Author: EMR2015

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Around Mozart

CD cover Around Mozart The golden age of the oboe quartet Bernardini


Quartetto Bernardini
67:29
Arcana A 482

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This delightful CD brings to wider attention oboe quartets composed throughout Europe in the context of Mozart’s Quartet in F, K370/368b. Playing a selection of oboes from 1750 to 1810, virtuoso oboist Alfredo Bernardini brings his stunning technique and pleasing tone to bear on music by J. C. Bach, Charles Bochsa père, Justus Johan Friedrich Dotzauer, Alessandro Rolla and Georg Druschetzki. This unfamiliar repertoire is utterly charming, and Alfredo Bernardini’s highly informative programme note confirms the fact that this is very much a pet project, and one which we should all welcome with open arms. He is very ably supported by his Quartetto Bernardini – fortunately, he is the father of Cecilia Bernardini, until very recently the simply superb leader of the Scottish Dunedin Consort, and more than able to match her father’s technical fireworks! The first-class musicianship of all the players here raises this CD above the level of something of interest to oboists, to a highly entertaining and revelatory survey of chamber music in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

D. James Ross

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Recording

Song of Beasts

CD cover of Song of Beasts Ensemble Dragma

Fantastic Creatures in Medieval Song
Ensemble Dragma
52:15
Ramée RAM1901

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Ensemble Dragma have combed the surviving output of Johannes Ciconia, Paolo da Firenze, Jacopo da Bologna, Francesco Landini, Magister Franciscus, Donato da Firenze and Trebor in search of music associated with animals, real and imaginary. This is an excellent theme, well worth exploring, and takes us into the world of the medieval bestiary. They have got around the fact that much of the charm of these books is their illustrations by producing an accompanying film which draws on more than 40 medieval bestiaries to which a link is provided – this is a substantial entertainment in itself, running to more than an hour, beautifully constructed and with scholarly commentary in German with English subtitles, while also incorporating all the music on the CD. The ensemble make light of this technically demanding repertoire, producing performances which are musically satisfying and highly evocative. The solo voice is supported by harp, vielles, viola d’arco and lute, producing sparse but engaging textures as well as enjoyable instrumental interludes. Since the establishment of the group in 2012, Ensemble Dragma has established itself as one of the leading medieval consorts in the field.

D. James Ross

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Recording

Vitali: Sonate a due violini op. 9, 1684

CD cover Vitali op 9 Italico Splendore

Italico Splendore
77:17
Tactus TC 632207

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Giovanni Battista Vitali spent the most fruitful years of his life at the Este court of Modena, and it is in the Bibioteca Estense that the bulk of his music survives, albeit in the case of his op 9 in manuscript only and in a fragmentary state at that. A degree of reconstruction has been necessary to allow these recordings to take place. Vitali’s compositions played an important role in establishing the trio sonata as a classic Baroque chamber genre, as well as raising the profile of the cello, which was apparently his principal instrument. His early publications enjoyed frequent reprints, so it is doubly puzzling that the op 9 church sonatas survive only in a single damaged manuscript copy. In these compositions, we can see Vitali experimenting more extensively with chromaticism in a way that influenced Torelli and Corelli, and even Purcell, suggesting that the op 9 was at some point more widely available and more widely disseminated than the single surviving copy at first suggests. These performances are fresh and idiomatic, drawing attention to Vitali’s musical originality and ready imagination.

D. James Ross

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Recording

Besseghi: Sonate da camera op. 1

CD cover of Besseghi Sonate ca camera op. 1

Opera Qvinta
109:27 (2 CDs in a single jewel case)
Tactus TC 670290

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One of the very few uncontested biographical facts about the Bologna-based composer Besseghi is that he played a Guarneri violin. His publications and even the style of his compositions reflect the dominating influence of Corelli, and indeed his limited surviving output has been almost entirely eclipsed by his more famous contemporary. Besseghi spent some time, possibly the bulk of his career, in France in the service of the wealthy Fagon family, who in turn enjoyed close contacts to the court of Louis XIV and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Rameau. It has to be said, however, that you would search in vain for any influence on the course of French Baroque music from Besseghi’s compositions which remain entirely Italianate in style. These accounts of the opus 1 Sonate da Camera of 1710 are played with imagination and considerable musicality by Fabrizio Longo and his ensemble, who continue to cast an informative light on the regiments of Italian Baroque composers upon which the fickle light of celebrity has long since ceased to shine.

D. James Ross

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Recording

German Funeral Music of the 17th Century

CD cover of Voces Suaves German funeral music of the 17th century Johannes Strobl

Schütz: Musicalische Exequien
Voces Suaves, Johannes Strobl
65:56
Arcana A483
+Music by Ebeling, Gleich, Kessel, Knüpfer, Rosenmüller, Schein, Schelle

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The very first note – a wonderful, resonant low C on voices and lute – heralds a promising CD centred on Heinrich Schütz’s Musicalische Exequien and setting that funeral music in the context of other motets from 17th-century Germany, that might be suitable for such elaborate occasions. The CD starts with the splendid motet by Schein, Ich will schweigen, where all the sonorities we will hear in the rest of the CD are displayed. Second is a motet by Andreas Gleich, set for contrasting choirs of high and low voices. The overall sound is marvellous with near-faultless singers, including some excellent and un-wobbly sopranos, clear-toned tenors and a violone-like bass, with wonderful open, rasping bottom notes. Somewhere in the middle, alas, is a female alto whose voice is not so under control; this slightly mars what is otherwise a well-recorded and mesmeric performance. Even if you have the wonderful CD of the Musicalische Exequien by Vox Luminis, you shouldn’t miss the other motets here by Schein, Gleich, Knüpfer, Schelle, Ebeling, Kessel and Rosenmüller – all, except for Schein’s, unknown to me.

Voces Suaves, founded in 2012, is based in Basel and many members are former students at the Schola Cantorum. This CD was recorded last summer in the former Romanesque Alte Kirche in Boswil, and if you want a glimpse of the quality of this group, their website offers a fine Youtube recording of Monteverdi’s Sfogava con le stelle, with all-male lower parts. There is an interesting essay (in English, German and French) by Cosimo Stawiarski to introduce the place of music in German 17th-century funeral rites, and alongside the texts of each motet there are details of exactly which of the 12 singers is singing which line: the continuo includes a G violone, two theorbos and a positive organ (with some bright upperwork) played by Johannes Strobl who directs this performance – no details are given of these instruments, nor of pitch or temperament, but full and helpful details are given of all the musical sources.

I would have preferred the theorbos recorded not quite so close, as the voices do not need rhythmic arpeggios to keep the suspensions taut, and I was surprised that there was not more resonance in this concert room conversion of the former church, though there is adequate give to ensure a good overall tone.

This is an excellent disc by an experienced group, singing the music that is clearly at the heart of their repertoire, and the accompanying motets provide an ideal context for Schütz’s Exequien.

David Stancliffe

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Recording

Haydn: String Quartets, op. 76

CD cover of London Haydn Quartet Hyperion recording of op 76

The London Haydn Quartet
153:29 (2 CDs in a single jewel case)
hyperion CDA68335

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Few other than benighted beings like record critics are likely to listen closely to all six quartets of Haydn’s opus 76 in one sitting, especially in performances as well endowed with repeats as these by The London Haydn Quartet. Yet to undertake such a task is to marvel again at the richness of invention and almost kaleidoscopic variety found in this remarkable set of works, composed as the result of a commission by Count Joseph Erdődy, the chancellor at the Hungarian court in Pressburg (Bratislava). Probably commenced in 1796, the year after Haydn returned from the second of his two London visits, they were completed the following year and published in London and Vienna in 1799. Curiously for such late works, the original autograph disappeared completely; the present recording employs those first editions.

In some ways, the set consolidates those of opp 71 and 74 that Haydn wrote in London, works in which Haydn took a genre previously identified with the salon into the concert hall. Like them, the quartets of op 76 contain many passages of almost orchestral sonority, the tersely powerful chordal passage that opens the Presto finale of No 3 in C being a particularly striking example. In other ways, it seems that even in his late 60s the mature Haydn is still probing, experimenting with new ideas. Both No 1 in G and No 6 in E flat for the first time have presto minuets that are scherzos by any other name, a new conception that carries through to the two quartets of op 77 (1799). Yet possibly the most notable aspect of all is the impression given time after time that here is a mature composer at the pinnacle of his powers, a composer happy to engage with supreme contrapuntal writing of a kind we sometimes fail properly to acknowledge in Haydn’s works – listen for example to the canonic writing in the so-called ‘Witches Minuet’ of the D-minor Quartet (No 2) or the wonderful 3-part counterpoint and chromaticism in the third of the variations on the ‘Emperor’s Hymn’ (the C-major Quartet). There are, too, movements in which Haydn seems to have captured an inner repose given only to those at peace with themselves and the world. The ineffably lovely Largo of No 5 in D comes immediately into the mind, surely the music of a man that has found such peace, a peace ruffled only momentarily by darker thoughts before returning to utter tranquillity, qualities also found in the Adagio that gives the ‘Sunrise’ its name (No 4 in B flat). This being Haydn, humour and the folk element that reminds us of his humble beginnings are never far away, sometimes found together. The finale of the B-flat Quartet, for instance, is a cheeky east-European folk-song that surely cries out to have bawdy words fitted to it. And this would equally not be Haydn without the odd surprise. The D-major Quartet opens with an easy-going allegretto that has a Schubertian air of insouciance, proceeding in this fashion until a sudden allegro bursts out to take the same thematic material into an entirely unexpected and more brutal world.     

The performances of this glorious music – and there is so much more that could be said about it – are in general extremely rewarding, attaining the same level of musicality that I praised in the ensemble’s recording of op 64 I reviewed for this site. Tempos are in the main sensible and well-judged, though for me some of the slow movements are taken just that shade too slowly. That wonderful Largo of No 5 is a case in point, but it is so beautifully drawn forgiveness is not difficult. Otherwise, my main caveat would be that, as with the op 64 recording, dynamic contrasts might have been made more of. But the playing is technically of a high order and the excellent balance also adds to the pleasures of a set that will delight anyone collecting a complete cycle now nearing completion.

Brian Robins      

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Recording

Richard: Professeur du Roy Soleil

CD cover of L'Encelade Etienne Richard harpsichord teacher Fabien Armengaud

Richard: Professeur du Roy Soleil
Fabien Armengaud harpsichord
70:00
L’Encelade ECL 190

The Bauyn manuscript is most famous as a major source of keyboard music by Chambonnières and Louis Couperin, but it has a third layer in which can be found the music of Richard, harpsichord teacher to none other than Louis XIV. There are three suites by him in the programme, surrounded by the music of his contemporaries, both illustrious (d’Anglebert, etc.) and shadowy (Jacques Hardel, etc.). The suggestion is that these pieces may have been part of Richard’s teaching repertoire, though the point is not forced.

The instrument (modern, but ‘in the spirit of French instruments of the last decades of the 17th century’) is quite brightly voiced and closely recorded so you may find a lower than usual volume setting is desirable, especially if listening through headphones. It is very well-tuned, both in terms of the temperament chosen and the accuracy of the octaves, and I didn’t mind the occasional mechanical noise – usually the shove coupler being (de)activated – though there are a few moments when the dampers could have done a better job at the end of a piece. Its resources (three registers on two manuals) are deployed sensibly.

This is very committed playing, with sprightly ornamentation, determined (in a good way) to make the best possible case for this little-known music though an extra layer of enjoyment can be detected in the luxuriant textures of the Louis Couperin Passacaille that closes the programme.

The supporting essay (in French and English) is informal in style but manages to stay on the right side of ‘gushy’ and tells us what we need to know. This is a valuable issue, not just in itself but for the wider context that it provides for the keyboard masterpieces of the period and the insight into the Sun King’s skills and taste.

David Hansell

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Recording

Frescobaldi: Musiche inedite dai “Codici Chigi”

CD cover of Ivana Valotti playing Frescobaldi on organ

Ivan Valotti
71:23
Tactus TC 580609

It is quite a thought – though a distracting one in this particular context – that Monteverdi knew the sound of this organ, the 1565 Antegnati in Santa Barbara, Mantua. And utterly splendid it is, a rich and full chorus with more than enough variety even for this programme of 31 mainly short pieces. The tuning is quarter-comma meantone (so a few ‘startling’ moments in chromatic passages e. g., the Toccata per organo track 22) and the pitch 462. I quite enjoyed the ‘clunks’ when stops were added or silenced during a piece, though I do wonder if this is historically appropriate, even though everything is within the player’s comfortable reach – not always the case with historic instruments.

The repertoire is music by or at least attributed to Frescobaldi in the Chigi Codex and not published in his lifetime. It is all now published (2017) and we are given volume/page numbers for our own easy reference. There is a blanket ‘World Première Recording’ claim.

I enjoyed the recital very much. The recording is close enough to allow us to appreciate the clarity of the player’s articulation and part-playing while also giving a sense of the building. Tempi are well chosen, allowing both the nobility and display that characterise this music. These pieces do not alter our perception of Frescobaldi one way or the other and in some cases might be the shavings that fell from his workbench, but we should thank the Complete Edition and Ivana Vallotti for sweeping them up.

The booklet (in Italian and English) contains a ten-page essay that both puts the music in its context and offers observations on individual pieces. But the instrument is the star of the show.

David Hansell

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Recording

Purcell: Royal Odes

CD cover of King's Consort Royal Odes on Vivat

The King’s Consort, Robert King
81:12
Vivat 121

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Those that follow EMR are unlikely to need reminding of Robert King’s devotion to the music of Purcell, with which, as he reminds us in his touching notes, he has been involved for nearly 50 years. Neither will enthusiasts need their memories jogged to recall the valuable complete series devoted to both the sacred music and the secular odes some thirty years ago. The present generously filled CD revisits three of the royal odes: ‘Why, why are all the Muses mute?’ (a welcome ode for King James II from 1685), and two odes celebrating the birthday of Purcell’s much-loved Queen Mary, ‘Now does the glorious day appear’ (1689) and ‘Welcome, welcome, glorious morn’ (1691).

However, the performances are far from being a conventional remake. They were made in September and October 2020 under conditions dictated by the Covid-19 pandemic and as such have a special feel to them. Perhaps the first thing to say is that despite social distancing the sound obtained in the Fairfield Halls in Croydon is of outstanding quality, with splendid balance to the ensemble singing and excellent detail in the orchestral playing. Although King refers to what has been learned in the period since the Hyperion recordings as regard to such matters as vocal and instrumental forces, they are in fact virtually identical. That’s to say two voices per part for the choruses matched by single string parts and continuo plus a pair of oboes and trumpets in the 1691 ode.  The vocal ensemble is a happy mix of singers King has long worked with, including the inimitably stylish tenor Charles Daniels, who participated in several of the original Hyperion series, and soprano Carolyn Sampson, along with singers of the younger generation. Among them high tenor David de Winter makes a favourable impression, giving the unexpectedly subdued air that opens the 1685 ode – there is uniquely no overture – a fine sense of line delivered with excellent diction.

King’s notes don’t, of course, fail to draw the analogy of Purcell himself having lived through a time of plague in London (1665-6), but perhaps some find it surprising his suggestion that Purcell’s music was throughout his life pervaded by ‘a sense of melancholy, of fading glory’. This is borne out by performances that reflect a maturity and sense of poise that would have been foreign to the ebullient King of earlier days. I don’t think it too fanciful to find here a valedictory sense of thoughtfulness that reflects the time in which the performances were recorded. That is not in any way to suggest they have been overlaid by unwanted sentiment or self-indulgent tempi. Comparison with the earlier recordings reveals that tempos are in fact very similar and indeed in the case of ‘Welcome, welcome’, resplendent with its addition of pairs of oboes and trumpets, the overall timing was quicker in 2020 than it was in 1991.

In the face of such satisfyingly integrated performances, it seems invidious to single out special moments, but I can’t resist drawing attention to one or two. In the King James welcome ode countertenor Iestyn Davies produces a ravishingly lovely ‘Britain, thou now art great’, bringing an irresistible lilt to the air, the singing complemented by exquisitely nuanced string playing. In the same ode, Daniels captures with exceptional insight the pensive autumnal glow of the final air, ‘O how blest is the isle’. The 1689 ode sees Davies and Daniels come together with Sampson as a ‘dream team’ for the finely wrought trio, ‘Our dear religion’, while in the more brilliant 1691 birthday ode Sampson is outstanding in the recitative and air, ‘My prayers are heard … I see the round years’, one of the finest sections of the ode, succeeded by a splendid chorus making effective use of one of Purcell’s favourite devices, the echo.

The effervescence of the younger Robert King cannot be gainsaid in these celebratory works, but the more reflective King’s ‘Purcell in a time of Plague’ has its own distinctive qualities and demands to be heard by all for whom our greatest composer is special.

Brian Robins

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Sheet music

Antonio Bononcini: Six Chamber Cantatas (1708)

Antonio Bononcini Six Chamber Cantatas (1708) RRMBE 212

Works for Soprano or Alto with Two Flutes, Bassoon, and Basso continuo from A-Wn, Mus.Hs.17587
Edited by Lawrence Bennett
Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, 212
xv, 3, 162pp. ISBN 978-1-9872-0533-6. $190

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One of four manuscripts of cantatas by Antonio Maria Bononcini (1677–1726), Mus.Hs.17587 contains three works each for solo soprano and alto with two recorders and basso continuo. The fact that it is only acknowledged in a footnote that the upper woodwinds are NOT flutes makes me suspicious of everything else about the edition. For example, the fact that Mus.Hs.15931/7–9 contain parts, one of which is for bassoon, does not of itself give these sufficient authority to include a separate line throughout the edition as if it were an obbligato instrument. To me, a far more sensible solution would have been to add [senza Fag.] instructions above those passages where the wind instrument should drop out – by the editor’s own admission, these (and, indeed, the score) are the work of a professional copyist, not the composer, after all.

Each cantata has either three or four movements (the latter adding a recitative before the first aria). In one of the arias in each cantata, there is only one line for recorders; in cantata 2, this is marked as a Recorder 1 solo, while both instruments play in unison (as they do in other Viennese cantatas of the period, by Caldara, for example) in the others. There is no denying the quality of the music; Bononcini knew well how to write both for the voice and for instruments. No points for guessing the subject matter, or for imagining that they are open to some very dramatic performances! Singers will need to combine their acting skills with some real vocal agility, and the recorder players, in particular, will require nimble fingers!

Brian Clark

* Parts are available from the publishers for $68.