Composer

:

Baldassare Galuppi

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Motet

Compose Date

:

1765 - 1768

Average_duration

:

3:03

Baldassare Galuppi, also known as Il Buranello, was an Italian composer of the Baroque era. He was born in 1706 in the Venetian Republic and died in 1785 in Venice. Galuppi was a prolific composer, producing over 100 operas, as well as numerous sacred works, chamber music, and keyboard pieces. One of Galuppi's most famous sacred works is "In the Flesh Thou Didst Fall Asleep," a setting of the Tenebrae Responsory for Holy Saturday. The piece was composed in 1760 and premiered in Venice the same year. The work is divided into three movements, each corresponding to one of the three nocturnes of the Tenebrae service. The first movement, "In Monte Oliveti," is a mournful setting of the text describing Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The second movement, "Tristis est anima mea," is a somber setting of the text describing the disciples' sorrow at Christ's arrest. The final movement, "Ecce quomodo moritur justus," is a powerful setting of the text describing Christ's crucifixion. Galuppi's setting of the Tenebrae Responsory is characterized by its expressive harmonies, dramatic contrasts, and vivid word painting. The composer uses dissonance and chromaticism to convey the intense emotions of the text, while also employing sudden shifts in dynamics and texture to create a sense of drama and tension. Overall, "In the Flesh Thou Didst Fall Asleep" is a powerful and moving work that showcases Galuppi's skill as a composer of sacred music. Its expressive harmonies and vivid word painting make it a standout piece in the Baroque sacred repertoire.

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