Category: Recording

Trio Sonatas op. 3 Suite op. 8 Camerata Köln
75:15
cpo 777 867-2

I gave the first issue in this series a warm welcome and am happy to extend the same to this release. Indeed, the word ‘exemplary’ is not out of place here. Both flutes and recorders are played with a chunky rich sound to which the pitch (390) is a well-chosen contributing factor; instrumentation is varied, though within Hotteterre’s stated parameters; the playing is unfailingly stylish; and the lively booklet essay (German/English) addresses issues of context, content and performance practice. Oh – and it’s lovely music.

David Hansell

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Julia Doyle, Maria Valdmaa, David Allsopp, James Gilchrist, Roderick Williams, Peter Harvey SScTBB, Nederlands Kamerkoor, Le Concert Lorrain, Roy Goodman
127:45 (2 CDs)
Et’cetera KTC1517

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne shouldn’t compare recordings of different works by different artists, even if the composer is the same. However, having just listened to FestspielOrchester Göttingen’s live recording of Joshua, I was deep into the world of Handel oratorio and thus expectant of a similarly absorbing oral experience thanks to this recording of Israel in Egypt. Much to my surprise, however, I found my attention wandering halfway through the first chorus. After listening to end of the first CD, I returned to the first chorus and was struck by the density of sound that it presented. On second listening, I didn’t find it so shocking as before, partly because my ears had adjusted to the difference in sound between Le Concert Lorrain/Nederlands Kammerkoor and FestspielOrchester Göttingen/NDR Chor. However, I realised that my expectation throughout the symphony was of a lighter introduction to the work, despite its dark and awesome beginning. The orchestral sound is, to my taste, too dense at all times in the choruses, lacking subtleties of phrasing. The choir, on the other hand, present a highly polished sound which conveys very well the sense of awe and majesty appropriate to the story. Their subtleties of phrasing are, unfortunately, not always audible over the orchestral sound. However, the arias are a completely different case. In each aria, the orchestra accompanies in a hugely sympathetic and imaginative manner. One can only assume, therefore, that the dense texture of the chorus accompaniment was an artistic decision.

Each of the soloists (this time very well known) is excellent, though with the odd fleeting moment of strain sounding in Peter Harvey’s voice, particularly in the quartet ‘The righteous shall be had’, which is rather high in tessitura.

A rather general and brief overview of the context of the work’s composition (mostly recycling relatively well-known facts) makes up half of the booklet notes. The other half consists of ‘some personal thoughts’ from Roy Goodman. These start unfortunately as an exercise in self-advertisement but, after the initial paragraph, are actually very informative and interesting. The recording is of the complete original three-part version, performed at the premiere on 4 April 1739, and thus includes the opening Larghetto of the organ concerto, HWV 295) completed by Handel on 2 April and played by the composer as an introduction to Part II.

Violet Greene

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Johannes Pramsohler violin, Philippe Grisvard harpsichord
65:11
Audax Records ADX13703
J S Bach BWV1024, 1026, Anh. 153
J G Graun Sonata in G
Krebs Sonata in c
Pisendel Sonata in a

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his latest fruit (and a rich one at that) of the collaboration of two of the stars of the younger generation focuses on music for solo violin by Johann Sebastian Bach and his colleagues and pupils. Alongside world premiere recordings of works by Krebs and Graun are the G minor Fuga by Bach himself, the unaccompanied sonata in A minor by Pisendel and two works of uncertain origin – Anh. 153 might be authentic Bach, and Pisendel is a possible author of BWV1024. As the premise of the CD suggests, these two men were well acquainted, and Bach clearly knew Graun’s reputation since he sent Wilhelm Friedemann to him for lessons; Krebs, of course, was one of Bach senior’s pupils. As usual the combination of Pramsohler’s virtuosity in realising the demands placed on him by these composers – along with a genuine desire to give the music a heart and a soul – and Grisvard’s magical realisations (one minute providing harmonic support, then engaging in a keen dialogue with the violin, sometimes even grabbing the limelight for himself) is a joy to behold; if the photo on the cover of the packaging is all very serious, the one on the front of the booklet suggests they have tremendous fun together, too. And that is oh so audible! If Audax had a subscription series, I would recommend you sign up.

Brian Clark

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Juilliard Baroque
100:13 (2 CDs)
Naxos 8.573347-48

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here are times when I wish Couperin had never offered performers the options of instrumentation that are attached to his Concerts Royaux. Had he not done so, I suspect that we would now treat Les Nations as music for a standard Italianate string trio sonata ensemble more or less without question. Juilliard Baroque, on the other hand, have to all intents and purposes orchestrated it, including passages in which more than one instrument combine on an upper line. I found this irritating and distracting to the point at which it became difficult to appreciate the great musicianship of much of the playing. At least they could allow individual movements an individual sonority. The note (English/French) is interesting on the subject of the music but avoids issues of performance practice. It also suggests that each sonata/suite lasts over 30 minutes – contradicting the recorded durations printed opposite. The recorded sound is very good though the balance of the parts sometimes disadvantages the flute or over-favours the oboe. Nice to hear the continuo, though. Overall, frustrating.

David Hansell

[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ouperin’s great collection of four ordres, written towards the end of his life, were composed to represent the styles of four nations – France, Spain, Italy and Piedmont. Each consists of a large-scale opening sonata (sonade) in several movements, and a series of dances with the inevitable chaconne or passacaille. Les Nations is scored for two treble instruments, bass instrument and a figured bass continuo line, leaving the choice of instrumentation to the players. Here Juillard Baroque uses two violins, transverse flute and oboe for the two upper lines, and bass viol, bassoon, theorbo, guitar and harpsichord for the two lower lines. Some may perhaps find the ensemble’s swapping of instruments between movements – and in some cases during movements – disturbing, while others may appreciate the contrasts which aptly reflect the affekt of each section implied in Couperin’s writing. That said, Juilliard Baroque has assembled a team of some of the top players for this recording who seem totally at ease with the French style, their ornaments seeming to flow naturally from the melodic line. Listeners unused to the French Baroque may find it difficult to distinguish between the national styles implied in each suite; for, with the incessant ornamentation (all according to the composer’s own markings, with nothing added) all may sound French! Subtle stylistic differences in each suite, however, can be appreciated by the discerning listener. (For those interested in following the score, a facsimile can be downloaded from the IMSLP site.) I found the recording quality a little bright, so some may wish to ‘tone down’ the treble. As with many Naxos issues, a magnifying glass may be required for the booklet notes.

Ian Graham-Jones

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Nova Ars Cantandi, Giovanni Acciai
123′ (2 CDs)
Tactus TC 650290

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his world premiere recording of the composer’s op. 9 set of Vespers psalms “a quattro voci con violini, e suoi ripieni, con altri salmi a due e trè voci con violini” (printed in 1690 by Giuseppe Sala in Venice) should draw attention to a much neglected composer. Performed by an all-male ensemble (apart from Ivana Valotti on organ!), the entire contents of the volume are performed in the original sequence and not as part of a reconstructed service. After the Domine ad adiuvandum (2 sopranos, 2 violins, BC), the psalms are Dixit Dominus (tutti), Confitebor tibi Domine (SB, 2 violins, BC), Beatus vir (tutti), Laudate pueri (CAB, 2 violins, BC), Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (tutti), Laetatus sum (SSB, 2 violins, BC), Nisi Dominus (SAB, 2 violins, BC), and Lauda Jerusalem (tutti), and there are settings of the Magnificat and the Litaniae Beate Virginis Mariae. There being only four named singers, Nova Ars Cantandi (“a new way of singing”?) have obviously opted not to include ripieni in their performances of the larger works, and one is left to assume that the alto takes the 2nd soprano part in the two pieces that require one.

The performances is well paced and nicely recorded. The booklet notes are extensive, which is all the more surprising since little is known of the composer’s life apart from the places where he worked and the dates of such employment; I think the claim that composers such as Cazzati, Legrenzi and Colonna “were the first to give up the sixteenth century practice of ‘singing and playing with all sorts of instruments’ and to promote the emergence of a new kind of composition in which the concertante instrument could interact, at last, with the vocal parts, imitating their phrases of porposing new ones” is a little odd – surely Monteverdi and his contemporaries several generations earlier had already done that. The translation is by far the best I have seen from Tactus, yet there are still some little things that could be improved (and would have been easily spotted by a native speaker!); sonate a tre is rendered “trio sonata”, for example, and since we don’t really have a modern expression matching maestro di cappella, leave it in Italian rather than translating it into German! These are very minor points in an otherwise excellent presentation of some fine music.

Brian Clark

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Les Traversees Baroques, Etienne Meyer, Fiori Musicali
59:40
K617248

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is the latest in a fine series of recordings in which the cornettist Judith Pacquier promotes the Polish baroque. The pieces vary from the massive multichoral to intimate small scale pieces – in homage to their Italian models. The performances are fresh throughout, even the largest in scale are like souflees, always achieving an airy and graceful presentation. The disc includes a pair of Gabrieli pieces to bring the comparison between the two nations into the foreground. This suggests two comments: It has become customary in Gabrieli performance to substitute the vocal top parts of upper choirs by instruments (and the complement for bottom bass parts). In the opening and closing larger pieces by Zielenski, this would seem to have been a useful approach. The top soprano part is of a conspicuously higher tessitura than the rest of the vocal parts. Though wonderfully sung, the resulting natural prominence means the audience has to peer through the bars, as it were, to see the more homogenous and self-sufficient group thus encased. The second is that graceful flow may, with benefit, sometimes be set aside. Gabrieli’s In ecclesiis includes many stark changes in harmony and sudden interruptions are surely meant to chill and shock – in the most baroque way. These were often papered over most elegantly, leaving the work of creating the drama to the changes in overall scale. Beautifully done, but delivered from a reduced arsenal.

The compositions include the harmonically adventurous and marvellous Vox in Rama, which is no second fiddle to the Italian masters, rivalling perhaps Gabrieli’s Timor et tremor. In a very effective change of scale, the first two large scale pieces are followed immediately by a single voice and single cornett providing divisions in comment. This is played very lyrically; the song reflected in a rippling stream. Later on we have an Italian version from Bassano, this time multiple voices and instruments, which forces a greater formality on proceedings, but is delivered with all the freedom possible. The whole ensemble, in all its combinations, is very well formed and balanced. There is something for everyone on the disc, and it convinces us that the mission of bringing Polish music further into the mainstream is one well worth pursuing.

Stephen Cassidy