The German-born, Italian-trained Simon Mayr is little known today
but about a year and a half ago I had for review
another Naxos issue with two of his cantatas written in the 1820s.
There I also gave a thumbnail biography to which I refer readers.
He is not in the class of Rossini or Donizetti, who were his juniors
by about a generation – Donizetti was actually his pupil. His
music has however a distant similarity with theirs but he is at
the same time influenced by the Viennese school of Gluck, Haydn
and Mozart. This gives his compositions a certain individuality,
even though some of the arias here seem to be almost copied from
Mozart.
The oratorio David
in spelunca Engaddi is from his relative youth and is the
last of four such works that he wrote for the Ospitale dei Mendicanti
in Venice. The texts were by Giuseppe Maria Foppa, with whom
he also collaborated in several operas. This particular libretto
has survived in two languages: one in Latin, printed for the
performance at the Ospitale and one in Italian. There are also
various version of the musical score, one – in Mayr’s hand –
with female chorus. There are also sketches and a copy with
the chorus scored for mixed voices. Franz Hauk has based this
recording on the original autograph but added the sinfonia that
opens part two, from the other copy and arranged the final chorus
for female voices, since the chorus was missing from the autograph.
The Ospitale dei Mendicanti was intended for girls showing musical
talent. There they were obliged to undertake ten years of training
in the choir. This also explains why all the solo parts are
for female voices. It feels initially a bit strange to have
King Saul sung by a soprano but the convention of the day was
different from our time. Vivaldi half a century earlier also
had only women at his disposal and baroque opera featured castrati
for male roles. For more variation of sound it wouldn’t have
come amiss top have had a couple of lower voices but as so often
one gets used to it.
The Biblical story
is taken from Samuel I, xvi-xxiv. Samuel has anointed David
King of Israel. Saul is tormented by an evil spirit and David
plays his harp to calm him. David defeats the Philistine, Goliath,
in combat and presents Saul with his head. Saul retains David
as a member of his household and makes him his chief warrior.
Jonathan, Saul’s son, becomes friendly with David. The people’s
love of David makes Saul jealous and suspicious. David falls
in love with Saul’s younger daughter Michal. Saul then demands
the foreskins of a hundred Philistines, thinking that, in attempting
this feat, David will be caught by the enemy. David however
delivers the required quantity and gets Michal as his wife.
Saul’s anger increases and he plans to kill David but Jonathan
helps David to flee. Eventually he reaches the mountains of
Engedi where Saul catches up with him. Saul falls asleep and
David finds him but instead of killing him he cuts a piece from
Saul’s robe and then wakes him up by playing his harp. When
Saul sees that his life has been spared they are reconciled
and the chorus sings: O joyful happy day … all are joined
in peace and love.
Being an oratorio
it has to be said that Mayr’s version displays little in the
way of sacred feeling. There is much overt operatic drama and
rather showy virtuosity, and since the chorus has fairly little
to do the impression of secular music is further emphasised.
True, Handel’s oratorios, also dealing with mainly Old Testament
subjects, are also operatic in a way but the important choruses
still lend them a veneer of solemnity. This is, however, more
a description of the approach than criticism. I found the music
very attractive throughout and the drama unfolds without too
many preliminaries. The oratorio is in two parts and the structure
is quite simple: a sinfonia opens each part, there are recitatives
and arias sandwiched with a few ensembles and a couple of duets
in between. The recitatives are mostly accompagnato - with orchestra
- and they are surprisingly expressive. Melodically and dramatically
there are riches in the musical numbers and just as with the
cantatas I became really fond of this oratorio and will certainly
want to hear more of Simon Mayr.
A distinctive Mayr
fingerprint is his habit of featuring solo instruments and groups
of instruments, not only in the purely instrumental sections
but also quite often as obbligato to the singing. In the sinfonia
to Part one we hear some charming woodwind; in David’s pastoral
first aria (CD 1 tr. 8) we hear an English horn; the long sinfonia
to Part two has a prominent part for harp and Saul’s arioso
(CD 2 tr. 18) also features the harp. The oratorio opens with
festive music acclaiming David having defeated Goliath and in
the final chorus the festive mood returns.
The performance
is spirited and full of life. David in spelunca Engaddi
was performed in the Assam Church in Ingolstadt on 24 September
2006 and then recorded in the same venue over the following
three days. This is a method that has very often proved to be
the closest to the ideal recording situation: the participants
are well prepared and deeply involved, inspired by contact with
an audience. They have all experienced the continuity of the
work and are in the same environment. Where the live recording
can often be marred by external noises and occasional mistakes
by the musicians, in this case there are possibilities of mopping
up defects through a second take. The chorus and orchestra,
certainly well rehearsed by the enthusiastic Franz Hauk are
splendid and the young soloists are truly inspired. Claudia
Schneider is a dramatically intense Abner in his only aria (CD
1 tr. 6), which is one of the best things here, Merit Ostermann’s
David goes through numerous moods and feelings and is at his/her
finest in the trio in Par two (CD 2 tr. 11) and in the noble
aria a bit later (CD 2 tr. 15). Saul is brilliantly portrayed
by Cornelia Horak, who has some really virtuoso moments. In
the aria (CD 1 tr 11) the coloratura is breathtaking as is the
aria in Part two with a very Mozartean first half and a stunningly
dramatic second. Jonathan is sung by the bright, glittering
and agile Sibylla Duffe who also doubles as the King’s advisor
Phalti (CD 2 tr 9), where she glitters even more. The only singer
who actually performs as a woman is the Japanese soprano Ai
Ichihara as Michal. Her recitative and aria (CD 2 tr. 3-4),
where she pleads for her beloved is lyrical and beautiful –
another high-spot.
The recording cannot
be faulted. There are a total of 46 cue-points on the two discs
which facilitates when one wants to return to one’s favourite
moments. There are also good notes and a synopsis. The libretto
with translations is available on the internet but to get it
on paper the printer needs 28 sheets. The stories about Saul
and David have been hot stuff for several composers. Marc-Antoine
Charpentier wrote an opera in 1688, David et Jonathas,
Handel wrote the oratorio Saul in 1739, Carl Nielsen
wrote the opera Saul og David in 1902 and Honegger composed
his dramatic psalm Le roi David in 1921. Now Simon Mayr’s
David in spelunca Engaddi can be added to that list and,
though less illustrious than the other names, Mayr need not
feel ashamed in their company. Lovers of Italian opera from
the latter half of the 18th century and the early
19th century should ponder a purchase. They will
be richly awarded.
Göran Forsling