Michelangelo FALVETTI (1642 - 1692): Il diluvio universale, oratorio
Magali Arnault (Acqua), Mariana Flores (Rad), Caroline Weynants (Natura humana), soprano; Evelyn Ramirez Munoz (Giustizia Divina), contralto; Fabián Schofrin (Morte), alto; Fernando Guimarães (Noè), Thibaut Lenaerts (Foco), tenor; Matteo Bellotto (Dio), Benoît Giaux (Terra), bass
Choeur de Chambre de Namur; Cappella Mediterreanea
Dir: Leonardo García-Alarcón
rec: Sept 6 - 10, 2010, Jujurieux, Espace culturel C.J. Bonnet
Ambronay - AMY026 (© 2011) (64'35")
Liner-notes: E/D/F; lyrics - translations: E/F
Cover & tracklist
Little is known about Michelangelo Falvetti, who doesn't have an entry in New Grove. He was born in Palermo and was appointed maestro di cappella of the cathedral in Messina in 1682. In that year this oratorio was also first performed. The libretto was written by Vincenzo Giattini, a famous writer in Palermo at the time. The score has been preserved in manuscript, and doesn't give any information about the characters or the instruments needed. The printed libretto is held in a library in Venice and allows the identification of the characters and which part they are to sing. The instrumental scoring can be established from the list of musicians at Messina Cathedral during the early 1680s. They included four violins, four violas, an archlute, a sackbut and four organists. The score has two treble parts, an alto and a tenor part and a bass part. The parts in alto and tenor clef are taken by two viole da gamba. A lirone is added to the ensemble as are two cornetts which in some episodes are used as alternatives to the violins.
The story is about the Flood as reported in Genesis (Ch 6-8). God is weary of the wickedness of man and decides to destroy him. He saves the life of Noah, his wife and children. With a number of animals they enter the Ark. Then it starts to rain, the water level rises and all people and animals outside of the Ark are engulfed. This is perfect stuff for a dramatic oratorio, and that is exactly what Il diluvio universale is. It is divided into four sections. The first is "In heaven": we hear a sinfonia, and suddenly Divine Justice (Giustizia Divina) enters, announcing the punishment of the world. The Elements are called, and Water (Acqua) is chosen to execute the sentence. The section ends with a highly dramatic chorus: "Let baleful clouds declare war. Let rains, floods, hailstones and storms drench the earth".
Next follows "On earth". We meet Noah and his wife (here called Rad). They express their trust that the Ark will save them. In a dialogue between God and Noah the latter questions the justice of the decision to destroy mankind. God explains to him why he has taken this decision. Then follows "The Flood": it begins with a 'storm symphony' (sinfonia di tempeste) with a chorus in which the voices are split into two groups. They represent mankind trying to flee: "Let us flee, we are going to die". Then Death enters: his rise from "the depths of Erebus" is effectively depicted by a rising scale. It is even more effective here because Fabián Schofrin begins in his chest register and then enters his falsetto range. Human Nature (Natura humana) asks for mercy, acknowledging his foolishness, but to no avail. Death ends this section: "I have conquered a whole world".
The fourth and last section is "In Noah's Ark". A chorus announces the disappearance of the clouds and the return of light. Noah sings: "Gentle Lord, change thy bow of anger into a rainbow of peace". The oratorio ends with a chorus, urging mankind to "pluck the fruits of life from the fair branches of peace".
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