At the heart of the festival lies the Inner_Spaces Special titled Crucifixus, held in the Church of San Fedele, featuring percussionist Simone Beneventi in a sacred representation of the Passion of Christ.
The program is divided into an introduction and two parts. It begins with a solo on the Semantron, an instrument used in Greek Orthodox liturgy, a slab of maple wood struck with two mallets. Traditionally used to call monks to prayer, the sound of the wood symbolizes both the tree from the Garden of Eden, which caused Adam’s fall, and the wood of the cross where Christ was nailed to atone for Adam’s transgression. The performance transitions to the sound of a low gong, whose resonance is amplified by electronics. This sonic echo fills the church space and introduces the first part of the sacred representation titled Invocation for Salvation and Forgiveness, featuring a chamber choir performing Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere and Arvo Pärt’s Triodion.
The percussion and electronics return in an interlude leading to the second part, The Passion of Christ, centered around the three versions of Crucifixus by Antonio Lotti, chapel master at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
The version for six voices employs rich but restrained polyphony, where each voice plays a precise role without overshadowing the others. The vocal writing is balanced and structured, with a strong focus on dynamic contrast and the emotional expression of the Credo text: Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est. Despite its relative simplicity compared to the other versions, this music conveys the depth of pain and sacrifice.
In the second version, the voices are divided into two choirs, creating a richer and more majestic soundscape. Contrasts between sections and the introduction of dissonances reflect the suffering and torment evoked by the words of the Credo. Moments of intense drama culminate in harmonic resolutions of great emotional impact.
The final version represents the pinnacle of Lotti’s polyphonic virtuosity. The writing is even more intricate, with constant changes in registers, contrasts between choirs, and passages where the voices intertwine in fugues and imitative phrases. Lotti conveys a sense of profound solemnity and grandeur, transforming Christ’s death into a universal event that engages not only believers but all of humanity.
The contrast among the three versions of the Crucifixus lies not only in the number of voices but also in their different approaches to tempo and dynamics. While the six-voice version feels more contemplative and meditative, the eight- and ten-voice versions explore a broader range of styles, including moments of intense harmonic tension and more expansive lyricism. Lotti masterfully uses music’s expressive power, creating polyphony that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging.
The three Crucifixus settings by Antonio Lotti are a testament to Baroque spirituality. Influenced by the Venetian tradition and the great compositional schools of his time, Lotti blends the austerity of liturgy with the emotional intensity of music.
The vocal composition Summa by Arvo Pärt revisits the entire text of the Credo. The program concludes with Anton Bruckner’s Christus factus est, based on the hymn from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, offering a liturgical and theological meditation on the meaning of Christ’s cross.