The Constantijn Huygens discography

As a universal genius, it was almost self-evident that Constantijn Huygens also performed and composed music at a high level, although he only prided himself on this within a select few. With his 1646 collection of songs and psalms, 'Pathodia Sacra et Profana Occupati,' Huygens's primary goal was to impress his current muse, the harpsichordist and singer Utricia Ogle. He dedicated the collection of psalms, arias, and airs to this daughter of an English soldier. The work demonstrates his knowledge of the latest fashions in Italy and France at the time. Besides Boësset, Monteverdi and his idol Luigi Rossi also resonate. Huygens's musical sophistication stemmed not only from his correspondence with fellow composers but also from his constant access to the latest music from around the world through music dealers and travelers. He was of high standing, well-to-do, and highly respected among the political elite of his time. However, since 1637, he had also been a widower, and when the young Utricia Ogle (1611-1674) appeared in 1642, his mind went wild. In the years that followed, he sent Ogle numerous songs that eventually ended up in the 'Pathodia Profana,' all yearning and frivolous in nature. That he harbored hope was logical in those days, as he was "only" fifteen years older than Utricia. Heat casts the increasing degree of self-abasement in the lyrics in a peculiar light. The high point, or low point, is 'Tu te trompes, Philis'.

Wallowing eroticism

Both the Italian arias and the French airs, aubades, and sérénades gradually escalate from mild amorous pangs to wallowing erotic longing, culminating in the shameless pathos that would later characterize the famous Neapolitan and Italian canzoni of the late 19th century. The poet never reaches his adored Cloris, Clorinde, Calliste, Amarante, Amyntas, or Philis, with the latter, in the very best cases, punishing him harshly for his nagging—preferably with a whip! 'Con la candida man' is downright masochistic in nature.

Constantijn Huygens, a lovestruck fool

In 1644, their relationship came to an abrupt end, following unspecified 'audacity' on Huygens's part. This was followed by the innocent madrigal 'Già ti chiesi un sospir,' apparently an attempt to revive the relationship. He succeeded. Utricia married a prominent English officer, the couple maintained contact with Huygens, following which he dedicated the anonymously published Pathodia (he was of noble birth and could not professionally engage in music) to her. Ultimately, the anecdote and the dedication in the Pathodia Sacra e profana occupati' ensured that Utricia's name has been passed down through the centuries. The Dutch Royal Library even preserves a particularly beautifully drawn portrait of her.

1934-2025
Rediscovery of the Pathodia Sacre et Profana

The resounding rediscovery of the Pathodia Sacra et Profana began around 1934, when Aafke Komter-Kuipers accompanied soprano Saar van Alphen on a replica two-manual harpsichord during the "Muziek in den Muiderkring" recitals at Muiderslot Castle, performing her own arrangements of songs by Huygens, Sweelinck, and incidental music from pieces by Bredero, Hooft, Starter, and Vondel. In September 1937, Jo Vincent sang several psalms from the Pathodia Sacra in Naarden. Huygens' breakthrough came in 1954, when the contralto Annie Hermes performed several of his songs with cittern accompaniment in the Recital Hall of the Concertgebouw. Suddenly, Huygens was in the spotlight. After the radio premiere with tenor Cornelis Kalkman and lutenist Koos Tiggers on March 24 of that year, performances followed one another in quick succession.

Discografie

Huygens’s ‘Pathodia Sacra et Profana Occupati’ is currently available in three complete recordings. The first is a 1979 EMI LP with soprano Elly Ameling and bass Max van Egmond; an NM-Classics CD from 2000 with soprano Anne Grimm, bass Peter Kooij, mezzo-soprano Wilke te Brummelstroete, and tenor Nico van der Meel. This was followed in 2020 by a Glossa recording with tenor Cyril Auvity, Marie van Rhijn on harpsichord, organ, and lute, and Myriam Rignol on viola da gamba. The recording with Ameling and Van Egmond has a nostalgic warmth that will not easily be achieved in contemporary performance practice. The 2020 Glossa recording, however, takes a giant step further. The accompaniment and especially the vocal ornamentation are fascinatingly interpreted, offering new ideas about how such music once came to light. The fact that Auvity, as a Frenchman, can spontaneously and internally color every nuance in the text results in a completely different emphasis. Many of the songs, even an earworm like "Con la candida man," are barely recognizable from the Dutch tradition in this piece. This is probably how Auvity and his accompanists come closest to capturing the atmosphere and sound in which Mrs. Ogle might have sung these pieces at the time.