Voices of Connection: 06/12 Baroque Weekend Part 1

VIVALDI "Domine Deus" from Gloria

Nola Richardson, soprano
Diane Lesser, oboe
Daire FitzGerald, cello
Dennis Keene, organ

Excerpt from Voices of Ascension's BAROQUE FAVORITES streaming concert, originally aired on April 14, 2021

This weekend we'll share excerpts from our April 2021 Baroque Favorites stream with commentary from our singer soloists. This first one comes from Soprano Nola Richardson:

I’ve always loved singing the gorgeous Domine Deus from Vivaldi’s Gloria, although I have to admit, I find it to be one of those arias that looks straight-forward, but is actually deceptively difficult to sing well! The lilting 12/8 meter and dotted Siciliana rhythms evoke a beautiful pastoral quality while the oboe and soprano solos echo and entwine. I enjoy taking the opportunity to ornament the lines while still maintaining a connection with the elegant simplicity of the long phrases. In our recording session, oboist Diane Lesser and I had fun trying out each other’s embellishments, exploring different tempi, and performing the piece in several different styles. I think that’s the proof of a wonderful composition- it works beautifully with many different approaches! – Nola Richardson, Soprano

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