A large number of the sacred works by Mozart were composed during his years in Salzburg, prior to his moving to Vienna. These years, for the most part, were unhappy for Mozart. He had toured Europe as a gifted child and adolescent, the darling of high society, but after the novelty of child prodigy had worn off, he was still without permanent employment. So he returned to the hated position of Konzertmeister in Salzburg – one he referred to in letters as his “slavery.” But hate it as he did, Salzburg did offer Mozart opportunities for composition, and played an important role in his development as a composer. The chief influence of Salzburg on Mozart was in the field of church music. The short motet for Lent, Kommet her, ihr frechen Sünder (Come, you shameless sinners) for soprano and strings, was composed in Salzburg, probably in 1779. If it was written with a specific singer in mind, that name has been lost. But it is possible that Mozart intended to insert this aria into one of his many short sacred works composed in Salzburg, such as a cantata, motet or litany. During the 18th century, the difference between church music and opera was not as pronounced as we might think today. It was believed that one spoke in the same voice – whether praising God or pleading with a lover. And this affinity is evident in the church music and operas of Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn and many others, as well as Mozart. The brief motet, Ergo interest... Quaere superna (Is it then important?... Seek what is Heavenly) by Mozart was set as a short recitative and aria, and Mozart incorporated several dramatic devices into the aria. Notice the dramatic sudden forte and the chromaticisms in the orchestral introduction to the aria, just prior to the soprano’s entry. The aria is in the ternary form so popular in opera at the time and there’s quite a bit of florid material - ample opportunity for the singer to show off. After the opening section, the music changes as the text moves into “Hoc dabit gaudia,...”. There’s a miniature cadenza, or lead-in, for the soprano, before the music of the opening section returns. At the end, she’s given another opportunity to supply a brief cadenza. This lovely motet was probably composed in Salzburg around 1773. It used to be believed that it was written earlier in Milan for one or two castrati that Mozart had befriended, but that story now seems improbable. The famous solo motet Exsultate, jubilate by Mozart was definitely composed for a Milanese castrato. At the end of 1772, Mozart was in Milan for the composition and premiere performances of his Lucia Silla, his last opera for Italy. The principal role of Cecilio in the opera was played by Venanzio Rauzzini, one of the most famous castrati in Italy and across Europe at the time. Mozart and Rauzzini became good friends and early the following year, Mozart composed this motet. Once again, the links between church music and opera – sacred and secular, are tight. The work is couched in the grandest operatic language of the day. The first movement contains dazzling coloratura passages for the soprano. Then, after a short recitative, the second movement is set as a graceful, serene Andante. The concluding “Alleluia” is one of Mozart’s best-known church compositions, used as a showpiece by sopranos for decades. Except for the short recitative, the Exsultate, jubilate is really a miniature vocal concerto, with an Allegro, an Andante and a Presto to finish. The work was originally scored for oboes, horns and strings (the version used on this recording), but after Mozart returned home to Salzburg, he rescored it with flutes in place of the oboes, and this later version is sometimes heard today. The career of castrato Venanzio Rauzzini continued to blossom. A year after Mozart composed the Exsultate, jubilate for him, Rauzzini moved to England and enjoyed success in London and Bath. In 1794, during his second visit to England, Franz Joseph Haydn stayed with Rauzzini, at his home in Bath, where Rauzzini died in 1810. Although Franz Schubert composed sacred music from the age of fifteen until his death, his religious beliefs remain ambiguous. He once wrote in his diary, “Man resembles a ball, to be played with by fate and chance.” And in the composition of masses, Schubert often omitted sections of the set text, suggesting a lack of sympathy with the organized, institutional church. But later in life, he wrote, “It is with faith that man first enters the world. It comes long before reason and knowledge, for to understand something one must first believe something... Reason is nothing other than analysed faith.” Musically, Schubert’s church music continues the tradition of the 18th century and the examples of Haydn and Mozart. The offertory Totus in corde langueo, (Deep in my heart, I languish), is simply a beautiful soprano aria with clarinet obbligato. Listeners will be reminded of Schubert’s great “Shepherd on the Rock”, also with clarinet obbligato. The offertory was probably composed in 1815, for performance in the Lichtental church where Schubert was a member of the parish. The church’s soprano, Therese Grob, was the apple of Schubert’s eye at the time, and it’s possible that he composed the piece to win her affections. But for some unknown reason, he published it ten years later, as his Op. 46, and dedicated it to Ludwig Tietze, a singer in the Chapel Royal and his favourite tenor. The Virgin Mary seems to have carried a continuing appeal for Schubert. He made no fewer than seven settings of the Salve Regina (Hail Queen, Mother of Mercy), one of the antiphons to Mary. Most of these were composed before 1819, and it’s possible that he wrote at least two settings for soprano Therese Grob, again trying to gain her attention. The sixth Salve Regina (the one included here) dates from 1819. It was published years later, after Schubert’s death, by Diabelli, under the title of “Third Offertorium, Op. 153.” Of all the settings of the Salve Regina by Schubert, this is one of the most successful, with a delicate, radiant warmth and a gentle lyricism typical of the great composer of songs. For almost thirty years, Haydn served in the position of Kapellmeister at the Court of Esterhaza, under Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy. When the prince died in 1790, his successor disbanded the resident orchestra, and Haydn, now in his late fifties, found himself working as a freelance composer based in Vienna. His music had spread across Europe, he was well-known and highly regarded, and he received many offers to compose and conduct his music. One of the invitations came from the English impresario Johann Peter Salomon. Haydn agreed to compose and conduct a series of six symphonies and spent two concert seasons in England – from January 1791 to June 1792 – presenting the symphonies No. 93 to No. 98. After this very successful first visit, Haydn was only too happy to be asked back again – from February 1794 to August 1795. This time he presented the symphonies No. 99 to No. 104. These last twelve symphonies by Haydn are known collectively as the “London” Symphonies. The very last of them, No. 104, is also known as the “London” Symphony, giving it one of the most pointless musical nicknames, since this tag could easily describe eleven other works by Haydn. To confuse matters even further, in German-speaking countries this symphony is known as the “Salomon” Symphony, after the English impresario. Regardless of its nomenclature, the Symphony No. 104 by Haydn, like the previous eleven, is a compendium of late-18-th century symphonic ideals. It embraces the full range of styles and topics found in music of the Classical period, but although the ideas may not be new, they are expressed in a new, direct manner, within a higher profile. Haydn’s use of harmony, texture, phrase structure, orchestration and development illustrates the close of one musical era, and the need to start a new one. When Haydn wrote “Fine Laus Deo”, (The End, Praise God) at the bottom of the manuscript of the Symphony No. 104, he probably knew it would be the last symphony he would write. He was sixty-three years old – an old man by the standards of the time, and yet he was to live for another fourteen years. He turned to other forms, that resulted in masterpieces like the oratorios The Creation and The Seasons, and the late Viennese masses. But Haydn never composed another symphony. Maybe he knew that he had said everything he had to say in symphonic form, and was ready to pass the torch.

KARINA GAUVIN – Soprano
“A voice that ravishes the ear with sheer beauty” and captivates with a “colourful palette of vocal nuance” are just a few of the extraordinary critical comments offered about soprano Karina Gauvin. Her exquisite voice and exceptional technique have charmed audiences from the Royal Opera House in London to the 92nd St. Y in New York. Her vast repertoire covers music from Johann Sebastian Bach to Benjamin Britten, and she has been heralded as “one of those rare artists who gives each song exactly what it needs.” Karina Gauvin has sung with many major orchestras including the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the New York Collegium, the Scottish Ensemble, I Musici de Montréal, Les Violons du Roy, the Handel and Haydn Society and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. Equally at ease in concert, oratorio, opera and recital, she has worked with conductors as diverse as Charles Dutoit, Christopher Hogwood, Bernard Labadie, Andrew Parrot and Christophe Rousset. Active as a recitalist, she has collaborated with several chamber music ensembles and with pianists Marc-André Hamelin, Michael McMahon and Roger Vignoles. In 1999, Karina Gauvin captured Parisian audiences with a song recital at the Bibliothéque nationale de France for the official centenary celebrations of Francis Poulenc. A regular artist with the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, she has also appeared as a guest with the Lamèque International Baroque Festival, the International Chamber Music Festival in South Korea, the Bethlehem Bach Festival, the Utrecht Early Music Festival in Holland and the Lanaudière International Festival. Ms. Gauvin’s discography includes three Juno Award nominated CD’s: Arias and Dances from Agrippina and Alcina, her Handel CD with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; Images de Noël, a recording of Christmas art songs with pianist Michael McMahon; and Vivaldi Motets for Soprano. Fête galante, a CD of French art song with pianist Marc-André Hamelin, received an Opus 2000 award and was selected as the Chamber Music Association Recording of the Year. Her CD of Handel’s Silete venti and Apollo e Daphne with Les Violons du Roy, for Dorian Records, was awarded a 2001 Juno. Her most recent CD is of Couperin with Capriccio Extravagante.

BERNARD LABADIE – conductor
Bernard Labadie is widely considered to be one of the most versatile and dynamic Canadian conductors of the younger generation. A specialist in music of the Baroque and Classical eras, he is best known in Canada and abroad for his work with two groups, the chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy (1984) and the choir La Chapelle de Québec (1985), which he founded and with which he has toured extensively. A frequent guest conductor with symphony and chamber orchestras across Canada and abroad, Bernard Labadie has conducted the Nihon Shinsei Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, the Wallonie Chamber Orchestra in Belgium, the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, the New York City Ballet, the Minnesota Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras in Québec City, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary and Indianapolis. In 2001-2002, Bernard Labadie will make début appearances with Music of the Baroque (Chicago), the New York Collegium, the New World Symphony (Miami), the Oregon Bach Festival, the Seattle Symphony and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Bernard Labadie is also passionately interested in opera, and since July 1994 has been the artistic and music director of L’Opéra de Québec, where he has conducted operas by Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti, Bizet and Thomas. He has also conducted operas for the Opéra de Montréal and Opera Lyra in Ottawa.

CBC RADIO ORCHESTRA
For more than half a century, the CBC Radio Orchestra, based in Vancouver, has been bringing music to audiences across Canada and around the world through broadcasts, recordings and performances. The orchestra was formed in 1938 under John Avison, in an era when both private and public radio stations clamoured to establish house bands or radio orchestras. Today, it is the only radio orchestra in North America. John Avison was principal conductor for 42 years and led the ensemble in repertoire that emphasized Canadian and 20-th century music, along with traditional chamber and smaller symphonic works from the 18-th and 19-th centuries. With Avison’s retirement in 1979, the eminent British conductor John Eliot Gardiner, joined the orchestra and developed, particularly, the group’s Baroque performance style. The celebrated Canadian conductor Mario Bernardi was appointed principal conductor in 1983, and has held that post ever since. Today, the Juno-Award-winning CBC Radio Orchestra continues the tradition of the great broadcast orchestras through its many studio broadcasts, the annual public concert Avison Series, and producing recordings for broadcast and commercial distribution.