Benigno Zerafa (1726-1804) : Dixit Dominus a Due Cori in G (Z95, ACM. Mus.Ms. 295) : a critical edition and analysis

Abstract

This dissertation is divided into six chapters. Chapter one includes a brief biography of Benigno Zerafa shedding new light on the years surrounding 1756, the period during which he composed the Dixit Dominus a due cori in G 1756 (Z95) - a composition that ranks among the longest, most varied and most complex in Zerafa's oeuvre. There is also information on the Maltese Liturgy and sacred music performed at the Cathedral under his leadership, with special reference to the performance of Vespers during the mid eighteenth century. In chapter two various empirical methods are used to analyze the psalm, including consideration of motif, phrase-structure, harmonic analysis, style characteristics and textural and formal considerations. Chapter three provides a comparative study of the psalm by Zerafa with other settings of the psalm by three Neapolitan composers of the period, namely, Francesco Durante (1684-1755), Niccolo` Jommelli (1714-1774), and Girolamo Abos (1715- 1760). The main focus is Zerafa's compositional style which is examined and compared with the other composers' styles. Chapter four shows how rhetorical figures and overall planning are integral to Zerafa's Dixit Dominus. Chapter five presents a Critical Edition of Z95, Dixit Dominus a due cori in G of 1756. This comprises (i) a General Preface discussing the editorial method adopted in this edition based on the autograph score and separate parts; (ii) a computerised transcription of the full score; (iii) the Critical Notes, examining the autograph score and layout adopted for this edition; and (iv) a Critical Commentary, recording details of editorial intervention including clarification and resolution of problematic issues encountered in the autograph score. The aim of this dissertation is to promote a better understanding of Benigno Zerafa's life and career. Comparing Zerafa's Dixit with the three other composers' works helps establish Zerafa as a composer of the Neapolitan galant.