Slovenská hudba, Vol. 45, No 2, p.190-208

Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle as Examples of Sacred Music of Romantic Opera Composer

During Romanticism, sacred music still preserved its place in the society, despite its deviation towards secular music. It did not occupy such an important position as in the previous era, many composers composed it only as a matter of routine. However, we can find several works composed as a declaration of faith and deep veneration. Their authors incorporated in them elements typical for their operas and grand instrumental works – demandig choral parts, exacting arias, virtuoso character not only in vocal parts. Due to their power and pompousness these works have found their place not only in concert halls, but also in churches.
A representative of Romantic composers, Gioacchino Rossini, is today popular mostly as an author of operas Cinderella and Il Barbiere di Siviglia, but also other of his works deserve our closer attention. In his sacred work, forms typical for Romantic authors can be found – cantata, mass, choirs. In the study we have focused our attention on two works in which two aspects of the composer’s character can be displayed. In the cantata Stabat Mater he presented himself fully as an opera composer. The work is extremely demanding for singers, choir and players. In it he formed a symbiosis between the grandness, solemn character on one hand, and humbleness and sensitiveness on the other hand. In his Petite Messe Solennelle he abandoned monumental sound and virtuoso arias; the whole work is written in a more chamber and intimate set-up and mood. These two compositions are the best and most popular from his sacred work and they regularly appear in many concert programmes. The study presents Gioacchino Rossini, his sacred work and the two compositions which belong to the acme of sacred music not only of Romanticism, but also of the whole history of music