Review

Antonio Caldara
Dio Qual Sia from Naboth:

Arranged by Richard I. Schwartz and Mark J. LaFratta

alto trombone, soprano, keyboard

Coventry, , United Kingdom
Publisher: Warwick Music Publishers
Date of Publication: 2004
URL: http://www.warwickmusic.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Chamber Music

The work is an excellent example of one of the Baroque “Sepolcro” oratorios commissioned by the Austrian Habsburg Royal family. These one-act oratorios often included an aria with trombone obbligato. Text is by Apostolo Zeno and an English translation is provided. Given in B minor, the piece is organized in an ABA, da Capo fashion with the “A” section being about three times as long as the “B” section. The work was found at the Österreichishe Nationalbibliothek, Vienna (Mus.Hs. 18.133). Extensive liner notes, also available on the Warwick web site, give valuable information. Naboth was first performed in 1729 according to the manuscript and is based on I Kings, Chapter 21.

In this edition the work is scored for alto trombone, g–c2 in alto clef, soprano, d1-g2, and keyboard. Although the bassoon is listed on the cover it is actually incorporated into the keyboard part. The trombone part is extensive and important with many sixteenth note passages, trills, and some thirty-second, two-note runs. Although it is marked Andante, quarter=60, the tempo is somewhat challenging. This is a great addition to the alto trombone and voice repertory and is well worth performing.

-Robert Kehle
Pittsburg State University