Sixteen Bicinios, Volume 2

- Angelo Bertalotti / ed. Rev. Gabriel Iróffy

Use: General
Required Resources: 2-part choir
Language: Latin

This collection of two-part solfeggios is an homage to the composer and pedagogue, Angelo Bertalotti (1666-1747), who during most of his life, was connected with the School of the Order of Saint Joseph Calasanz (also known as the Piarist Fathers) in Bologna. A musician of sound contrapuntal training, he was responsible for the children's choir, and following a centuries-old tradition, wrote solfeggio exercises for his pupils.

The present work, in three volumes, makes practical the execution of some of those solfeggios. For that, liturgical texts in Latin are applied to the exercises, according to the characteristics of the respective melodies. For performance, there are several possibilities. The ideal would be, without doubt, to sing both voices a cappella, either SA or two-part mixed (ST). During the Renaissance and Baroque eras, it was common to use instruments (e.g. the viola da gamba) for the second voice, perhaps transposing it an octave lower.

Contents of Volume 2 (from the Mass) include:

1. Gloria in excelsis Deo – Glory to God in the highest.
2. Tu solus sanctus – You alone are holy, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
3. Crucifixus – He was crucified for us, suffered, died and was buried.
4. Et resurrexit – And he arose on the third day; and he ascended into heaven.
5. Sanctus / Benedictus – Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Volume 1 (from the Psalms) and Volume 3 (Marian and Advent antiphons) are also available.

Dom Gabriel Iróffy is Rector Emeritus of the Santo Américo Elementary and High School and Founder of the Eszterhaza Music School, both in São Paulo, Brazil.