Author: EMR2015

Roberta Invernizzi, Silvia Frigato, Krystian Adam, Thomas Bauer SSTBar, La Risonanza, Fabio Bonizzoni dir
61:44
Glossa GCD 921517

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ecent years have produced no greater aural pleasure than La Risonanza’s on-going series of Handel’s vocal chamber works. Here they turn their attention to one of the most neglected genres in his output, the vocal duets and trios with continuo accompaniment. Checking back, I was amazed to find that it is now 30 years since the delightful Hungarian soprano Mária Zádori and alto Paul Esswood produced a splendid two-CD set including eleven duets. Since that was for a different vocal disposition, there are no duplications with the new disc, the contents of which are two trios and nine duets composed during or (in one case) possibly just before Handel’s Italian sojourn (1707-1709).

At the time Handel visited Italy the vocal duet was popular as a sophisticated chamber form cultivated by composers such as Steffani. I find several aspects of the youthful Handel’s contribution to it quite remarkable, perhaps above all in his realisation of dramatic possibilities not necessarily inherent in texts largely concerned with the vagaries of love. He achieves this by adopting a flexible approach quite different from the formalism of the chamber cantatas. There are no da capo  arias, the text being treated in sections in ways that seem to take their cue from the words. Take, for example, ‘Va, speme infida’ (HWV 199) (Go, treacherous hope, be off), for two sopranos. It opens, as suggested by the text, driven by a strong running bass and rapid imitative passaggi  between the voices. ‘Tu baldanzosa’ (You told my heart in a conceited manner) brings a new idea, with a slower dotted rhythm, still with much imitative passaggi  but now also introducing lovely floated cantabile writing. At the word ‘Ma’ (but) that starts line 4, the pause after it brings a striking moment of rhetoric, before continuing the fervid sentiment (‘if having been a liar to no avail’) in more declamatory, increasingly accusatory mode before almost imperceptibly text and music slip back to the opening to create a satisfying and thoroughly logical cyclical form. The whole effect is both musically and dramatically masterful. I’ve chosen to discuss this one duet in detail as an illustration of Handel’s extraordinarily confident handling of the form, but most of the others could be discussed in similar fashion. The pair of trios add not only an extra voice, but also an extra dimension, demonstrating the composer’s mastery of counterpoint in writing of madrigalian complexity and sensitivity. ‘Se tu non lasci amore’ (HWV 201) (Too well do I know that if you do not give up love), for which we have a rare specific date and place of composition (Naples, 12 July 1708), is scored for two sopranos and bass, the contrast of vocal gamut skilfully exploited in intricately interwoven lines. The text, which speaks of the anguish of the separated lover, lends itself to writing that involves such an unusually high degree of chromaticism and dissonant suspensions that it inspires the note writer to the unlikely theory that it was composed in homage to Gesualdo, himself of course Neapolitan.

As might have been predicted, the performances are very much a match for the interest and high quality of the music. Roberta Invernizzi has been one of the mainstays of the series, but her customary musical insight and gloriously free tone is here matched keenly by Silvia Frigato and Thomas Bauer, their performance of the bewitching ‘Tacete, ohimè, tacete! (HWV 196) (Cease, oh, be still), a plea not to disturb the sleeping Amor, bringing some exquisite mezza voce  singing and forming one of the highlights of the CD. The excellent tenor Krystian Adam gets only one duet with Invernizzi, ‘Caro autor di mio doglia’ ((HWV 182) (Dearest author of my pain), but that too is exceptional, the one unadulterated love duet. Again the structure is interesting, with a high point of ecstatic fervour at the declamation ‘O lumi! O volto! O luci! O labbro! (O enlightenment! O countenance! O eyes! O lips!). It will come as no surprise to those who’ve followed the series to learn that Bonizzoni’s support is as unobtrusively musical as ever. If that sounds like faint praise, it is not meant to be; his refusal to strive for superfluous effect is one of his greatest assets, not to mention a rare one. Reservations? Very few, but critical duty demands mention of Invernizzi’s tendency to sing too loudly in her upper register, and I felt the singers were a little parsimonious with ornamentation. But that is Beckmesser-ish carping in the context of what is unquestionably one of the best discs of 2015. A joy of a CD!

Brian Robins

Sergio Azzolini, L’Onda Armonica
68:40
naïve OP 30551
Tesori del Piemonte  vol. 59
RV469, 473, 491, 492, 498 & 500

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hese six bassoon concertos once again contradict the oft-paraphrased oversimplification that the composer wrote “one concerto 600 times”. Framed by works in C major, there are two more in A minor (including my favourite of Vivaldi’s 39 solo concertos for the instrument, RV498) and one each in F and G major. In live performance, I have previously written in these pages, Sergio Azzolini can be rather distracting in his means of communicating with his audience, but through the medium of digital music I am spared that visuals and can luxuriate in the warmth of his tone, especially in the lyrical central movements.

In the faster outer ones, yes, Vivaldi relies on the building blocks of ritornello form, but he had the great advantage over most of his contemporaries of writing really ear-catching melodies in the first place, and when it comes to writing virtuosically for the soloist, he has few – if any – rivals. L’Onda Armonica (44221 strings with plucker – with an array of different instruments at his disposal – and keyboardist) are more than “accompaniment”; just listen to the opening of RV498 (Track 7 – Azzolini imagines it representing a snow-covered Venetian winter!) as a sample of their layered dynamics and careful phrasing. This is a fabulous CD and I shall enjoy returning to it often.

Brian Clark

NeoBarock
73:35
Ambitus amb 96 980
Johann Baal: Sonata in A minor (Möller)
Biber: Partias IV & VI ex Harmonia artificiosa-ariose
Mayr: Trio sonata in D minor, Solo sonata in D (Ries)
Erlebach: Sonata Terza in A
Kerll: Sonata in F
Schmelzer: Sonata in F

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen one has seen performers live in concert it impacts on how one listens to and hears a recording. While the concert I heard was of music by Fasch and Stölzel, yet the contagious enthusiasm and excitement they brought to it is clearly audible in this foray into the kaleidoscopic world of the stylus fantasticus. Where recent recordings have focussed on one violin, or a violin in dialogue with gamba, here the repertoire is for two “treble instruments” (I have to tread carefully in case pedants object to me calling a viola treble!) and continuo. Both players (Volker Möller, whose excellent booklet notes include an obituary of the almost unknown Johann Baal, a cleric who unfortunately came to an unsavoury end when he used a door that led to a cliffside…) are equally at home on the scordatura version of their instruments; Möller notes how Schmelzer uses such different scordaturas for the two violins that the work sounds like a sonata for viola and violino piccolo. With all the intricacy going on in the melody parts, NeoBarock wisely limit their continuo section to cello and either harpsichord or organ, and their simple accompaniments provide the perfect backdrop. The booklet and casing are decorated by an original artwork by Gerhard Richter, for which the performers express their thanks; I would like to express my thanks to all concerned for a fabulous hour’s entertainment.

Brian Clark

Collegium Musicum Den Haag, Claudio Ribeiro
65:00
C. P. E. Bach: Symphony in D, Concerto Wq, 14, H417, Sonata in A minor Wq90.01, H522
W. F. Bach: Symphony in F
Barbella: Concerto III

My first reaction to putting this CD in my machine was, “Oh no, not C. P. E. Bach’s greatest hit [the D major Symphony] AGAIN!” It didn’t take me long, though, to realise that CMDH were not just going through the motions of producing a disc devoted to this music – they had grabbed it by the neck and decided to give it a good shake; these are performances of real vitality and, even if the programme is something of a calling card for the group with a Neapolitan recorder concerto at its heart and a sonata for keyboard with violin and cello accompaniment as another filler, that is insignificant when one is dealing with such stylish and passionate performances. Listening to the adagio of the harpsichord concerto was an emotionally draining experience, but not at all in a bad way – the deepest sentiments of C. P. E. Bach’s soul are seemingly laid out for all to feel, and Ribeiro and co. capture all the nuances to perfection. I think my only (slight) complaint about the whole set is the fact it took me so long to identify the outstanding players. To save readers the bother, the talented recorder player is Inês d’Avena – her even and pure sound reminds me a lot of the legendary Gudrun Heynes. If this group is new to you (as it was to me) do not hesitate to make their acquaintance – they have something to say, no matter what they are playing!

Brian Clark