Domenico Scarlatti's Stabat mater: 38% difference in performance time.

[Stanfordian]

I am listening to Domenico Scarlatti’s Stabat mater performed by Les Arts Florissants directed by Paul Agnew. This newly released disc was recorded at the Abbaye d’Ambronay, France on Virgin Classics 50999 0709072 1. I have also been playing the 1973 London account of the same work recorded by the Schütz Choir of London under Roger Norrington on Decca 443 868-2.

Les Arts Florissants/Paul Agnew take 23:20 whilst the Schütz Choir/Roger Norrington take 32:06. Can anyone account for this massive 38% difference in performance time?

[subcontrabass]

One can only put it down to the performers/director. A quick look at other recordings suggests an average time of around 25 - 26 minutes.

[Biffo]

I can only add that The Sixteen/Christophers (2001) take 25:39.

[Stanfordian]

Thanks Biffo and subcontrabass for that information. However, I'm convinced that this large difference in timings is not down to pacing. I wonder if the directors are using different editions of the work?

[Nick Armstrong]

The most wonderful performance of this piece by a country mile imho is this one by Ensemble William Byrd under Graham O'Reilly:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scarlatti-Stabat-Mater/dp/B0043YEMAI

and by my reckoning, totting up the times for the various mp3 tracks listed there, it lasts 23 minutes.

No idea what Sir Todger was up to... Sounds like a different edition or liturgical interpolations (matron!!)

[rauschwerk]

The most wonderful performance of this piece by a country mile imho is this one by Ensemble William Byrd under Graham O'Reilly:and by my reckoning, totting up the times for the various mp3 tracks listed there, it lasts 23 minutes.

My CD of the O'Reilly version gives 30'46" as the duration.

[Martin]

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[Anna]

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I was just about to chip in with my absolutely massive recording length when I realised - I was looking at Alessandro Scarlatti!! <doh emoticon>

[ostuni]

I was just about to chip in with my absolutely massive recording length

Ooer!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ooer!!

That's the beetroot working, then, Anna?

[Anna]

That's the beetroot working, then, Anna?

I shall ignore that. However, it is proved that beetroot juice makes cyclists pedal 16% harder and faster, but as Scarlatti did not have a velocipede .......... maybe the conductor did?

[Nick Armstrong]

My CD of the O'Reilly version gives 30'46" as the duration.

I shall examine my copy on my return home - being elsewhere, I jsut used the track lengths on that link....

[Biffo]

The Stabat Mater has an interminable number of verses, as a schoolchild we only used to sing the first and last four verses (not in Scarlatti's setting I have to add!). The Sixteen/Christophers sing 20 verses (Dvorak also sets 20 verses at great length). Is the 20 the total available? Has Norrington been ultra-completist and found other verses or is he just slow?

[Stanfordian]

The Stabat Mater has an interminable number of verses, as a schoolchild we only used to sing the first and last four verses (not in Scarlatti's setting I have to add!). The Sixteen/Christophers sing 20 verses (Dvorak also sets 20 verses at great length). Is the 20 the total available? Has Norrington been ultra-completist and found other verses or is he just slow?

Les Florisasants directed by Paul Agnew sing 20 verses although they are not indexed unlike Norrington.