Laetatus sum

COMMENT AND SUNG TEXT/ TRANSLATIONS This unforgettable, ultra-rare perfomance of Jan Dismas Zelenka's extensive number setting of the Psalm 122(1) "Laetatus sum" (ZWV 90) took place in Hamburg's Concert Hall Laeiszhalle 23.09.2011. Unfortunately, this shaky amateur recording done by myself from the audience is all I can offer ( but at least the music is excellent...). Soloists Gemma Bertagnolli (s) & Delphine Galou (a) fascinated with their artistry, backed up by the always outstanding Collegium 1704, directed by Václav Luks. According to Zelenka expert Janice Stockigt, Zelenka probably composed the demanding vocal parts for two Italian castrati who arrived in Dresden in 1730. Secure knowledge about ZWV 90's original performance circumstances is however inattainable, because the autograph is lost. ZWV 90 survives in Prague as a unique copy - fortunately of reliable quality - written by Antonín Görbig while he was musical director of the choir of the city's cathedral between 1734 and 1737. ZWV 90's impressive vocal ranges, in addition to a rich instrumentation that varies between each of the six alternating duet/ solo numbers, makes this composition not only one of Zelenka's most exceptional and ambitious within the genre - maybe together with ZWV 57 - but also the very longest (about 20 min, depending on the performers) of all his surviving Psalm settings. ******************************************************************************** TEXT & TRANSLATIONS: Psalm 122 (121, Latin Vulgate) New American Standard Bible (1995) LATIN TEXT (VULGATA VERSION): Canticum graduum huic David ------------------------------------------------- "LAETATUS SUM" DUET (a, s), (c. 0 -3.45 min): I) Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi: In domum Domini ibimus. Stantes erant pedes nostri, in atriis tuis, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, quae aedificatur ut civitas, cujus participatio eius in ipsum. ARIA FOR SOPRANO SOLO (c. 3.55-7.05 min): II) Illic enim ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini: testimonium Israel ad confitendum nomini Domini. Quia illic sederunt, sedes in iudicio, sedes super domum David. DUET (a, s) (c. 7.20-9.56 min): III) Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Jerusalem: et abundantia diligentibus te. ARIA FOR ALTO SOLO (c. 10.05-14.25 min): IV) Fiat pax in virtute tua: et abundantia in turribus tuis. Propter fratres meos, et proximos meos, loquebar pacem de te. Propter domum Domini Dei nostri, quaesivi bona tibi. + DOXOLOGIA MINOR (PARS 1 & 2) DUET (a, s), (c. 14.40-16.18 min): V) Gloria Patri et Spiritui Sancto. DUET (a, s), (c. 16.20-19.20 min): VI) Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. *********************************************************************** ENGLISH TRANSLATION (Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.) "I WAS GLAD" I) I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD." Our feet are standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem, Jerusa