Laughter and Tears

Benedetto Marcello’s oratorio Il pianto e il riso delle quattro stagioni, presented in collaboration with members of The Song Co., is a depiction of the death and assumption of Mary. Contrary to morbid expectations, the narrative is chockablock with exuberant melodies as, Marcello believed, it was a work divinely inspired. With guest singers Anna Fraser, Lanneke Jones, Mark Donnelly, Richard Butler and a band of 5 string players – Myee Clohessy, Tim Willis (violins), Tara Hashambuoy(viola), Angus Ryan (cello), Diana Weston (harpsichord).

The Venetian lawyer and composer Benedetto Marcello in 1728 fell into a grave beneath the floor of Santi Apostoli church. He thereby underwent a religious conversion which led to his decision to give up composing. Nevertheless, this decision must have been reversed because it was after that that he wrote the oratorio Il pianto e il riso delle quattro stagioni (1731). This and one other oratorio were composed for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug 15) which celebrated the reunification of Mary’s soul with her body.

Marcello was a multi-faceted man who had careers in both music and in public life – as a magistrate, lawyer and political adviser to the Venetian republic, and as a writer on opera and theatre. With so many calls upon his time, his output is not huge but was considered of high quality by his contemporaries. Il pianto was one of four oratorios. The librettist is not known, but may have been Marcello himself. The text is static and forced (Marcello was no poet if he did), the work owing its success to the preponderance of beautiful arias divided equally between the four seasons (voices), interspersed with the occasional chorus. While there is room for each soloist to develop and ornament his/her song on the standard da capo repetition, in fact it is the violins which take this role, supporting, imitating and elaborating the melody in an intricate way. In this as in the composition itself, he shows that he is adept at portraying musically the sentiment that underlies each of the arias. Some of these are described below.

The Story

The typical biblical story is discarded by Marcello in favour of an allegorical representation of the Assumption of Mary.

Part I begins with the return of Winter from his mountain retreat. On greeting him, each of the seasons attempts in various oblique ways to convey the news of Mary’s death. Veiled floral and arboreal descriptions hint at the unique and beauteous nature of the departed one.

Part II begins with Summer expressing mixed feelings – both grief and contentment! It becomes clear that Mary lives, and has entered heaven. The seasons compete to see who should make a gift. They then realize that each has equal claim as each has seen a key event in the life of Mary.

SUNDAY, JUNE 17 2012 AT 2.30 PM
ST LUKE’S CHURCH, OURIMBAH RD, MOSMAN