We are pleased to present the third publication of the “Musica Revelata” series – source-critical edition entitled “Aries by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf from the collection of the Wrocław Premonstratensian monastery”, edited and with an introduction by Tomasz Fatalski.
The basis of the edition are five arias by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, currently belonging to the collection of the Music Collection Cabinet of the University Library in Warsaw (catalog numbers: RM 7866–7868 and RM 4300/2). The compositions were created between the 1760s and 1790s as parts of the collection of the Wrocław Premonstratensian monastery.
The arias were kept in a homophonic texture typical for that era, mostly in the form of da capo. The basic instrumental line-up of the composition – two violins, viola and bass section – has been extended by flute and horn parts in the Ascendit Deus in iubilatione and Surrexit Christus de sepulchro arias, while bassoon part (slightly independent) has been added to the Lauda Sion Salvatorem aria. The secular texts of Italian opera arias have been replaced here with Latin compilations of psalm-liturgical texts and fragments of hymns and sequences, however interferrences in the original musical structure were minimal.
The presented arias required significant technical skills from the singers, as evidenced by the broad ambitus of the vocal parts, coloratura passages, quite numerous ornaments, trills or large interval jumps. This repertoire was most likely performed by secular musicians working in the abbey.
The pieces were edited and commented on by Tomasz Fatalski, PhD student at the Institute of Musicology at the University of Warsaw.
The PDF file can be free downloaded in the Publications tab, the paper version of the work will be available soon.