Donati's 1636 print contains 27 motets for solo voice (mostly soprano) and continuo. They were written specifically to teach young singers how to decorate the broad melodic lines that characterised solo motets of the period. This volume contains the first 15 pieces from the set. Volume 2 will include the other 12 (including music for other voice types, as well as soprano), with transpositions of three pieces which the composer himself suggested.
Click HERE to see the contents of volume 1.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece sets a text from St Matthew's gospel, relating the story of the angel talking to the women outside Christ's sepulchre.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp. Printed and finished by Dundee University Print Unit.Scoring: Soprano, continuo.
Click here to see the first page of the score.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece sets portions of Psalm 44.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece is the third of four for bass and sets a text that also pre-echoes Handel's "Messiah".
Edited by Brian Clark.4pp. Printed and finished by Dundee University Print Unit.Scoring: Bass, continuo.
Edited by Brian Clark.16pp. Professionally printed in Scotland by DU-Print.Scoring: Soprano solo, continuo.ISMN 979-0-708142-95-9
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Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp, printed on quality paper and finished by DU Print.Scoring: Soprano, continuo
Click HERE to see the first page of the score.
Edited by Brian Clark.12pp. Professionally printed in Germany.Scoring: SATTB, continuo.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece is for Whitsuntide (Pentecost).
Edited by Brian Clark.16pp. Professionally printed in Germany.Scoring: SSATTB, continuo.
Edited by Dennis Collins.This trio for Sopranos (or Tenors) is cast as an echo piece, and will work well with spatially separated voices.8pp.
Edited by Brian Clark.20pp. Professionally printed in Germany.Scoring: SATTB, continuo.
This setting of texts suitable for male or female singers (the first part from the Book of Wisdom) comes from Donati's Op. 5 collection, which was first published in 1618.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp.Scoring: Soprano (or Tenor) solo and continuo.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this – the last of the four pieces for bass – sets a very colourful text from Psalm 144 from which Donati draws great musical effects.
Edited by Brian Clark.4pp. Printed and finished by DU Print.Scoring: Bass, continuo.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp. Professionally printed in Scotland by DU-Print.Scoring: Soprano solo, continuo.
Taken from the composer's 1619 book of solo motets, "Ego dormio" sets a text from The Song of Songs for either soprano or tenor. Donati uses descending scales to represent the singer falling asleep, and faster notes to denote his or her excitement when the loved one knocks on the door.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp.Scoring: Soprano or Tenor solo, continuo.
This setting of a text from the Pentecost liturgy (asking the Lord to bless his church) also comes from the 1636 didactic set, Op. 14. Here again passages of declamation are interspersed with flourishes, the most dramatic of them reserved for "in toto corde" and "Deus".
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp.Scoring: Soprano solo and continuo.
This fine duet for soprano and bass comes from Donati's Op. 5 Concerti Ecclesiastici, first published in 1618. The jubilant text from Isaiah 61 is set mostly imitatively, although there are short passages of declamation for both singers as well. There is none of the virtuosity associated with the composer's solo motets.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp.Scoring: Soprano, Bass and continuo.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece sets a text appropriate for the Feast of the [Invention of the] Cross, May 3rd.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp. Printed and finished by DU Print.Scoring: Soprano, continuo.
This setting of a response for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception comes from Donati's instruction book of 1636.
A duet for two sopranos or tenors, this setting of texts based on Psalms 30 and 70 comes from the composer's fourth book of Concerti Ecclesiastici of 1618.
Edited by Brian Clark.4pp, printed and finished by DU Print.Scoring: 2 sopranos or 2 tenors, continuo.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece sets the first five stanzas of St Bernard of Clairvaux's famous poem of that name.
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece is the second for Basses and sets a text from Isaiah that most people will recognise from Handel's "Messiah".
Taken from the composer's 1636 book of solo motets for the education of young singers, this piece is for the Feast of St Clare (11th August).
This setting of an antiphon for Christmas week comes from Donati's first book of solo motets, published at Venice in 1619.
Edited by Dennis Collins.4pp. Printed and finished by DU Print.Scoring: Soprano or tenor, continuo.
Donati set this verse from the Epistle to the Romans as a demonstration to young singers of how they ought to ornament such short motets.