Hasse - Artaserse "Pallido il sole" Andreas Scholl

Johann Adolph Hasse

Artaserse, "Pallido il sole"
Artabano's aria

Thanks as always to MehdiCaps for his help in editing the score.

This recording:

From the album Heroes
Andreas Scholl
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Conducted by Roger Norrington

Artaserse is the name of a number of Italian operas, all based on a text by Metastasio. Artaserse is the Italian form of the name of a Persian king, Artaxerxes.

The libretto was first set by Leonardo Vinci in 1730 for Rome. It was subsequently set by Hasse in 1730 for Venice and in 1760 for Naples, by Gluck in 1741 for Milan, by Graun in 1743 for Stuttgart, by Galuppi in 1749 for Vienna, by Johann Christian Bach in 1760 for London, and many other times. The text was often altered.

Thomas Arne's 1762 Artaxerxes is set to an English libretto that is based on Metastasio's.

The opera was famously performed in 1734 as a pasticcio, featuring arias by various composers such as Attilio Ariosti, Niccolo Porpora and Riccardo Broschi. It was in this that Broschi's brother, Farinelli, sang one of his best known arias, "Son qual nave ch'agitata".


Original Text:

Pallido il sole, torbido il cielo,
pena minaccia, morte prepara,
tutto mi spira rimorso e orror.

Timor mi cinge di freddo gelo,
dolor mi rende la vita amara,
io stesso fremo contro il mio cor.


Translation:

Pale the sun and murky the sky,
punishment threatens, death lies in wait,
all inspires remorse and horror.

Fear envelops me in icy coldness,
sorrow makes my life bitter,
I shudder at my own feelings.

Category:

Music

[j0natron]

Great video. I'm curious why you only show one measure at a time in some areas. I feel like I want to see more than one measure to look at the phrasing of the passages.

[civileso]

True. I want to see the whole page myself. But for the sake of making the notes legible on YT video player, I have to cut the score the way it fits the screen ratio.

[sfkcbf]

In listening to Scholl's superb vocal tone, technical agility, and clear enunciation, I must conclude that this is one of the best countertenor performances that I ever have heard. Having the score also is very helpful.

[conejamusical]

i just love andreas scholl..

[marchesano]

I have always liked Andreas Scholl. I am disappointed with this for two reasons. Firstly on the da capo, why is there no ornamentation? It makes the repeat pointless and the whole thing boring. Second, when he suddenly sings in male tenor tone near the end, it is just freaky. Very out of character. If it sat too low, they should have transposed it. Sorry Andreas, clean singing, but not one of your better performances!

[MisterPapageno]

Correct pronunciation but boring boring boring!

[karshook]

That translation misconceives the meaning of the final line. It actually means «I tremble despite myself».

[Taenyr]

Thanks for posting this with the score!

Does anyone know why he shifts into chest voice for a measure (rather unusual for a professional countertenor) at 3:30?

[mozart200657]

The first measures of the voice remember strangely "Giorno di pianto" form Verdi´s Vespri Siciliani.

Very good performance.

[mozart200657]

The first measures of the voice remeber strangely "Giorno di pianto" form Verdi´s Vespri Siciliani.

Very good performance.

[TheComposer910]

This has really been bothering me. The translation of the lyrics describe powerful negative emotions. I can't help but wonder why the composer chose to set this in a major key. It should really be minor throughout. I'm having trouble picturing the character happily singing "... punishment threatens, death lies in wait ..." etc. Thought I'd mention that in case no one had.

[tastibasti]

i know this aria from derek lee ragin...