''Nisi Dominus'', RV 608, is a musical setting by

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

of Psalm 127 (

Vulgate The Vulgate () is a late-4th-century Bible translations into Latin, Latin translation of the Bible. It is largely the work of Saint Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels used by the Diocese of ...

126), intended for

Vespers Vespers /ˈvɛspərz/ () is a Christian liturgy, liturgy of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic liturgy, Eastern Catholic liturgical rites), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental O ...

. His score, written c. 1715, calls for alto voice, strings and organ or harpsichord. The alto part may be taken by (female)

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

or (male)

countertenor A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a ...

. Vivaldi would again set this psalm, but with three voice-parts and orchestral accompaniment (RV 803), in 1739.;

Background

''Nisi Dominus'' RV 608 is unusual in that it sets a Vesper Psalm for a solo voice. Michael Talbot, CD liner notes for ''

Andreas Scholl Andreas Scholl (born 10 November 1967) is a German countertenor, a male classical singer in the alto vocal range, specialising in Baroque music. Born into a family of singers, Scholl was enrolled at the age of seven into the Kiedricher Chorbube ...

– Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus'',

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

289 466 964-2 It was composed between 1713 and 1717"Vivaldi Sacred & Secular program notes"
Harriet Smith,

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings a ...

, April 2022] during Vivaldi's engagement at the girls' orphanage Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, where it was probably first performed."Program notes"
Bruce Lamott, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, San Francisco, December 5-9, 2018 RV 608 has been described by musicologists as a remarkable work in a number of ways. Harriet Smith wrote, "what's extraordinary is the composer's sheer imagination in terms of colour and mood". James Manheim writes, "It is the variety of instrumental accompaniments, as vivid as those of any Baroque opera, that brings the work to life."James Manheim, "Vivaldi: ''Nisi Dominus''", p. 1470, ''The All Music Guide to Classical Music'', Backbeat Books, 2005, Bruce Lamott says: James Manheim summarizes by saying that this work "supports the conclusion that the relative obscurity of Vivaldi's vocal music is due more to historical accident than to any lack of quality."

Structure

The above-mentioned scoring holds for all nine

movements Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger c ...

: The work is unusual in that it splits the

doxology A doxology (Ancient Greek: ''doxologia'', from , ''doxa'' 'glory' and -, -''logia'' 'saying') is a short hymn of praises to God in various forms of Christian worship, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives ...

into two separate movements (7 + 8), and even more striking is its treatment of the first of those, the ''Gloria Patri''. Bruce Lamott says "In what Vivaldi scholar Michael Talbot calls a , Vivaldi saves the greatest surprises for the ''Gloria Patri''." Normally, the entire doxology is a single movement, a cheerful celebratory movement serving as the climax of a piece. Instead, Vivaldi set the words of the """ to slow mournful music, using "the unusual colouring of a viola d'amore, an instrument on which the composer excelled." Michael Talbot writes that Vivaldi's musical setting of the "" turns this part of the doxology into "a journey through a vale of tears: praise of the

Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

despite everything, rather than on account of everything." With the second half of the doxology, "" (As it was in the beginning), Vivaldi creates a musical pun by reprising the music of the opening movement. This movement and the final "Amen" are more upbeat and celebratory, typical for concluding movements of such pieces.

References

External links

* * ,

, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Paul Dyer conducting, Decca {{Authority control Compositions by Antonio Vivaldi Cantatas 1717 compositions Psalm settings