MUSIC TO LIFT THE SOUL

A collection of seven componimenti sacri per musica for the Oratory of St Philip Neri of Venice.

Venice, 1746-1787.

7 libretti, 8vo and 12mo; a few with some sporadic light foxing, but overall very good copies; disbound.

£375

Approximately:
US $460€432

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A collection of seven componimenti sacri per musica for the Oratory of St Philip Neri of Venice.

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A collection of seven libretti for sacred oratorios, to be performed in the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Venice.

The Congregation would present an oratorio every Sunday evening and on selected feast days, for the duration of nearly every winter season from All Saints’ Day (1 November) to Palm Sunday. The twenty- or thirty-odd oratorios presented by the Congregation each season were not all new compositions, but rather a revolving repertoire, constantly updated by the addition of a few new scores each season. The orchestral ensemble accompanying the oratorios would traditionally include up to seven violins, a viola, cello, double bass, harpsichord, and, until 1755, theorbo.

The present collection includes Jaele and Salomone Re d’Israele, both with music by Antonio Bergamo, S. Francesco di Sales Appostolo del Chablais with music by Francesco Feo, Metastasio’s S. Elena al Calvario and Betulia liberate, with music by Francesco Feo and Niccolò Jommelli respectively, Aretuso’s Lobbedienza di giornata, with music by Ferdinando Bertoni, and Il ritorno del figliuol prodigo, with music by Ferdinando Bertoni.

The Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri (commonly referred to as Oratorians) founded by the Saint in Rome in the sixteenth century, is a community of Catholic priests and lay-brothers who live a common life without formal canonical vows, but bound together by a bond of charity. The Oratory in Venice was located within the convent of Santa Maria dell’Umiltà, which was destroyed in 1824.

Full listing:

JAELE. Componimento sacro per musica da cantarsi nell’Oratorio de’ RR. Padri della Congreg.ne dell’Oratorio di S. Filippo Neri di Venezia. Venice, [c. 1743].

8vo, pp. 16. Music by Nicolò Sabatino.

Salomone Re d’Israele. Venice, [s.n., s.a.].

Small 8vo, pp. xxiii, [1 (blank)]. Music by Antonio Bergamo.

S. Francesco di Sales Appostolo del Chablais. Venice, 1746.

Small 8vo, pp. xxiii, [1 (blank)]. Music by Francesco Feo.

METASTASIO, Pietro. S. Elena al Calvario. Venice, 1744.

16mo, pp. 23, [1 (blank)]. Music by Francesco Feo.

L'obbedienza di giornata. Oratorio a cinque voci di Noricio Aretuso. Venice, 1756.

Small 8vo, pp. xxx, [2 (blank)]. Music by Ferdinando Bertoni.

METASTASIO, Pietro. Betulia liberata. Venice, 1785.

Small 8vo, pp. xxii, [2 (blank)]. Music by Niccolò Jommelli.

Il ritorno del figliuol prodigo. Venice, 1787.

16mo, pp. 24; uncut and unopened. Music by Ferdinando Bertoni.

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