Tag: Baroque

Irish Baroque Orchestra, Monica Huggett
73:00
Linn Records CKD526
Music by Fasch, Graupner, Heinichen, Telemann & Vivaldi

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]even concertos for all sorts of combinations of instruments feature on this entertaining disc; there are two pieces each by Fasch (including one without orchestra!) and Graupner, and one each by the other three composers listed above. Of course there are many interconnections between the four German composers; all of them was influenced by the development of the Italian concerto, whose chief exponent was Vivaldi. The solo line-ups are: flute and oboe, two cellos, two violins and bassoon, and flute d’amore (actually played on a normal traverso), oboe d’amore and viola d’amore (possibly not the piece you are thinking of – this is Graupner at his bizarre best). There are solo concertos for oboe (Heinichen) and bassoon (Graupner again). The concerto without orchestra is Fasch’s septet for pairs of oboes da caccia, violas and bassoons with continuo. The music is always earcatching and the captivating performances (and the bright recording) abound with verve and energy; one striking overall impression is the diversity the five composers brought to a single form, by use of instrumental colour and a variety of compositional styles, some opting for virtuosic display, others (by whom I primarily mean Graupner) preferring to find new ways to keep the listener guessing. Definitely an excellent disc from all concerned.

Brian Clark

Leif Henrikson bass viol, Lars-Erik Larsson theorbo
57:38
Daphne 1050
Suites in 3, G & g

[dropcap]I[/dropcap] enjoy the combination of bass viol and theorbo, it is less busy than the more usual harpsichord, and allows the viol player a wider range of dynamics, or at least, that is what one feels. Someone like Paolo Pandolfo doesn’t have any problem communicating his soft playing in any company. However, not to make invidious comparisons, this is a very enjoyable performance of three suites from the 5th and final of Marais’ great series of Livres, and it opens with the suite in E minor which concludes the book. As it happens, the Allemande of that suite is extensively marked by Marais, with enflés, doux  and fort, and Traisné, so it is a little disappointing not to hear them more exaggerated. They play seven movements from that suite (thankfully omitting the famous ‘Operation’) with an engaging deftness, frequently going his own way rather than observing Marais’ signs for enflé, or even his specifying an open string, but the playing is not without its charm.

The G major suite follows, with eight of its movements. In his publication, Marais marks those movements he describes as more difficult with what he calls a cartouche, and of the movements they choose, only one is so marked. However one has to be a very good player to play the ‘easy’ movements as well as they are played here. He has an understated approach to the chords, for example, which emphasises the bass, and his ornamentation is delightfully light. And the charming Chaconne  (with its cartouche) is given a typically poised and expressive performance.

The G minor suite, of which they play ten movements, including Le tombeau pour Marais le Cadet  perhaps demonstrates the characteristics of the player – beautifully light and deft, but ultimately lacking that rhetorical flair which can make this particular movement very affecting.

Robert Oliver

François Joubert-Caillet, L’Achéron
75:53
Ricercar RIC364

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is a sampler for a forthcoming project to record the complete five Livres de Pièces de Violes  of Marin Marais. It has been initiated by Jérôme Lejeune, musicologist and himself an accomplished viola da gambist, familiar through many recordings on the Ricecar label, which he heads. He has commissioned François Joubert-Caillet, and the ensemble L’Achéron, to record them. This introductory disc gives a taste of what we might expect, with a selection of pieces from each of the five books.

It is the second disc by L’Achéron I have heard. The first was a recording of Ludi Musici, a publication of dances by Samuel Scheidt, which I reviewed earlier this year. In that recording François Joubert-Caillet directed the ensemble playing treble viol, in what I felt was a superb performance.

On the evidence of that, and now this recording, he is an outstanding virtuoso and musician. The opening piece, Prélude en Harpegement, from the 5th book (the one in F major) is beautifully played, poised, controlled and wonderfully eloquent. It is followed by a succession of well-known pieces from all five books: L’Arabesque, Le Rêveuse, Feste champêtre, Les Voix humaines, Tombeau pour Mr de Sainte Colombe, 18 tracks in all, most of them familiar from many recordings by so many marvellous players. Couplets de folies  also appears, but in an apparently earlier and shorter version found in an Edinburgh manuscript.

His approach is fairly literal, mostly following Marais’ directions, but free in his approach to tempo, for example in La Guitare, (and thankfully isn’t tempted to pluck any of it). The accompaniments are beautifully played. He is joined by the second bass viol in pieces for two viols from Book I, and the sound is wonderfully full and lush, but always clear.

With such a galaxy of superb recordings from which to choose, why buy this one? Well the playing certainly makes it worth it. He plays with complete technical command, excitingly brilliant in the rapid passages, moods ranging from tenderly lyrical to dramatic, with a great variety of attack. One can only look forward to the progress of the undertaking with great anticipation.
The booklet has a brief essay from the player, and a more extended one from Lejeune. Information about the instruments played is a bit sparse, with nothing about the solo bass viol, and hopefully that will be provided in future as the series is produced over the coming years. It is a mammoth undertaking, and, to my knowledge, if completed, will the first time this has been achieved. Played with this level of insight, sympathy, brilliant virtuosity and eloquence, it promises to be fully worthy of Marais’ wonderful legacy.

Robert Oliver