John Mark Ainsley Alessandro, Sarah Fox Aminta, Ailish Tynan Elisa, Anna Devin Tamiri, Benjamin Hulett Agenore, Classical Opera, Ian Page
117:12 (2 CDs)
Signum SIGCD 433
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is fascinating how this early opera from Mozart’s Salzburg period already includes many of the elements which would come to full fruition in the later great operatic masterpieces of his maturity. In spite of the stylised context, Mozart makes a real attempt at musical characterisation, and the orchestration is varied with a generous range of instruments made available by the Salzburg Archiepiscopal purse.
Ian Page’s sizzling account of the overture prepares for the delights to come as the overture segues flawlessly into the opening aria for Sarah Fox’s Aminta. The effortless elegance of her singing is perfectly matched by Ailish Tynan’s Elisa, and indeed the small cast of five principals, including John Mark Ainsley, Benjamin Hulett and Anna Devin are all superb. While the singing, like the playing, sounds absolutely authentic, there is a pleasing sense of freedom and a palpable joy in the music. Hulett’s effortlessly lyrical account of Agenore’s aria “Per me rispondete” is a case in point, where he conveys the character’s mixed emotions but at the same time clearly enjoys Mozart’s exquisite melodic writing. Listening to this wonderful music so beautifully performed it is amazing to think of Mozart’s employers, who repeatedly failed to recognise the unique talent of the man who was supplying them with such sublime fare. The two CDs are accompanied by a packed booklet including the full libretto and English translation as well as a comprehensive programme note, incorporating the latest research on the opera.
Matthew Rose, Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
77:06
Hyperion CDA68078
Music by Martín y Soler, Mozart, Paisiello, Salieri & Sarti
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he current enthusiasm among record companies for operatic recitals centred around a famous singer of the past is a welcome development. Not only does it make for greater contrast than the traditional composer recital, but it can also provide excellent clues as to the nature of some of the great voices of the past. Indeed, the examination of the music composed for a particular singer to determine voice type and range, etc., has itself become a musicological study. Here listeners, if so inclined, can play the game for themselves. So what can we learn from this CD about the great buffo bass Francesco Benucci, who was born about 1745 and is today best remembered as the creator of Mozart’s Figaro and Gugliemo in Così fan tutte ? Well, in keeping with the character of buffo roles one might suggest that Benucci’s talents lay in characterisation and flexibility rather than overt virtuosity. The obvious need to project text clearly necessarily results in a predominance of syllabic settings that cover no great range – ‘Se vuol ballare’, for instance covers a range from C to F1; we can gather from the climax of the cabaletta of that aria, too, that Benucci had a powerful voice capable to bring off an impressive climax, a quality also to be heard here in Gugliemo’s splendid showpiece ‘Rivolgete a lui’, an aria Mozart replaced in Così fan tutte because of its length. We cannot of course guess at the quality of Benucci’s voice, but it was especially valued in Vienna, where Benucci sang from 1783 until 1795, while a German critic wrote of its ‘beautiful, rounded quality’ while also praising his acting for its ‘propriety’ and lack of vulgarity.
In addition to the arias from Figaro, Così and Don Giovanni – in which Benucci sang the first Viennese Leporello in 1788 – we are also given arias from roles created by him in Vienna from Salieri’s La grotta di Trofonio (1785), Axur, re d’Ormus (1788) and Martín y Soler’s hugely successful Una cosa rara (1786). Giuseppe Sarti’s I contrattempi (Venice, 1778) is particularly interesting for being the first opera in which Benucci created a role. Here the characterful recitative and aria ‘Oime! che innanzi agli occhi – Pensa, che per morire’ finds his character Frasconia trying Papageno-like to pluck up courage to commit suicide. Also of note are extracts from the two Salieri operas: Trofonio’s mock ‘ombre’ scena ‘Ch’ite per l’aere’ is clearly a parody on Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, complete with chorus of spirits, while ‘Idol vano’ offers a rare opportunity to hear a more serious aria composed for Benucci in the mezzo caraterre role of Axur, the greater degree of coloratura strikingly apparent in the context of other arias on the CD.
So how does British bass-baritone Matthew Rose fare with the ‘Benucci test’? Rather well, actually. The voice can certainly be described as having a ‘beautiful, rounded’ quality and it is evenly produced across its range, with an admirable lack of intrusive vibrato. Rose also brings a sense of character to the roles he is portraying (never easy in a recital) – I particularly like the sense of malicious fun intimated in Leporello’s ‘catalogue’ aria (let’s not forget there is more than an element of his master in the servant’s make-up) – and there is certainly a sense of propriety in not concluding ‘Se vuol ballare’ an octave higher than written. I feel Benucci would have probably been more precise with his ornaments (the single trill Rose attempts is a half-hearted effort) and would probably have sung more of them. Mention also needs to be made of the admirable cameo appearances of sopranos Katherine Watson (as Dorabella) and Anna Devin (as Zerlina). Rose is admirably supported throughout by a rather larger Arcangelo than we usually hear. The wind and brass departments boast some of London’s best period instrument players, who relish the opportunities given them by Mozart’s wind writing. Jonathan Cohen’s direction is notable not only for the sympathetic support given to Rose, but the spirited, acutely observed performances of the overtures to Figaro, Don Giovanni and Paisiello’s hugely successful Il re Teodoro in Venezia (Vienna, 1784), from which it might have been appropriate to hear an aria. Still, with a playing time of 77 minutes one can hardly complain about what is not on a disc that achieves the rare distinction of being both of great interest and thoroughly entertaining.
Chansons populaires du 19ème siècle
La Clique des Lunaisiens, Arnaud Marzorati
67:03
Paraty 615223
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ierre-François Lacenaire (1803-36) became something of a cult figure when, on trial for multiple crimes, he endeavoured to project himself as a campaigner for social justice. This recording is as much a Façade/Pierrot Lunaire style quasi-theatrical entertainment as it is a purely musical experience: I’d love to see it, but it made a rather odd listen. His writings are part sung to popular tunes of the day and part read/declaimed and are placed in the context of other pieces he knew or referred to. It doesn’t really fit our usual parameters so I have not awarded any stars, but I’d really recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in this period of French cultural history. David Hansell
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] first got to know these pieces intimately at unversity, where they were a “set work” in my first year at St Andrews University. Latterly I had been re-acquainted with them, often playing them with my much-missed friend, Selene Mills, at her home in Cambridge. I fear we never sounded anything like this! Is there anyone active today more immersed in Purcell’s musical world that Robert King and his King’s Consort colleagues?
Two young violinists and an experienced continuo team combine perfectly to produce a CD of rare beauty and endless reward; where some seek to draw attention to the architecture of Purcell’s complex contrapuntal writing or irregular phrases with sharp accents and dramatic changes in dynamic, these performances are more subtle and more relaxed than any I have ever heard. The music unfolds in an organic way, the counterpoint, the rather awkward sounding melodies and harmonic piquancy readily audible but not hightlighted artificially. Robert King’s ever thoughtful booklet note not only gives all the background you could ever need to the set’s genesis, he also provides a work-by-work guide in which (thank goodness, for once!) readable English – and presumably French and German, too – rules. Like the diamonds on the packaging, this release is every bit the precious gem. Do not miss it!
Motets from the Hiller Collection
Sächsisches Vocalensemble, Matthias Jung
70:25
Carus 83.269
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ny recording featuring the Sächsisches Vocalensemble and/or Matthias Jung is always worth hearing. Seven of the 17 tracks on this recording of motets from his printed anthology of a cappella motets are world premiere recordings (three of them by Hiller, including his arrangement of Jacob Handl’s famous “Ecce quomodo moritur justus”). Composers represented included such important figures as Homilius, Carl Heinrich Graun and Rolle, but also lesser-known composers as Penzel, Reinhold and Fehre.
In truth, in listening I was definitely unaware of any sudden shift in standard! It certainly helps that the singing is exquisite, and Jung ensures that he makes the most he can from the material in front of him. Here I think micro-management pays dividends with absolute unanimity of delivery throughout – a glorious choral sound like this does not come easily. Choirs looking for new repertoire will be glad to hear that the music is available from Carus, too.
German Advent Songs
Miriam Feuersinger soprano, Daniel Schreiber tenor, Les Escapades
72:41
Christophorus CHR 77387
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or this delightfully refreshing selection, the viol consort Les Escapades and their guests have raided the rich treasury of German music for Advent from the late 15th to the early 18th centuries. The recording features plainchant as well as Advent songs, in which each successive verse appears in settings by different composers, interspersed with instrumental episodes. The singing from soprano Miriam Feuersinger and tenor Daniel Schreiber is beautifully lyrical, and both singers always sound as if they have something urgent to convey to the listener. The viol consort, occasionally supported by guest organist Evelyn Laib, plays impeccably both on its own and as a beautifully effective and sympathetic accompaniment to the singing. The composers range from household names such as Isaac, Praetorius and Lassus to the more obscure figures of the German Renaissance such as Andreas Raselius and Balthasar Resinarius, and herein lies the chief virtue of this programme, which has managed to resurrect music long lost to the mainstream and restore it side by side with the more familiar repertoire – and as so often with this type of exercise it is hard to find any reason other than luck why some repertoire should be remembered and some forgotten. This CD is a lovely listen, and I would challenge anybody to differentiate on the basis of quality between the least and the most familiar music here.
Sacqueboutiers, Ensemble Clément Janequin, Dominique Visse director
68:54
Flora 2410
Music by Attaignant, Bataille, Bertrand, Compère, Costeley, Janequin, Josquin, Lassus, Lejeune & Sermisy
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or those acquainted with their work, it comes as no surprise that the Ensemble Clément Janequin have had a long association with the works of Rabelais. Their 1994 CD Une fête chez Rabelais was in itself the result of a successful concert programme, and this present CD was also preceded by a series of live performances. Such is the wealth of surviving Renaissance French chansons that the two CDs only have one chanson in common. The Sacqueboutiers, who nowadays have dropped their regional identifier ‘de Toulouse’, provide a forthright accompaniment for many of the numbers and some impressive instrumental numbers, while the singers, led by their distinctive alto/director Dominique Visse, present splendidly characterised performances of the songs. Over the years the Ensemble have made this area of Renaissance music their specialist realm, and their grainy, robust singing often skirting on the raucous, seems to me just right for the present project. Another major delight of this package is the selection of splendid readings largely from Rabelais’ Gargantua performed by the versatile-voiced Vincent Bouchot. It is unfortunate that the reader’s voice is given such an artificial studio acoustic, contrasting uncomfortably with the ‘live’ acoustic of the music, but Mons. Bouchot’s splendid Renaissance pronunciation carries all before it. Anglophone listeners will find the lack of translations a disadvantage, although the full texts of songs and readings are provided in French. The otherwise lavish accompanying book has excellent programme notes (in French only) and wonderful illustrations, some of the period (including the wonderful crumhorn-nosed figure on the cover), some designed specially for the publication.
One’s initial reaction to seeing this CD listed in a catalogue might be, “Why is a self-styled Barockorchester playing Mendelssohn?” In fact, that pedigree is precisely what makes this recording such a success – the fact that Michi Gaigg and company come to the music from the past rather than the future (as it were!) means that the unfathomably young Mendelssohn’s take on writing ensemble pieces for four-part strings (which he then accompanied from the keyboard!) makes total sense. Think C. P. E. Bach (though with perhaps displaying a little more of his father’s strict contrapuntal control than the original) discovering 19th-century harmony; arguably the only discernible difference is that Mendelssohn already makes clear distinction between the three movements of each symphony.
Some may wonder why the six works on this first of two discs were not recorded in numerical order, but it would be difficult to argue that this marvellous ensemble could have chosen a more dramatic opening than Symphony IV! The CD cover shows how children Mendelssohn’s age should have been entertaining themselves rather than composing such intense and accomplished music, and makes his prodigious talents all the more remarkable. Buy this and start saving for the next installment!
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n many ways there is no more exposed singing scenario than one-to-a-part fifteenth century vocal music. It demands a perfect blend and perfect intonation, and that on vocal lines which sometimes seem to defy melodic logic. This CD presents an intriguing selection of 15th-century motets and songs which places the big names – Dufay, Pullois and Brassart – alongside lesser figures such as de Sarto, Martini and Krafft as well as airing several anonymous works from the period. Unfortunately the standard of the singing is variable, often very fine and nicely blended, but just occasionally settling badly on to chords. It would be invidious to highlight particular voices, but bringing guest voices into an established ensemble is always a hazardous business. There is a pleasant come-and-go to the dynamics and a nice sweep to the melodic lines, and articulation is generally effective although just occasionally detail is lost. This CD is well worth the investment for the wealth of relatively unknown material it contains, brought to light as part of a project exploring musical life in Austria in the late middle ages.
Hasnaa Bennani, ensemble Stravaganza
60:26
muso MU009
Music by Courbois, Jacuet de la Guerre, Lambert, Marais & Rameau
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he most positive impressions on this CD are made by the instrumental music and its performances. The Sonata in D minor from Jacquet’s 1707 collection confirms the impression given by my other anniversary experiences of her music that she is so much more than the French Baroque’s ‘token woman’ and the lively Marais Chaconne that ends the programme is very fine indeed. The instrumentation need not be so elaborate, but at least is not silly. I found the cantatas harder to enjoy, wonderful though the music is. Hasnaa Bennani’s vibrato just doesn’t ‘go’ with the instrumental sounds around her, especially when her line is in close proximity to that of the violin. The essay tries a bit too hard to link the instrumental and vocal music though is essentially sound and informative and the booklet also includes the sung French texts and an English translation thereof. Page 12, however, is just weird and could have been used to tell us something about the performers.
