Composer

:

Giacomo Carissimi

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Cantata

Average_duration

:

36:34

Dives Malus is a sacred oratorio composed by Giacomo Carissimi, an Italian composer of the Baroque era. The oratorio was composed in the mid-17th century and premiered in Rome in 1656. It is a work for soloists, choir, and orchestra, and is based on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus from the Gospel of Luke. The oratorio is divided into three movements, each of which tells a different part of the story. The first movement introduces the rich man, who is portrayed as arrogant and selfish. The music is grand and majestic, with a sense of pomp and circumstance that reflects the rich man's wealth and power. The second movement introduces Lazarus, who is portrayed as a poor and humble man. The music is simple and plaintive, with a sense of sadness and longing that reflects Lazarus's poverty and suffering. The third movement brings the two characters together in the afterlife, where the rich man is tormented in hell while Lazarus is comforted in heaven. The music is dramatic and intense, with a sense of urgency and desperation that reflects the rich man's regret and despair. Throughout the oratorio, Carissimi uses a variety of musical techniques to convey the emotions and themes of the story. He employs rich harmonies and complex counterpoint to create a sense of grandeur and majesty, while also using simple melodies and sparse instrumentation to create a sense of humility and poverty. He also uses dissonance and chromaticism to create a sense of tension and conflict, and employs sudden shifts in dynamics and tempo to create a sense of drama and urgency. Overall, Dives Malus is a powerful and moving work that reflects Carissimi's mastery of the Baroque style. Its themes of wealth, poverty, and the afterlife are timeless and universal, and its music is both beautiful and emotionally compelling.

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