Svendsen, Johan

Aria di Chiesa av Alessandro Stradella

(Aria di Chiesa Stradella (1667))

Aria di Chiesa by Alessandro Stradella

Original title: Pieta, Signore (Aria di Chiesa). This aria is probably not by Alessandro Stradella (?1645–1682), but rather by Francois-Joseph Fétis (1784–1871)

JSV 61

On 21 February 1874, the Swedish alto Olena Falkman (1849–1928) was scheduled to perform as a soloist at a concert of the Christiania Music Society. Svendsen needed a score and orchestral parts for Aria di Chiesa, often attributed to Alessandro Stradella (1645?–1682).

Svendsen’s autograph score is undated, but was probably prepared shortly before the concert. In his arrangement for voice and string orchestra, Svendsen used the title Aria di chiesa Stradella (1667). The score’s vocal part includes no lyrics, and the number of syllables in the part is neither a perfect match with the text of ‘Se i miei sospiri’ nor the text of ‘Pietà, signore’. The identification of the composer of the aria has been a subject of discussion among researchers. François-Joseph Fétis (1784–1871) has emerged as a particularly likely candidate, but Louis Niedermeyer (1802–1861) and Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) have also been mentioned. Today, it is no longer considered likely that Stradella composed the aria.

Composition: 1874?.

Christiania
Source of dating: F. Benestad & D. Schjelderup-Ebbe: Johan Svendsen, mennesket og kunstneren, Aschehoug, Oslo, 1990.

Key: C minor

Extent: ca. 7 min.

Sources

A: Score, autograph

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, fair copy]

5 pages; 34x27 cm.

Title page: Aria di chiesa / Stradella (1667.)

Hand ruled music paper, 20 staves
Pagination: 1–5
The vocal part has no text

Part of a collection of scores and sketches with the same shelf mark.
One of the covers for this collection is marked ‘Johan Svendsens Skizzer’ (in blue crayon, not in the composer’s handwriting)
This is followed by a list of contents (in pencil, not in the composer’s handwriting):
1. Stradella (Sang m/Str. orch)
2. Rossini: O salutaris. (Begyndelse)
3. Halévy: Arie af Jødinden. (instrumentert. Træbl. Hn. Strorch)
4. ‘Julia Vals’ (av Johanson) instr.
5. Hartmann: Sørgemarsch. (Påbegyndt instrumentation)
6. Symfoniskizze (5 Rader Partitur)
7. Sangtekst ‘Hvad mig til dig så mäktig drog’

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen). Additions in pencil.

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mu.ms. 1901. Facsimile

Provenance: In the protocol of the library: 25/1-41 Kjøp fra Domorganist N.O. Raasted, Kbh. Des. 1939. (Purchased from cathedral organist N.O. Raasted, Cph. Dec. 1939.).

B: Printed edition of the original

[Classification: notated music, print, score]

Pacini, Editeur des Oevres de la Société,, Paris 1843.

Title page: AIR D’EGLISE / Par le Célèbre Chanteur STRADELLA.
In ‘Recueil des morceaux de musique ancienne exécutés aux concerts de la Société de musique vocale religieuse et classique, fondée à Paris en 1843..., sous la direction de Mr. le Prince de la Moskowa’. Vol. 3, No. 21