntiqua Early Music Festival, entitled "Canticum Calamitatis”, Whose main theme is epidemics and their role in the history of humanity on a health, demographic, social, economic and cultural level, also influencing compositional techniques, musicians and, obviously, the public.

The musical performance will be introduced by the brief excursus "A plague ... free nos Domine! Epidemics and painting in the late Middle Ages", Held by the Professor Giovanna Baldissin Molli of the University of Padua.

The initiative, promoted by Veneranda Ark of S. Antonio with the Pontifical Basilica of S. Antonio, is financed with the contribution ofUniversity of Padua on the funds of Lg. 3.8.1986. It is part of the actions promoted within the steering committee of Padua Urbs Picta, which presides, under the aegis of the Municipality and the participation of the owners, the management of the frescoed sites of the fourteenth century, now included in the World Heritage List.

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In the photo above, frescoes by Altichiero da Zevio in the oratory of San Giorgio; the pictorial cycle was carried out between 1379 and 1384. Below, Jephte's daughter, painting by Giuseppe Bazzani, around 1750