Johann Sebastian Bach Complete Harpsichord Concer- tos on Antique Instruments Davitt Moroney, Karen Flint, Arthur Haas, JungHae Kim, Adam Pearl Plectra PL 20901 (3 CDs) www.plectra.org This delightful recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s (1685- 1750) concertos for one, two, three, and four harpsichords offers new insights into these well-known mas- terpieces. As Davitt Moroney explains in his informative liner notes, Bach pre- pared the concertos for the collegium musicum at the University of Leipzig during his years as director of the group (1729- 1737, 1739-1741). Moroney points out that Bach’s sons, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, were students at the university during this period. It is easy to imagine the two sons, both virtuoso harpsichordists, and perhaps Johann Sebastian himself performing the concertos. As Moroney reminds us, the col- legium frequently performed at Zim- merman’s coffee house in Leipzig on Friday nights and, in the summer, on Wednesday afternoons in Zimmer- man’s outdoor gardens. In addition to his sons, Bach was able to draw on their classmates, musicians whom Bach had trained previously while they were his students at St. Thomas’s School, where Bach served as cantor. The boys were proficient on many instruments, including vio- lin, viola, and cello, and thus could have played the ripieno parts to the concertos with proficiency. It was customary during Bach’s time for the ripieno to be played one on a part; hence, a band of five players, as used on this recording, was the norm. Not only is this historically accurate, but the small forces used here make for an ideal balance between ripieno and soloists, allow- ing the details of Bach’s figuration in the solo parts to be heard with clarity. Bach based his concertos on the Italian model. During the years 1713-1715, he transcribed the con- certos of Vivaldi, B. Marcello, A. Marcello, and Torelli, along with works in the Italian style by German composers, including Johann Ernst and Telemann. Of Bach’s 21 early concerto transcriptions, 16 are writ- ten on two staves, while five are written on three staves to incorpo- rate a pedal part. None include an orchestral accompaniment. Moroney raises the question as to whether these concertos may have originally been played with string accompani- ment, using the parts from the origi- nal models. This suggests that per- formers today could do the same. Moroney reflects that, conversely, some of the later concertos that do survive with string parts might be played without them, to be added ad libitum by the performer. This reasoning underlies the choice on this recording to include the Concer- to for Four Harpsichords, BWV 1065, in two versions: first in an “experimental” version without string parts, later in a rendition with the surviving string parts. Moroney proves his point that, while the string parts reinforce the concerto structure, the version for harpsi- chords alone brings more clarity to the harpsichord parts. In addition to this concerto, the recording includes 12 others. The harpsichord playing—by Moroney, Karen Flint, Arthur Haas, JungHae Kim, and Adam Pearl—is com- pelling, expressive, and brilliant. These virtuoso performers maintain, along with excellent ensemble, an exuberance and vitality throughout. The accompanying band (recorder players Nina Stern and Daphna Mor and string players Carla Moore, Mar- tin Davids, Amy Leonard, Douglas McNames, and Anne Peterson) per- forms with precision and clarity. The other great pleasure of this record- ing is the sound of the harpsichords themselves. These extraordinary antique instruments include harpsi- chords by Nicolas Dumont (Paris, 1707), Ioannes Ruckers (Antwerp, 1635), an anonymous Spanish instrument maker (c.1700-1725), and Dominicus Pisauriensis (Italian, late 16th or early 17th century). —Charlotte Mattax Moersch Johann Sebastian Bach Works for Flute Andrew Bolotowsky, flute Brooklyn Baroque Quill Classics QC 1008 www.rebeccapechefsky.com/ brooklynbaroque.html The five works on this record- ing—the Partita in A Minor for unac- companied flute and the four flute sonatas that remain squarely in the official J.S. Bach oeuvre—were writ- ten over approximately 20 years, between the early 1720s and some time in the 1740s; together they comprise some of the most impor- tant works in the flute repertory. Because it’s Bach, it’s quite easy to look at these works as definitive, fixed exemplars of how to compose for the Baroque flute. But as Erik Ryding points out in his liner notes, “when Bach wrote for the newly designed traverso, he was exploring the possibilities of an instrument that hadn’t fully been tested. During the 1720s and 1730s especially, Bach and others were pushing the limits of what the ‘new’ transverse flute could do.” Knowing this, and taking into consideration the fact that Bach himself was not a flute player (certainly not, at least, in the same way that he was a string or keyboard player), makes these works seem much more experimental and much less like the well-known warhorses they’ve become. The continuo, provided by Rebecca Pechefsky on harpsichord and David Bakamjian on cello, is solid and serviceable. It is hard to hear Bakamjian at times, harder than perhaps it should be. Andrew Bolotowsky’s flute playing is warm and well-grounded. If a modern flute is like a glass of champagne, his transverse flute is akin to a nice merlot, richer and fuller-bodied. Overall, the sound world of this recording is quite pleasant. Regardless of whether a per- former approaches these works on a historically informed transverse flute or on a modern instrument, there is a tendency to want to make them virtuosic, or at least virtuosic in the modern sense: fast, loud, and full of rubato. On this recording, such ten- dencies are kept carefully controlled, with a more relaxed approach to tempo and dynamic contrast. But as in all things, a careful balance should be struck. Brooklyn Bar - oque does an admirable job in its approach, and the results are serv- iceable but not as vigorous or full of personality as I had hoped. While there is a sense of liveliness in the faster movements, I cannot quite apply Ryd- ing’s descrip- tions of flashy or blazing to them. Nor do the slow movements entirely inspire a grander sense of pathos. To me, at least, where Bolotowsky shines most is in mid-tempo move- ments, especially in the galant style of the later works, in which one can hear the “easy grace” that Ryding proposes. That said, the concluding partita is lovely, showcasing the beauty of Bolotowsky’s tone quality, especially in the upper register. A nice bonus is the fact that the Sonata in A Major is presented here with yet another reconstruction, this time by Bach scholar Michael Maris- sen. (For those not familiar with the work, a large portion of the first movement was cut out of the origi- nal manuscript, thus causing any potential performer to re-compose the piece.) Historians, scholars, Bach aficionados, and transverse flute recording reviews Edited by Tom Moore Early Music America magazine welcomes news of recent recordings. Please send CDs to be considered for review and pertinent information to Tom Moore, Recording Reviews Editor, 2937 Chapel Hill Road, Durham, NC 27707; [email protected]. Early Music America cannot guarantee the inclusion of every CD sent for review. All reviews reflect the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Label web sites are supplied with each review to assist readers who are unable to locate discs through Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, ArchivMusic.com, or other outlets. 18 Spring 2010 Early Music America
Transcript
Johann Sebastian BachComplete Harpsichord Concer-tos on Antique InstrumentsDavitt Moroney, Karen Flint, ArthurHaas, JungHae Kim, Adam PearlPlectra PL 20901 (3 CDs)www.plectra.org
This delightful recording ofJohann Sebastian Bach’s (1685-1750) concertos for one, two, three,and four harpsichords offers newinsights into these well-known mas-terpieces. As Davitt Moroneyexplains in his informative liner
notes,Bach pre-pared theconcertosfor thecollegiummusicumat the
University of Leipzig during his yearsas director of the group (1729-1737, 1739-1741). Moroney pointsout that Bach’s sons, WilhelmFriedemann Bach and Carl PhilippEmanuel Bach, were students at theuniversity during this period. It iseasy to imagine the two sons, bothvirtuoso harpsichordists, andperhaps Johann Sebastian himself performing the concertos.
As Moroney reminds us, the col-legium frequently performed at Zim-merman’s coffee house in Leipzig onFriday nights and, in the summer, onWednesday afternoons in Zimmer-man’s outdoor gardens. In additionto his sons, Bach was able to drawon their classmates, musicianswhom Bach had trained previouslywhile they were his students at St.Thomas’s School, where Bach servedas cantor. The boys were proficienton many instruments, including vio-lin, viola, and cello, and thus couldhave played the ripieno parts to theconcertos with proficiency. It wascustomary during Bach’s time for
the ripieno to be played one on apart; hence, a band of five players,as used on this recording, was thenorm. Not only is this historicallyaccurate, but the small forces usedhere make for an ideal balancebetween ripieno and soloists, allow-ing the details of Bach’s figuration in the solo parts to be heard withclarity.
Bach based his concertos on theItalian model. During the years1713-1715, he transcribed the con-certos of Vivaldi, B. Marcello, A.Marcello, and Torelli, along withworks in the Italian style by Germancomposers, including Johann Ernstand Telemann. Of Bach’s 21 earlyconcerto transcriptions, 16 are writ-ten on two staves, while five arewritten on three staves to incorpo-rate a pedal part. None include anorchestral accompaniment. Moroneyraises the question as to whetherthese concertos may have originallybeen played with string accompani-ment, using the parts from the origi-nal models. This suggests that per-formers today could do the same.Moroney reflects that, conversely,some of the later concertos that dosurvive with string parts might beplayed without them, to be addedad libitum by the performer. Thisreasoning underlies the choice onthis recording to include the Concer-to for Four Harpsichords, BWV1065, in two versions: first in an“experimental” version withoutstring parts, later in a rendition withthe surviving string parts. Moroneyproves his point that, while thestring parts reinforce the concertostructure, the version for harpsi-chords alone brings more clarity tothe harpsichord parts.
In addition to this concerto, therecording includes 12 others. Theharpsichord playing—by Moroney,Karen Flint, Arthur Haas, JungHae
Kim, and Adam Pearl—is com-pelling, expressive, and brilliant.These virtuoso performers maintain,along with excellent ensemble, anexuberance and vitality throughout.The accompanying band (recorderplayers Nina Stern and Daphna Morand string players Carla Moore, Mar-tin Davids, Amy Leonard, DouglasMcNames, and Anne Peterson) per-forms with precision and clarity. Theother great pleasure of this record-ing is the sound of the harpsichordsthemselves. These extraordinaryantique instruments include harpsi-chords by Nicolas Dumont (Paris,1707), Ioannes Ruckers (Antwerp,1635), an anonymous Spanishinstrument maker (c.1700-1725),and Dominicus Pisauriensis (Italian,late 16th or early 17th century). —Charlotte Mattax Moersch
Johann Sebastian BachWorks for FluteAndrew Bolotowsky, fluteBrooklyn BaroqueQuill Classics QC 1008www.rebeccapechefsky.com/brooklynbaroque.html
The five works on this record-ing—the Partita in A Minor for unac-companied flute and the four flutesonatas that remain squarely in theofficial J.S. Bach oeuvre—were writ-ten over approximately 20 years,between the early 1720s and sometime in the 1740s; together theycomprise some of the most impor-tant works in the flute repertory.
Because it’s Bach, it’s quite easyto look at these works as definitive,fixed exemplars of how to composefor the Baroque flute. But as ErikRyding points out in his liner notes,“when Bach wrote for the newlydesigned traverso, he was exploringthe possibilities of an instrumentthat hadn’t fully been tested. Duringthe 1720s and 1730s especially,Bach and others were pushing thelimits of what the ‘new’ transverseflute could do.” Knowing this, andtaking into consideration the factthat Bach himself was not a fluteplayer (certainly not, at least, in thesame way that he was a string orkeyboard player), makes these worksseem much more experimental andmuch less like the well-knownwarhorses they’ve become.
The continuo, provided byRebecca Pechefsky on harpsichordand David Bakamjian on cello, issolid and serviceable. It is hard tohear Bakamjian at times, harderthan perhaps it should be. AndrewBolotowsky’s flute playing is warmand well-grounded. If a modernflute is like a glass of champagne,his transverse flute is akin to a nicemerlot, richer and fuller-bodied.Overall, the sound world of thisrecording is quite pleasant.
Regardless of whether a per-former approaches these works on ahistorically informed transverse fluteor on a modern instrument, there isa tendency to want to make themvirtuosic, or at least virtuosic in themodern sense: fast, loud, and full ofrubato. On this recording, such ten-dencies are kept carefully controlled,with a more relaxed approach totempo and dynamic contrast. But as in all things, a careful balanceshould be struck. Brooklyn Bar -oque does an admirable job in itsapproach, and the results are serv-iceable but not as vigorous or full ofpersonality as I had hoped. Whilethere is a sense of liveliness in thefaster movements, I cannot quite
apply Ryd-ing’s descrip-tions of flashyor blazing tothem. Nor dothe slowmovementsentirely
inspire a grander sense of pathos. Tome, at least, where Bolotowskyshines most is in mid-tempo move-ments, especially in the galant styleof the later works, in which one canhear the “easy grace” that Rydingproposes. That said, the concluding partita is lovely, showcasing thebeauty of Bolotowsky’s tone quality,especially in the upper register.
A nice bonus is the fact that theSonata in A Major is presented herewith yet another reconstruction, thistime by Bach scholar Michael Maris-sen. (For those not familiar with thework, a large portion of the firstmovement was cut out of the origi-nal manuscript, thus causing anypotential performer to re-composethe piece.) Historians, scholars, Bachaficionados, and transverse flute
recordingreviewsEdited by Tom Moore
Early Music America magazine welcomes news of recent re cordings.Please send CDs to be considered for review and pertinent informationto Tom Moore, Recording Reviews Editor, 2937 Chapel Hill Road, Durham,NC 27707; [email protected]. Early Music America cannotguarantee the inclusion of every CD sent for review. All reviews reflectthe personal opinions of the reviewer only. Label web sites are suppliedwith each review to assist readers who are unable to locate discsthrough Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, ArchivMusic.com, or other outlets.
18 Spring 2010 Early Music America
Early Music America Spring 2010 19
performers who have an interest inthe piece will find the reconstructionworthwhile.
All in all, this may not be themost vivacious presentation of theBach works for flute, but it is still alovely recording full of warmmoments. A worthy addition to any-one’s collection.—Karen Cook
Firminus Caron Paradise RegainedThe Sound and the Fury ORF 3057shop.orf.at
The composer Firminus Caron (flc.1460-1475), highly praised in hisown time, is a bit of an enigma inours. So very little is known abouthis life that we can determine his
first nameonly froma fewlaudatorystate-ments bythe theo-rist
Johannes Tinctoris. Aside from that,it can be rather reasonably assumedthat the man was French in origin,but where he may have been bornor educated, where he may haveworked, and how his music mayhave circulated is left to speculation.His five surviving masses are foundin manuscripts across Italy, andsome of his early chansons wereincredibly popular—one of them,“Helas que pourra devenir,” was thesecond most frequently copiedchanson of its day.
His extant works were editedand published in the mid-1970s. Yetaside from one mass movement anda handful of chansons that madetheir way into a few recordings,hardly any of his work has beenrecorded. More strikingly, the cur-rent CD is the first dedicated entirelyto Caron, and it is the first time (tothe best of my knowledge) thateither of these two masses has beenrecorded. For that reason alone, thisdisc of works by the man held up byTinctoris as an equal to the likes ofDunstaple, Dufay, Binchois, Ock-eghem, and Obrecht is most wel-come and sorely needed. Fortunate-ly, there is much more to recom-mend it than the uniqueness of itschosen repertory.
In the past, I’ve complimentedThe Sound and the Fury for thebeauty of its blend and its sensitivephrasing. These masses require agreat deal of attention to the rhyth-mic variety present in the music,
especially because this variety pro-pels the music forward. The Soundand the Fury sing with a particularlydelightful energy, using rhythmicarticulation and a very fine sense ofphrasing to create a much-neededsense of tension. Both masses pre-sented here are based on pre-exist-ing material—the famed “L’hommearmé,” which needs no introduction,and Caron’s own chanson, “Accueillym’a la belle.” The group chooses toheavily accentuate the cantus firmusin both, projecting it loudly acrossthe texture of the work. While thevoices sound lovely together, thefairly constant prominence of onevoice is at times very well done andat other times jarring, just a bit tooloud for comfort. I would like tocompliment the ensemble’s blend,but I must do so with slightly lesszeal than before. Still, the fact thatthe cantus firmus is clear and audi-ble is, at least for me, praiseworthy,especially since Caron tends to useinternal phrases of the “L’hommearmé” tune, a choice much lesscommon among his predecessors.
Regardless of whether oneaccepts the notion that the audienceof the masses may have been famil-iar with the tune used as the work’sbasis, it should be fundamentallyclear that the composer knew thepre-existing material and made con-scious choices to use it in particularways. And regardless of whether theperforming artists choose to think oftheir recordings as pedagogical aids,historical documents, spiritual offer-ings, or beautiful entertainment, it isalso clear that recordings could beused in any of these ways.
“L’homme armé” is surely wellknown, but because of the paucityof recordings of the works of Caron,it is unlikely that a listener of thisdisc will be familiar with his chanson“Accueilly m’a la belle.” Jaap vanBenthem’s liner notes describe howCaron used his chanson in a varietyof interesting ways, drawing on andexpanding a variety of motives fromthe song in different voices in themass. He mentions how certainphrases are used in particular voices,describing how Caron stops short ofthe full presentation of the melodyhere or altering it there—but with-out knowing the work itself, thisdescription teases rather thanexplains. Without another recordingon hand for comparison’s sake, andunless the listener just so happens tohave Caron’s complete works near-by, the overall effect is like complet-ing a long-awaited jigsaw puzzleonly to realize the last piece is
missing. It does have an effect onthe listener’s enjoyment of the piece,for I cannot know whether thephrases that project forth from thetexture of the second mass are theoriginal chanson or the result ofpoor blending. For this reason, andbecause this disc is a landmark inCaron’s (and 15th-century music’s)recording history, I regret that thegroup chose not to record the chan-son. It is the one drawback to anotherwise excellent recording. —Karen Cook
Francisco CourcelleMasses For CelebrationOrchestra of New Spain Grover Wilkins, conductorDorian 90903 www.dorian.com
Grover Wilkins’s 20 years ofarchival research and commitmentto the sacred music of 18th-centurySpain has resulted in the conduc-tor’s third recording featuring thisunder-performed repertoire. WhileWilkins’s previous albums includedchoral music by Francisco Courcelle(1705-1778) in addition to works by
other composers active in Spain, thepresent recording is devoted entirelyto Courcelle’s masses—anddeservedly so. Courcelle was a trulycosmopolitan figure, born to Frenchparents at the Farnese court nearParma, where his father was a danc-ing-master and where Courcellehimself became maestro di capellato the Farnese before making a per-
manenthome at theSpanishcourt. There,he becamemaster ofthe royalchapel and
left behind, in addition to works inother vocal genres, a considerablebody of sacred music that, on theevidence of the present recording,deserves to be explored more fully.
Courcelle rubbed shoulders withheavyweights such as DomenicoScarlatti and the celebrated castratoFarinelli as part of an Italian contin-gent in Madrid. The Neapolitanstyle, which Courcelle had masteredin his Italian years, was in high
demand in Spain, as elsewhere inEurope, though Courcelle was asmuch influenced by Spanish churchmusic as he was instrumental in fur-ther Italianizing the music of hisadopted country. Two masses fromCourcelle’s mature period areoffered on this recording, and bothconvey a quintessentially Spanishsense of drama. The pieces werecomposed during a period of transi-tion in European music and as suchpartake of both Classical andBaroque elements. There is a pleas-urably relentless quality to Cour-celle’s choral music, an insistent for-ward momentum that grabs the lis-tener and barely lets up for theentire length of a piece. Courcelleimparts to these masses an effortlessgrandeur without resorting to pompand circumstance. The instrumentaland vocal textures are varied andeffective, and the composer sets upa compelling dialogue between thesoloists and larger choral forces.Wilkins and his orchestra deliver asound that’s full-bodied yet percep-tive to detail, and they immersethemselves fully in the excitement of the music. This is a wonderfulrecording—thrilling music and captivatingly performed.—Berna Can
Carl Heinrich GraunGroße Passion Veronika Winter; Hilke Andersen;Markus Schäfer; Ekkehard Abele;Rheinische Kantorei; Das KleineKonzert; Hermann Max, conductorcpo 777 452 (2 CDs)www.jpc.de
Carl Heinrich Graun’s works fromhis years at the music-loving court ofFrederick the Great—home to thecelebrated Berlin school of musicianslike C.P.E. Bach and Franz Benda—long overshadowed his youthfulmusical attainments. It was duringhis tenure as music director at theBerlin court—for close to 20 yearsuntil his death—that Graun (1703/4-1759) achieved renown throughoutGermany for his Italian operas, aswell as for his influential setting ofthe Passion cantata Der Tod Jesu.Graun’s mature style, whicheschewed the contrapuntal com-plexities of the generation of Ger-man composers that preceded him,was praised in his time for its easeand elegance.
Before moving to Berlin, Graunwas a singer and composer at theDresden and Brunswick courts,though very few of his compositionsfrom that period survive. The pas-sion oratorio Kommt her und schaut
RECORDINGreviews
PF. .
PERFORMERS’ FACSIMILESThe rest is music history.
My new opera’s action is precipitated by the theft of something of great value,
from which the opera takes its name.
But “Die Performers’ Facsimiles” just isn’t a catchy title.
(also known as the Große Passionfor its prodigious number of move-ments) is one of a handful of majorsacred pieces that have been identi-fied as belonging to Graun’s years atBrunswick. Although composedwhen Graun was only 25 (or there-abouts), the Große Passion was
masterfulenough totemptHandelinto mak-ing use ofits riches.In several
of his own operas and oratorios inthe 1730s, Handel incorporatedideas he had plundered fromGraun’s youthful work.
Unlike Graun’s much later DerTod Jesu, which emphasizes therecitative-da capo aria combinationand chorale movement as the build-ing blocks of its musical structure,the Große Passion derives varietyfrom the prominence accorded toariosi and vocal ensembles—fiveduets and a vocal quartet. Much ofthe libretto is given over to poeticcontemplation of the events of thePassion, while the intermittentGospel passages provide dramaticimpetus and textual unity. Although
there are moments of disquiet, themusic on the whole exudes a san-guinity that looks forward to the res-urrection, instead of dwelling on thesuffering of Christ. Graun makesevocative use of obbligato flute andcello, among other instruments, inthe arias and imparts a naturalnessand fluidity to the vocal writing thatreflects his professional experienceas a singer.
The singers here are naturals atinterpreting this repertoire, withsoprano Veronika Winter and tenorMarkus Schäfer especially praisewor-thy for the expressive immediacy and warmth of their singing. Her-mann Max and his forces executethis music beautifully and with conviction.—Berna Can
Johann Gottlieb JanitschSonate da Camera, Volume INotturna; Christopher Palameta,artistic directorATMA ACD22593www.atmaclassique.com
Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708-c.1763) was one of the court musi-cians in the Royal Orchestra of theCourt of Prussia under Frederick theGreat. He was born in Silesia andperformed before Frederick when
the future ruler was still a prince.When Frederick was crowned, Jan-itsch moved to Berlin as part of theroyal music retinue.
In addition to his duties as acourt musician and sometime com-poser, Janitsch held a weekly concertseries in his home. Talented ama-teurs from the upper crust of Berlinplayed alongside Janitsch’s col-leagues from the court orchestra.For these informal gatherings, Jan-itsch composed a series of quartets,27 of which survive.
Basically, these are written forfour voices with a figured bass line.Their instrumentation varies in unex-pected ways, including a combina-tion heard on this CD of oboed’amore, two violas, and continuo.More than 20 feature the oboe,which is what originally interestedartistic director Christopher Pala -meta, a former Tafelmusik oboist. He leads the Montreal-based ensem-ble Notturna in an expert perform-ance of five of these quartets—three of which are world premiererecordings.
This music can best be describedas galant. It’s bright and lively andnot fussy. Janitsch explores the dif-ferent timbres of the instrumentsboldly and with a sense of curiosity.
Notturna’s playing is spirited andsensitive and highlights the intrica-cies of the composer’s crisp counter-point. In particular, the marvelousoboe playing is smooth andsparkling and almost sweet. I havealways preferred the sound of theBaroque oboe to the modern version, and this disc reminds me of why.
This is Notturna’s first CD, butATMA has committed to recording allof the Janitsch quartets with them(volume two is scheduled for releasein spring 2010). Fewer than half thequartets exist in modern editions, soNotturna is working with musicolo-
works. There are also other Janitschquartets in the Prussian State Libraryin Berlin—recently uncovered after they were carted off to Kiev by the Soviet Army after Berlin wasdivided following Word War II. So this might even be called thebeginning of a Janitsch revival.—Beth Adelman
The Dumont ConcertsMAY 28, 29 & 30, 2010
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Charles NobletNouvelles Suites de Pièces deClavecin (Paris, 1756)Charlotte Mattax Moersch, harpsichordCentaur CRC 3005www.centaurrecords.com
Charles Noblet (1715-1769) isone of the seemingly countlessFrench composers who producedworks for the harpsichord in the18th century (and which have beendisseminated in our time throughthe good offices of Minkoff, whopublished Noblet’s single volume of
suites as vol-ume 17 intheir seriesof clavecin-istes). ÉrikKocevar, inGrove,speaks dis-
missively of Noblet’s other works (avolume of four cantatilles, and fourvolumes of two cantatillettes each),but he is on the mark in assertingthat these suites are outstanding.Their conservative idiom is an advan-tage, not a defect, with Nobletinfusing just the right admixture ofItalian sparkle to the gravitas of hisParisian dances. He follows Tele-mann’s lead in including two depic-tions of exotic Europeans—”La Hon-groise” and “Les Catalans,” both up-tempo—in the second of the twosuites here.
Charlotte Mattax Moersch (pro-fessor at the University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign, and also a con-tributor to this column) is a non-pareil harpsichordist who capturesboth Noblet’s charm and his serious-ness in a well-recorded recital on aWillard Martin instrument. This isthe premiere recording of theseworks, so keyboard lovers shouldmake sure to snap it up. —Tom Moore
Alessandro Scarlatti Euridice dall’Inferno; La Concettione della Beata VergineArs Lyrica HoustonMatthew Dirst, directorNaxos 8.570950www.naxos.com
Papa Scarlatti (1660-1725) wasan interesting figure in Baroque Italy.Just as he embodies ‘Baroqueness’at its best, he is also an outcast ofthat same definition by sometimes
being too easy on the ears. Born in Sicily in 1660 and into a
family of musicians, he studied inRome and therefore could tastesome of the best music produced in“the boot” at that moment. Alwayswell-connected socially, Scarlattilodged for some time at Gian Loren-zo Bernini’s palazzo (yes, the sculp-tor). Under the wings of QueenChristina of Sweden, Scarlatti quicklyhad more and more appointmentsin Rome, always in the highest cir-cles. This brought him to Naples, atthat time the center of the world asfar as opera was concerned. Exclud-ing a few (unsuccessful) attempts ongaining fame in Venice and Flo-rence, he spent his life in Rome andNaples. His extensive output rangesfrom the most sacred of oratoriosand vespers to cantatas and operasthat are as secular as they come; inaddition, he made a respectablecontribution to instrumentalmusic—especially for recorder. IlCavaliere was probably well awarethat this versatility was indeed nec-essary to make a substantial living tosupport his family.
Scarlatti was certainly wellrespected in his time, though per-haps not well loved. He worked forsome of the most influential Italianfigures of the early 18th century andwas certainly admired for his capaci-ties as a composer. As a chapel mas-ter in Naples who wrote and staged
innumerableoperas, hehad at hisdisposal anensemble ofrespectablesize, withvery well
trained musicians and singers. It can be asked, though, whether healways took advantage of the meansat his disposal, a quality so clearlyexhausted by others like Handel andTelemann. His music is sometimesquite academic, almost bureaucratic,although always with a very person-al, strange, and special bitter-sweetflavor. It can also be argued that he did not push his boundariesenough, although that is difficult toaccept when listening to his verycharacteristic and unusual har-monies, broken melodies, and contrasting tempo effects.
This CD presents two world pre-miere works and two instrumental
snacks. The opening cantata,Euridice dall’Inferno, was composedduring Scarlatti’s immersion in theArcadian Academy in Rome—moreprecisely in 1699. As expected, it isabout pastoral love and all it entailsand calls upon myths to representwith a silver lining our own comfortsand discomforts in life. The follow-ing cello sonata (one of three inmanuscript) is typical of the 18thcentury and as such is especiallynotable for its contrast of effects.The solo toccata for harpsichord isinteresting, but perhaps not themost striking of Scarlatti’s soloworks. The closing Latin oratorio Idolori di Maria sempre vergine (Laconcettione della beata vergine) isscored for soprano, alto, tenor, andbass singers, two violins, and contin-uo and ends the CD with a largerwork. It is from Scarlatti’s secondRoman period and presents a differ-ent side to his typical sacred writing.Normally, he tends to use darker anddeeper harmonies and painfulmelodies; this piece is very clean andclear, full of bright and joyfulthemes. It is an interesting work,one I was happy to add to my musical library.
In general the recording rendersan honest picture of Scarlatti’s musicand paints, with its variety of cham-ber settings, a fulfilling picture of hiscompositional tricks and quirks. —Inês d’Avena
Jan Pieterszoon SweelinckMusic for HarpsichordGlen Wilson, harpsichordNaxos 8.570894www.naxos.com
Every so often creative noveliststry to imagine our lives if historyzigged, rather than zagged, at aparticularly important juncture.Often such novels imagine a futurein which a different belligerent wona war, whether WW II, the AmericanCivil War, or the contest betweenEngland and the Spanish Armada.As a musician, I wonder what welost with the coming of the Refor-mation, a battle over men’s soulsrather than their bodies, and in par-ticular what we lost in England andThe Netherlands, centers of gloriousmusical and religious art in the late15th and early 16th centuries.
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck(?1562-1621) is arguably the verylast outstanding figure in a richmusical tradition in the Low
Countries, a tradition extirpatedonce and for all by the advent of theReformed Church, with its focus oncongregational psalmody. Sweelinckhimself seems to have continued asa Catholic, even after the societyaround him became Reformed, andwas certainly in contact withCatholic emigrants from Englandsuch as John Bull and Peter Phillips.Sweelinck was a generation youngerthan another English Catholic andkeyboard master, William Byrd, andso his idiom is lacking the Medieval,Gothic, and simply manic qualities
of the Eng-lish tradi-tion. Never-theless, hisfantasy andhigh serious-ness meanthat none of
his works descend to mere function-ality, as do so many organ works ofthe following centuries.
American Glen Wilson is notwell-known in the U.S. since hemoved to Europe to study beforeturning 20. He has recorded regular-ly over the years, most recently forNaxos. This selection of Sweelinck’swork, recorded on a Henk vanSchevikhoven copy after Ruckers,has the familiar hits, including “Est-ce Mars,” “Mein junges Leben hatein End,” and the ChromaticFantasy, as well as arrangements ofPhillips and Dowland. The focus hereis on gravitas, rather than brilliance,but that said, this is a compellingcollection that will repay repeatedlistenings.—Tom Moore
Georg Philipp TelemannWind Concertos, Volume 4La Stagione FrankfurtMichael Schneider, directorCPO - 777 400-2www.jpc.de
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) is loved and hated for thesame reason: the most prolific ofcomposers wrote well for all. Weperform him extensively, to the con-tentment of some and despair ofothers. As a wind player myself, I saythank God for him almost every day;he is one of my biggest sources of(good) repertoire and, no matterhow many recordings I have of hiswind concerti, I’m always happy towelcome one, two, or 10 more.
24 Spring 2010 Early Music America
Continued on page 63
La Donna’s groundbreaking CDs
“…exacting scholarship is backed up byhigh quality performances and productionvalues.” – Early Music America
“[a] haunting interpretation with muchwarmth and rich variety of tone.”– An. Schlaege
“This recording is a must for listeners.”– Early Music America
“…first-rate performances of unusuallydelightful music.”– International Record Review
“Everything about this American ensembleis first rate…” – Goldberg
“[the] ensemble plays with all the elegance and panache one has come toexpect of them.” – CD HotList
This CD brings us five concerti:TWV 52:a2 for two recorders, TWV51:D2 for traverso, TWV 51:A2 foroboe d’amore, TWV 53:h1 for twoflutes and calchedon (a type of18th-century bass lute used for con-tinuo accompaniment and solos,particularly in Germanic regions),and TWV 51:e1 for oboe. The sec-ond and third concerti are from Tele-mann’s Hamburg period and,according to the booklet, must havebeen composed after 1721. Theremaining works are from the period Telemann was city director of music and Kapellmeister at theBarfüsserkirche in Frankfurt.
In Hamburg, Telemann was athis most prolific. There he was musi-
cal directorof the city’sfive mainchurchesand alsoprovidedmusic formany civic
celebrations. Two months after tak-ing up his “sacred” appointment,Telemann started yet another col-legium musicum and with that aseries of weekly public concerts(later twice-weekly!). A few monthslater he assumed the directorship ofthe Gänsemarktoper. One wouldthink he was overwhelmed andoverworked, but his music shows he remained able to deliver high-quality, inspired pieces.
I would have liked the first con-certo to have more Frenchgrandeur—at times it is a little toopastoral (in contrast to the soloist’sflattements, which could be calmerhere and there). The flute concertohas some of Telemann’s most beau-tiful themes and it is simply heart-warming. In moving from this con-certo to the one for oboe d’amore, Ihad to take some time to find myselfback in the room—the change ofcolor in the solo is (unexpectedly) sobig it is disorienting. Hats off to thebassoonist in his pianos of thefourth concerto; the combination ofsoft bassoon with lute creates anethereal sound in the short notes ofthe first movement, but I wouldhave loved to hear it with calchedonas originally assigned.
As a wind player, Schneider sure-ly knows the value of Telemann. Per-haps because of this, the recording
breathes enthusiasm. Can onealways hear what kind of musician isdirecting such an ensemble? In thiscase, yes: it is a winds-friendlyorchestra. This can often be anadvantage, but in many instancesone misses an extra crunchinessfrom the strings.
Nevertheless, I am happy to hearhow beautiful these airy instrumentssound in Telemann’s hands!—Inês d’Avena
COLLECTIONS
Henry’s Music: Motets from a Royal Choirbook, Songs by Henry VIIIAlamire; QuintEssential; Andrew Lawrence-King; David Skinner, directorObsidian CD 705 (2 CDs)www.obsidianrecords.co.uk
This recording by the Englishensemble Alamire serves as some-thing of an anniversary celebrationsince its 2009 release date coincideswith the 500th anniversary of HenryVIII’s accession to the throne. Musichonoring the Tudor king by com-posers from England and the conti-nent, as well as some works byHenry (1491-1547), make for aninteresting program.
The centerpiece of the disc is theworld premiere recording of a col-lection of six motets from the lavish-ly illustrated choirbook that wasgiven to Henry and Catherine ofAragon in 1518. Three of the motetsare attributed to a German compos-er known as Sampson, and it’s hisbig-boned “Psallite felices” andquirky “Salve radix” that make thebiggest impressions of the set. Ofthe music not found in the choir-book, the ravishing “O Christe Jesu,pastor bone” (originally composedin honor of Cardinal Wolsey), byJohn Taverner, and Robert Fayrfax’s“Lauda vivi alpha et oo” are stand-outs and benefit from gorgeous per-formances by the perfectly-balanced,mixed voices of Alamire. While I pre-fer choirs of boys and men in thismusic, the sopranos of Alamireremind listeners of how good Ren-aissance choral works can soundwith women on the top line. Thehealthy share of instrumental musicperformed by the wind ensembleQuintEssential (comprised of
cornett, shawm, sackbut, and per-cussion) provides a welcome con-trast to the choral works. The musicby Henry is hardly a revelation, butthere are plenty of nice moments.The King’s well-worn “Tandernaken”is played with pomp and polishaplenty by QuintEssential, and hisdelicate songs “O my heart” and
“Adieumadame”receivelovely per-formances.Specialpraisemust be
paid to Andrew Lawrence-King,whose harp adds a marvelously pun-gent flavor to the mix. David Skin-ner’s fine liner notes complementthis excellent production, another ina string of top-notch recordings bythe English Obsidian label. —Craig Zeichner
Le Salon de Musique de Marie-Antoinette Sandrine Chatron, harpNaïve Ambroisie AM 179www.naive.fr
The fascination the French havefor the Old Regime period is proba-bly as much a part of their culture asbaguettes and berets, but much ofthis fascination can be summarizedas a love-hate relationship. One justneeds to browse the French historysection of any decent French book-store to note the impressive quantityof books dedicated to Louis XIV (oneof France’s greatest tyrants, on a parwith Napoleon), essentially celebrat-ing the Sun King in the contempo-rary French imagination as an unsur-passable patron of the arts, thanksto whom French classicism reachedits apotheosis.
It is only lately that Marie-Antoinette (Vienna 1755-Paris1793), Archduchess of Austria andQueen of France and Navarre, hasreceived renewed interest in theFrench historical pantheon, andmuch of the recent vogue for thebeheaded Queen is indebted to LadyAntonia Fraser’s biography MarieAntoinette: The Journey (2001), fol-lowed by Sofia Coppola’s 2006 filmMarie Antoinette (itself based onFraser’s biography).
The present CD fits intelligentlyinto the ongoing revival because it isless about illustrating the personalityof the French queen than outliningthe most prominent features ofFrench musical taste during the twi-light of the monarchy. If it would beexcessive to define the Queen’s artis-
tic output as one of a true patron ofthe arts in France (which is the viewexpressed in Alexandre Dratwicki’sliner notes, bathed in hagiographicpraise), there is no doubt that theway the Queen practiced andenjoyed music perfectly reflects thetaste of her time, and this “Salon demusique” offers a delightful musicalpanorama of a lesser-known periodof French musical history.
The harp is the heart of thisrecording: it became a favoredinstrument at the French court andwas played by the Queen herself;she was, as one would expect, anaccomplished musician and alsosang in various operas comiquesperformed privately at her own the-atre of the Trianon. Less aggressivein tone than the harpsichord, andthus better suited to express thesensibilité of the music and poetry ofthe time, the harp became, from the1770s on, a permanent fixture inaristocratic and bourgeois Parisiansalons, and its repertoire grew con-siderably. Sandrine Chatron provideshere a fine selection of such works,from Francesco Petrini’s virtuosicvariations on Les folies d’Espagne toJean-Baptiste Cardon’s Sonata in EFlat Major and Joseph-BologneSaint-Georges’s Sonata for Harp andFlute—a piece that reflects theimpact of the symphonie concer-tante. The best items of this reper-toire are Jan Ladislav Dussek’sSonata No. 5 and Jean-BaptisteKrumpholtz’s Sonata “en forme descène de mezzo caractère,” with vio-lin accompaniment ad lib.—a workstill reminiscent of Empfindsamkeit
illustrated here by pieces that arerare (and, as far as we know, previ-ously unrecorded), among themKrumpholtz’s “La nuit profonde,”for tenor and harp, Marie-Antoinette’s own romance, “C’estmon ami,” and Antoine Dauvergne’sexquisite chansons, the idyllic sim-plicity and tone of which equalsJean-Jacques Rousseau’s romances.
Unsurprisingly, consideringMarie-Antoinette’s interest in opera,the recording wisely offers a coupleof transcribed operatic airs andduets: Grétry’s “Malgré la fortunecruelle” from La caravane du Caire(here for soprano, tenor, violin, andharp) and Gluck’s “J’ai perdu mon
featuring Thomàs Luis de Victoria’s Missa pro Victoria,
Dufay’s Lamentio Sanctae Matris Ecclesiae
Constantinopolitanae, Gallus’ Les Heroes
& troubadour songs from the Crusades
March 6, 7 & 14, 2010
The Armed Man
featuring Josquin des Prez’s
Missa L’homme Arme’ Super Voces Musicales
May 15, 16 & tba, 2010
The Armed Woman
Music by early women composers featuring
Isabella Leonarda’s Magnificat Opus 19, #10
July 31, August 1 & 8, 2010
Concerts in San Francisco & other Bay Area venues
www.SFRV.org
Eurydice” from his ParisianOrphée—it is thanks to the Queenthat Gluck came to Paris, where hetook audiences by storm andlaunched an operatic reform thatopened a new chapter in the historyof opera.
The performers gathered aroundSandrine Chatron, who plays on anÉrard single-action harp (Paris,1799) are all equally admirable:Stéphanie Paulet (violin, David Tec-chler, Rome, 1737) and AmélieMichel (six-keyed transverse flute byClaire Soubeyran, after Kirst) accom-pany the soprano Isabelle Poulenardand the tenor Jean-François Lom-bard. Both distinguished operasingers are well-acquainted with the18th-century French repertoire, andthey sing, without excessive affecta-tion, works that could easily fall intothe most overdone sentimentality. —Jacqueline Waeber
Suonate di Celebri AuttoriEnsemble Sonare: Iara Ungarelli, viola da gamba;Felippe Maravalhas, theorboed
The raison d’etre for this Brazil-ian ensemble is the “theorboed gui-tar,” which substitutes for the theor-bo as the continuo and solo instru-ment. The guitarra teorbata used
here is astandardlate-Baroqueguitar outfit-ted like atheorbo withunstoppedbass strings.
In the CD notes, the argument forthe guitarra teorbata as an acceptedsubstitute for the grander theorbo ismade with a degree of plausibility,but in the end the interest lies not inthe argument but in the uniquemusical per formance, which ischarming and convincing.
The recording consists of a pot-pourri of sonatas and duets span-ning the mid-Baroque to the earlyRococo and utilizes the guitarrateorbata as both a continuo and
solo instrument. There is an undeni-able—dare I say—Latin quality tothe performances, which the guitarserves to enhance. Two early Rococoselections stand out as especiallycharming: the Duo pour guitare etviolon, by Christian Gottlieb Schei-dler (1752-1815), and the Concertoa Mondolino e basso, by GiuseppeVaccari (1704-1766). Oddly, the sologuitar rendition of J.S. Bach’ssonata, BWV 1001, felt stiff andstudied in comparison to the moreunbridled Rococo selections.
The disc is rounded out by solidperformances of sonatas byFrancesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768), Scheidler, and GiacomoAntonio Tinazzoli (1673-1730).There are intonation issues here andthere in the violin; rather than beinga matter of historical temperament,the problem seems to lie simply inmoments of questionable pitch. Thestudio recording itself is clean andpresent—in fact, a little too presentfor this reviewer’s taste. I imagineEnsemble Sonare in recital is quite adelightful experience, and it wouldhave been nice to have caught amore ambient sound for this recording.—Lance Hulme
The Tastes Reunited Les Délices; Debra Nagy, directorwww.debranagy.com
Everything about the present CDis correct and up-to-date, from theinstrumental combinations to thechoice of repertoire, includingappropriate ornamentation, goodintonation, and judicious use of flat-tements. The members of Les Délicesare first class musicians, the ensem-ble playing is irreproachable, andthe quality of the pieces is the veryfinest. Besides the excellent level ofmusicianship, Peter Nothnagle, therecording engineer, is probably the
best-knownspecialist incapturingperiodinstrumentsin Americanrecordings,so it is no
wonder that the final result is a joyto the brain and ear.
The program starts with one ofthe most characteristic and most fre-quently recorded sonatas by FrançoisCouperin. Two other works by thesame composer are also prominent,and one figures as the last piece ofthe recording. A good idea: to open
and close with works that arealready familiar to the listener, whowill be drawn into this ¨new¨ worldby the quality of the composition,the lively, intelligent interpretation,and the colorful, brilliant tone. Atuning of A-392 is warm and dark,but the enthusiasm of the players, aswell as resonant acoustics, preventthe resulting tone from becominglackluster.
Philidor is also common fare.These works may be known to themusic listener who particularly favorsthe music of 18th-century France,but even that rare beast will find inthe next pieces enough novelty tosustain his curiosity and interest:Dornel, Corbetta, and especiallyChauvon are hardly householdnames, and they are presented herewith a loving approach that makesone eager for more.
This CD provides a varied menu,with all the right spices and ingredi-ents: it can serve as entry to a mar-velous world. The beautiful “Les Syl-vains” by Couperin and the rare andcurious chaconne by Corbetta high-light the theorbo, an instrumentrarely heard as a soloist on chamberdiscs. The inclusion of these solomoments provides us with a change
that soothes the ear and makes thenext work sound fresh. A smartmove!
For Les Délices’ next CD, I wouldsuggest that liner notes be printedin a larger font; I also wouldn’t minda bit more volume on the harpsi-chord (sometimes it feels drownedby the other instruments), and—having a theatrical soul—I wouldwelcome a more adventurous inter-pretative stance, one that wouldmake this disc less politically correct. —Laura Rónai
DVD
4 Elements/4 Seasons: AChoreographic ConcertMidori Seiler, violin; Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola, dancerAkademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Harmonia Mundi DVDwww.harmoniamundi.com
Popular interest in this live pro-duction DVD from Berlin will comefrom the Four Seasons by Vivaldi(1678-1741), but Rebel’s Les Élé-ments is the more attractive per-formance. Jean-Féry Rebel (1666-1747) was a court composer forLouis XIV and Les Éléments has allthe charm, invention, and humor of
the French Baroque. The raucousmusical performance and choreog-raphy mirror the composer’s combi-nation of audacity and sensibilité.
has grace and power. This is exactlyhow dance can add spatialdimension to a musical performance.
In comparison, the staging of Lequattro stagioni is ponderous andobvious. Performers parade aboutwith apples and mouchettes on theirheads and leaves and red string intheir mouths. The waifish Seilerdourly bows away while perched onthe choreographer’s shoulders. Thisreviewer is too familiar with Euro-pean performance art not to findthis all a little, well, corny. The choreography brings nothing to the performance; rather it detractsand becomes tedious.
Despite this, the DVD is worthexperiencing. The Akademie für AlteMusik Berlin is a laudable ensembleand the interpretation is solid andmusical, if a little tame when com-pared to recent, more outré per-formances of Vivaldi’s music. Seiler’svirtuoso violin is consistently excel-lent. But I kept waiting for the lighttouch of the Rebel to manifest in thewitty Italian’s music as well. Theheaviness is exacerbated by post-production tampering, which givesthe recording a bombastic qualitythat may not be to everyone’s taste.—Lance Hulme
Meet the reviewer
Composer, conductor, and pianistLance Hulme is based in NorthCarolina, where he is manager ofthe SKIN Ensemble. From 1986 to2003, he lived in Europe, wherehe was director of EnsembleSurprise, a large, eclectic chamberensemble that presented 700years of “new” music. His compo-sitions are heard on the Albany,LiveNotes, and Bridge labels.
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