GMG Classical Music Forum

Frescobaldi, Girolamo (1583-1643) - just checking Sara's Composer List; boy, there are so few Italians present - just a short list from the Baroque-Early Classical period of those 'missing in action' - Corelli, Galuppi, Locatelli, Scarlatti(s), Sammartini(s), Tartini, & Vivaldi; so, a bunch of 'new' composer threads to contemplate!  :D

But I just received my first discs of this early Baroque composer, an Italian keyboard (organ & harpsichord) player and composer from Ferrara, who travelled widely in Italy and serve many different positions including organist of St. Peter's Basicilica in Rome, starting in 1608 and lasting intermittely until his death.  If interested, checkout his Wiki Article HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Frescobaldi); some impressive quotes from Wiki and the liner notes of my new CDs include:  The most remarkable figure in Italian keyboard music before Domenico Scarlatti & Frescobaldi's work was known to, and influenced numerous major composers outside Italy, including Henry Purcell, Johann Pachelbel, and Johann Sebastian Bach - this Italian was an early and important innovator whose influence extended into the later Baroque period and likely beyond.

Based on recent reviews, I purchased and have just received the two 2-CD sets of Frescobaldi's music on the Brilliant label shown below - great bargain, as expected; these recordings are being directed/performed by Roberto Loreggian, who plans to record virtually ALL of this composer's music - I'm not sure 'how much' exists or 'how many' discs may eventually be produced?  Loreggian's website is located HERE (http://www.robertoloreggian.com/uk_curriculum.html) - does not seem updated w/ the information on his Brilliant project?

The two sets of double-CDs purchased are labelled as Vol. 1 & 2 - Volume 1 are Toccatas & Partitas performed mainly on harpsichord w/ some organ included; these are fabulous solo works for the period - need to do some re-listening, but his impact on subsequent composers is easy to understand; the sound of the harpsichord is just beautiful (but not much information is given in the liner notes concerning the instrument).  Volume 2 are Canzone - these are based on dance/song music of the times, but basically is early Baroque 'chamber music' w/ different combinations of instruments (left a post in the listening thread on this 2-CD set).

I've become intrigued w/ this composer - obviously an important early keyboard innovator who introduced a variety of playing techiniques and compositional forms that impressed his students and subsequent composers - will continue to explore his output.  However, comments and/or recommendations from others would be appreciated - thanks.  :)

(http://giradman.smugmug.com/Other/Classical-Music/i-H8qqkqc/0/S/Frescobaldi_Toccatas-S.jpg)  (http://giradman.smugmug.com/Other/Classical-Music/i-fR7ZbQV/0/S/Frescobaldi_Canzone-S.jpg)

Thanks Sonic. I am increasingly interested in early keyboard composers so this post is useful to me.  :)

Rinaldo Alessandrini's discs on Opus 111 of vocal works are worth an effort to get hold of. They may be discontinued though, and are more expensive than Brilliant. But they are of the same quality as his Monteverdi for the same label.

Otherwise, I have the Canzonas set on Brilliant and remember liking it quite a bit. I will eventually get the whole series if it ever is finished (I remember a promising - though variable - start to a complete Schutz that seems to have fizzled out halfways)  

Quote from: erato on July 24, 2009, 12:45:31 AM
Rinaldo Alessandrini's discs on Opus 111 of vocal works are worth an effort to get hold of. They may be dicontinued though, and are more expensive than Brilliant. But they are of the same quality as his Monteverdi for the same label.

Otherwise, I have the Canzonas set on Brilliant and remember liking it quite a bit. I will eventually get the whole series if it ever is finished (I remeber a promising - though variable - start to a complete Schutz that seems to have fizzled out halfways) 

True, the Schutz is still underway, I will call them one of these days and ask what happened with this excellent series.

I've added Frescobaldi's Canzonas to my wish list now.  Since early baroque is so poorly represented in my collection, it will probably be my next purchase. :)

Quote from: Que on July 24, 2009, 11:21:27 AM
Seriously: you obviously are not very familair with his music, or just fail to appreciate it. Froberger was a very interesting and highly original (!) composer of harpsichord music who fused French, Italian and German musical styles.

I reserve any judgement on Frescobaldi until I've had a good taste of his music.

Hello Q - the quote below from the Wiki article I linked may be of interest to all in regards to Froberger:

QuoteFrescobaldi's pupils included numerous Italian composers, but the most important was a German, Johann Jakob Froberger, who studied with him in 1637–41.

I find it interesting that Frescobaldi is like the George Lucas of baroque era composers-- never satisfied he kept tinkering with his works.  There is no final product with such artists, just abandoned pieces! :D

Well , hopefully to get us back on track; over the last few days I've been trying to get a 'handle' on just 'what' Frescobaldi composed, and David is right, he did do a lot of revisions of previous works (but hey so did many other composers, even some of our favorites; I guess Bruckner would be a good example).

His compositions seem to comprise a 'short' list (esp. considering the revisions); this listing was generated mainly from a Wiki Link HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Girolamo_Frescobaldi); not sure 'how' accurate the descriptions and dates may be, so please provide additional information, dates, corrections, etc.   :)

Compositions attributed to Frescobaldi:

First Book of 12 Fantasies (1608)

First Book of Toccatas & Partitas - 12 Toccatas, 4 Partitas, 4 Correntes (1615)

First Book of 10 Ricercars & 5 Canzonas (1615)

First Book of 12 Capriccios (1624)

Second Book of 11 Toccatas, 6 Canzonas, 4 Hymns, 3 Magnificats, 5 Galliards, 6 Correntes, & 4 Partitas (1627; revised, 1637)

Three Organ Masses & 2 Capriccios (1635) (and apparently other revisions)

Canzonas alla francese, 11 (1645; posthumous)

Plenty of vocal music (see link, if interested) & other instrumental works

In addition, I was curious if Roberto Loreggian and his group had put out any more Frescobaldi discs on the Brilliant Classics label?  Apparently, the two single disc offerings have been released, i.e. Vol. 3 & 4; descriptions below from the Presto Classical website, which is having a 20% OFF sale on Brilliant offerings -  :)

Vol. 3:  On the third volume of the Brilliant Classics Frescobaldi Edition are two Masses that have survived in manuscript partbooks, inscribed 'G.F.di', which scholars believe is a reference to Frescobaldi. It is likely that these masses were performed in the basilica, and Frescobaldi uses popular songs as the basis for both works. One is a song of a girl pleading with her mother not to send her to a convent, the other a song composed for the wedding of the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1589. Both works are beautifully crafted examples of late 17th-century Italian church music

Vol. 4:  The Fiori Musicali or 'musical flowers' occupy a special place among his works. Published in 1635, they consist of three 'organ Masses'. Designed for churches where there was an organ, but no choir, the organ would play the movements of the Mass in the form of toccatas, canzonas, recercars and so on, sometimes with plainchant provided by the priest.


(http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/t_200/brilliantclassics93780.jpg)  (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/t_200/brilliantclassics93781.jpg)

Bach studied Frescobaldi's works when he was young, calling him one of the "strong masters of the fugue" and he also studied indepth the Fiori Musicali (which is vol. 4 in the brilliant classics series) during his Weimar period, so we get to hear music that deeply inspired perhaps the greatest composer, Bach!  Not only that but Frescobaldi is considered by many to be one of the greatest composers of the early Baroque era on par with Palestrina.

Still when I approached Frescobaldi's Canzone today I found myself needing multiple listens just to get used to the different sound world.  Just the ornamentation in the violin parts were so odd to me that it took me awhile to get used to it!  But I feel that it's worth the time investment, slowly but surely an earlier time is unfolding before me, and it's rare for me to get to listen to purely instrumental chamber/orchestral work so early in music. :)

Girolamo Frescobaldi - Canzone
Il Primo Libro delle Canzone, a una, due, tre e quattro voci per sonare con ogni sorte di stromenti (1628)

ConSerto Musico [(Maria Folena - traversa; Josué Meléndez, Gawain Glenton - cornetto;
Federico Guglielmo, Elisa Imbalzano - violin; Andrea Bressan - dulcian; Francesco Galligioni - cello, viola da gamba;
Cristiano Contadin - viola da gamba, viola soprano, violotto; Ivano Zanenghi - lute, archlute; Fabio Framba - organ;
Roberto Loreggian - harpsichord, organ]

Roberto Loreggian [direction]

Frescobaldi Edition Vol. 2

Recorded: 25-28/2 & 24/11 2007, Villa Beatrice d'Este, Baone & Chiesa di S. Bernadino, Verona, Italy. Released: 2008

Brilliant Classics

Total timing - 65:24, 67:40

:)

P.S.: Curiously, the 21th track of the second CD was defective when I played it in my CD player Advance Acoustic, but it worked correctly in my NAD CD player. Does anyone have this set to check that track?

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on January 23, 2010, 11:02:32 AM
Girolamo Frescobaldi - Canzone
Il Primo Libro delle Canzone, a una, due, tre e quattro voci per sonare con ogni sorte di stromenti (1628)

P.S.: Curiously, the 21th track of the second CD was defective when I played it in my CD player Advance Acoustic, but it worked correctly in my NAD CD player. Does anyone have this set to check that track?

Hello Antoine - I started a thread on Frescobaldi last year HERE (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,13637.0.html) (did not stimulate much interest  :-\)  - please post there w/ your impressions - and I'm interested in further additions to this project.

Concerning your question above, I just put on that 2nd disc and played track 21 - no problem on my system - really a 'pain' to get a 'digital glitch' on one machine to find the CD plays OK on others!  Good luck - Dave  :)

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on January 23, 2010, 12:28:36 PM
What do you think about Loreggian and his project, Premont? Apparently, Brilliant has issued 6 volumes to this date.

I actually played disc 1 from this set last night and my immediate reaction was that I wasn't particularly pleased with the recorded sound, it lacking the richness I expect from a moderne recording. This was particularly noticeable as it was played just after a state-of-the-art Harmonia Mundi disc. Also I'm not certain that every chip of Frescobaldi's workslate desperately needs to be recorded. As the discs are cheap, and I'm particularly into this period, I will buy the series anyway, as this is the only way to be absoutely sure.  :D I already have the two first sets.

Quote from: erato on January 23, 2010, 11:25:34 PM
I actually played disc 1 from this set last night and my immediate reaction was that I wasn't particularly pleased with the recorded sound, it lacking the richness I expect from a moderne recording. This was particularly noticeable as it was played just after a state-of-the-art Harmonia Mundi disc. Also I'm not certain that every chip of Frescobaldi's workslate desperately needs to be recorded. As the discs are cheap, and I'm particularly into this period, I will buy the series anyway, as this is the only way to be absoutely sure.  :D I already have the two first sets.

Hi, Erato. I have not had problems with the sound quality of this series, but I am not entirely satisfied with Loreggian's performances. I miss certain wider range of rhetorical expressiveness. This music is essentially erudite music, full of different forms and ideas that need to be rigorously contrasted; but I don't know if Loreggian is totally successful in this aspect. In that way, Jean-Marc Aymes (Ligia Digital) is, IMO, more satisfactory, although –like you- I have decided to collect all of these Brilliant discs. BTW, I am fully interested in that double disc by Sergio Vartolo on Naxos (Fantasie Book I, Ricercari, Canzoni Francesi).  :)     

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on January 23, 2010, 12:28:36 PM
What do you think about Loreggian and his project, Premont? Apparently, Brilliant has issued 6 volumes to this date.

Having listened to the two keyboard Toccata collections (vol. 1 and vol. 5) only once, I am not able to say much. But you prompted me to relisten to the Canzonas (vol.2) again, and I find the interpretations somewhat restrained and some of the instruments sounding a bit anonymous (the two cornets, the traverso and the viola da gamba the most). I miss some weight, some intensity and some drama. After all this music is an important step in the development of the instrumental stylus phantasticus. In this respect I find the recordings by the Fitzwilliam Ensemble (Astrée/Naive), Il Teatro alla Modo (Pierre Verany) and Musica Fiata (DHM) more satisfying.

Quote from: SonicMan on January 23, 2010, 03:42:27 PM
Hello Antoine - I started a thread on Frescobaldi last year HERE (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,13637.0.html) (did not stimulate much interest  :-\)  - please post there w/ your impressions - and I'm interested in further additions to this project.

Concerning your question above, I just put on that 2nd disc and played track 21 - no problem on my system - really a 'pain' to get a 'digital glitch' on one machine to find the CD plays OK on others!  Good luck - Dave  :)

Thanks for the reply, Dave. I have had some bad experiences with two or three Brilliant discs, especially one that I really love: Music from the Golden Age of Rembrandt, which has some horrible digital glitches. :( Anyway, a tremendous label.  :)

Certainly, I will post some commentaries on Frescobaldi when I listen to these new purchases more detailedly.

Quote from: premont on January 24, 2010, 05:55:25 AM
Having listened to the two keyboard Toccata collections (vol. 1 and vol. 5) only once, I am not able to say much. But you prompted me to relisten to the Canzonas (vol.2) again, and I find the interpretations somewhat restrained and some of the instruments sounding a bit anonymous (the two cornets, the traverso and the viola da gamba the most). I miss some weight, some intensity and some drama. After all this music is an important step in the development of the instrumental stylus phantasticus. In this respect I find the recordings by the Fitzwilliam Ensemble (Astrée/Naive), Il Teatro alla Modo (Pierre Verany) and Musica Fiata (DHM) more satisfying.

Rather my own impressions: a certain lack of "eloquence" in the speech. 

I'm finding a lot of Frescobaldi on YouTube and have been listening to it with various degrees of enjoyment.

I'm not really sure where to go with this composer, but I gather the keyboard music is important. Does anyone have an opinion on what would be the best 1 or 2 disc set of this stuff? Someone mentioned Vartolo on Naxos - how good is it?

Who really puts the fresco in Frescobaldi?

Quote from: Velimir on January 31, 2010, 01:58:57 AM
... I'm not really sure where to go with this composer, but I gather the keyboard music is important. Does anyone have an opinion on what would be the best 1 or 2 disc set of this stuff?...
Who really puts the fresco in Frescobaldi?

Hi, Velimir.

Although during the last years I have gone away from Pierre Hantaï in several recordings, I consider his Partite & Tocatte (Astrée-Naïve) as an exemplar disc, entirely representative of the Frescobaldi's keyboard art.

My preferred canzoni are by Tripla Concordia on Nuova Era – I just have the vol. 2, 2CDs-, but unfortunately those recordings are absolutely OOP. Anyway, Amazon offers extracts and MP3 downloadings.

Here Hantaï playing the Toccata Settima (1627) [I would recommend to change the resolution from 360p to 480p]:




:)

Just got the first book of Toccatas by Loreggian. Where Vartolo was too straitlaced this guy is way too incoherent and his ornaments are just all over the place. I wish i could get my hands on the set by Alessandrini, but its very hard to find. Plus, there is no indication he's ever going to work on the second book.

This interesting disc, featuring Konstantin Lifschitz on the piano, came my way:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51U1vOeTwjL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

Most of the disc is taken up by Bach, but there are three Frescobaldi toccatas on it as well. This is the only disc I've seen which has Frescobaldi played on the piano.

The music is intriguing and appealing, though one gets a sense of meandering, of forms not quite settled. This appears to be characteristic of much early keyboard music, as if composers were still trying to figure out the rules for it.

Quote from: SonicMan46 on July 25, 2009, 09:17:33 AM
[ ... ]

Vol. 4:  The Fiori Musicali or 'musical flowers' occupy a special place among his works. Published in 1635, they consist of three 'organ Masses'. Designed for churches where there was an organ, but no choir, the organ would play the movements of the Mass in the form of toccatas, canzonas, recercars and so on, sometimes with plainchant provided by the priest.

(http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/t_200/brilliantclassics93781.jpg)

The name of the composer was known to me when I was still knee-high to a merry grasshopper, yet I've hardly heard any of his music.  Thanks to mention of the Fiori musicali in the liner notes to Fretwork's account of Die Kunst der Fuge, though, I've taken a keen interest . . . and I pulled the trigger just last night on this recording.

Reading through some less than enthusiastic opinions on this thread--
will this be worth getting? (AmazonUS gives the release date as 9/27.)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nsPkpC%2B9L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

Still making my way through this box, but really digging it:

[asin]B0041IH4ME[/asin]

Funny thing is . . . I had pulled the trigger at Amazon on a recording of Fiori musicali by Roberto Loreggian. A few minutes later, poking around some more, I found this box (at a very attractive price), noted that Loreggian is one of the performers, and supposing that the Loreggian Fiori musicali was included in the box, canceled that and pulled the trigger on the 12-CD box.

I find, though, that the Fiori musicali included in the box are performed by Sergio Vartolo (Roberto Loreggian is represented in this box just by disc 12, the Canzoni alla francese).  And I feel that the Fiori musicali are a work I shall not mind having a second recording of . . . .

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on September 28, 2011, 07:17:38 AM
Still making my way through this box, but really digging it:

[asin]B0041IH4ME[/asin]

And I feel that the Fiori musicali are a work I shall not mind having a second recording of . . . .

Did you like Vartolo, Karl? Or do you think the music is not attractive enough to justify a second recording? I'm curious because the poor Vartolo is so frequently maltreated by critics that I'm totally happy when a new listener enjoys his interpretations. I also think very highly about his Monteverdi (Brilliant Classics) and his AoF (Naxos).  :)

Quote from: Antoine Marchand on September 28, 2011, 07:41:24 AM
Did you like Vartolo, Karl? Or do you think the music is not attractive enough to justify a second recording?

I was unclear, Antoine. Yes, I do like Vartolo very well here; and I like the piece well enough to bring in a second recording (at the very least with this literature, of course, the organ and voicings will be different, e.g.).

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on September 28, 2011, 08:36:04 AM
I was unclear, Antoine. Yes, I do like Vartolo very well here; and I like the piece well enough to bring in a second recording (at the very least with this literature, of course, the organ and voicings will be different, e.g.).

Yes, I did read your post in the "listening thread". I liked the word you used there to define Vartolo's style: "archaic". That's exactly the feeling I get with Vartolo. Sometimes it's even a quite overwhelming feeling as when I compare his Monteverdi, say, with the same operas conducted by Jacobs.

Quote from: Elgarian on December 07, 2011, 11:26:42 AM
Been listening to it the last couple of days. Not, it must be said, in the most positive of moods, but even allowing for that, I do find it difficult. Well no, wait, stop. In one sense it's not difficult at all, so what do I mean by that statement? Consider the harpsichord discs. I've had them tinkling away very nicely in the background, and very pleasant they are (which in itself is a bonus, as I'm not noted for my enjoyment of harpsichords - or organs for that matter). But I don't know how to listen to it. I can hear it, and say 'how nice' and carry on reading my book; but I can no more follow the musical plot than fly. Indeed, I can't even find a musical plot to follow, so lost am I. I suppose that matters ... does it? Would Frescobaldi be happy enough to have provided me with a pleasant soundscape to read in? Or would he have thrown his hands up in horror and called in the music police?

Quote from: karlhenning on December 07, 2011, 11:37:09 AM
It took me some re-tuning, Alan. In ways in which (as a musician) I have been frankly surprised, the music operates in ways very different to (say) Bach, Scarlatti or Couperin.

I began with a few of days' graduaol absorption of the Fiori musicali; and then sort of "lived with" the toccatas for a week or two.

Quote from: karlhenning on December 07, 2011, 11:41:23 AM
I began with a few of days' graduaol absorption of the Fiori musicali; and then sort of "lived with" the toccatas for a week or two.

Ah, that's interesting. Maybe I should just carry on letting it tinkle away do you think, and not worry too much but just let it infiltrate gently? (Antoine made that specific recommendation, which I started with, but the same vague bafflement led me on, after that, to the harpsichord discs as a better bet because more obviously attractive - to me personally - as a sound.)

Quote from: Elgarian on December 07, 2011, 12:26:25 PM
Ah, that's interesting. Maybe I should just carry on letting it tinkle away do you think, and not worry too much but just let it infiltrate gently? (Antoine made that specific recommendation, which I started with, but the same vague bafflement led me on, after that, to the harpsichord discs as a better bet because more obviously attractive - to me personally - as a sound.)

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Listen and learn more (in any way, shape or form) could be the way to go. You may find the third and fourth paragraph of this (http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/frescobaldi.php (http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/frescobaldi.php)) helpful....

Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 07, 2011, 12:47:52 PM
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Listen and learn more (in any way, shape or form) could be the way to go. You may find the third and fourth paragraph of this (http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/frescobaldi.php (http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/frescobaldi.php)) helpful....

Thanks for this. Indeed, I won't worry about it (at least, no more than I do about the other 5 million things about the universe that I find puzzling). But of course it's disconcerting to know that something is intensely structured, but to perceive it only as if it were random, harmonious doodling. I used to find the same with abstract painting until a few pennies started to drop.

Just a note that I am returning to immersion in The Box . . . one disc of toccatas has been in heavy rotation by me this week.

Quote from: Que on January 05, 2013, 07:13:19 AM
So there is still hope this will not end like my short-lived love affair with the Frescobaldi box set on Tactus, that turned rather stale quickly because Vartolo as a main contributor bored my mind stiff - plus his (short) contributions as a counter-tenor were downright SCARY! :o  ;)

Q

I like very much those interpretations by Vartolo (I purchased separately every Frescobaldi collection recorded by him), but I think those interpretations are a sort of acquired taste (slooooow and very deliberate tempi to start). That's the reason why I was quite puzzled when the complete set on Tactus was suddenly a very popular item here and why I'm not surprised at all by your statement quoted above.

Quote from: Gordon Shumway on January 05, 2013, 05:39:11 PM
I like very much those interpretations by Vartolo (I purchased separately every Frescobaldi collection recorded by him), but I think those interpretations are a sort of acquired taste (slooooow and very deliberate tempi to start). That's the reason why I was quite puzzled when the complete set on Tactus was suddenly a very popular item here and why I'm not surprised at all by your statement quoted above.

[asin]B0041IH4ME[/asin]

Well, slooow and deliberate - there you have it.... ::) :-\

It has been quite a love-hate affair... :)
When purchasing I was doubtful since I encountered Vartolo before. But decided to go ahead anyway - I mean, I paid $12 for the set and I had very little Frescobaldi on the shelves.
Then what happened? I was initially pleasantly surprised. I can appreciate Sergio Vartolo's musical qualities and insights, really. My first impression was: if I like Vartolo, it must be in the early repertoire, like Frescobaldi. But then as listening into the set progressed the newfound love came to wear thin... I definitely prefer him on the harpsichord, he does that quite nicely - considering.. But him on the organ really does it - the parts by Francesco Tasini sounded like a breath of fresh air to me. Vartolo's singing voice is just scary, but I guess that's me. 8) The performances of the choral music are as slow and not impressive but OK, I guess.

All in all, I think that Vartolo('s Frescobaldi) is Old School. My mind can appreciate the intellectual effort and musical insights, but the heart remains cold.

I'm holding out until Ligia reissues Jean Marc Aymes's recordings as a complete set. And I will look around for individual organ and harpsichord recordings by others, because this set has not spoiled my taste for Frescobaldi, on the contrary! :)

Q

Where does Vartolo sing in Frescobaldi, Que?

Quote from: Mandryka on January 06, 2013, 08:16:01 AM
Where does Vartolo sing in Frescobaldi, Que?

In the setI pictured, but only a few times, and briefly.
I didn't know who it was because there was no singer mentioned, but premont suggested that it was probably Vartolo himself.

Q

I'm thinking of getting Blandine Verlet's Frescobaldi disc. Anyone heard it?

Quote from: Velimir on June 13, 2013, 10:11:58 AM
I'm thinking of getting Blandine Verlet's Frescobaldi disc. Anyone heard it?

If you do get it and it@s in digital form I hope you@ll share it. That and her French Suites are two records I'd love to hear, but the CD versions seem unobtainable.

Frescobaldi's works are distended and tangled but he has a modest voice.

Quote from: Mandryka on June 13, 2013, 10:13:53 PM
If you do get it and it@s in digital form I hope you@ll share it. That and her French Suites are two records I'd love to hear, but the CD versions seem unobtainable.

Sorry, I just ordered it, but it's an LP (the original release on Telefunken).

How could I have missed this?? The samples sound pretty good to my ears, anyone able to comment? :)

[asin]B008XVY9OQ[/asin]

Q

Quote from: Que on August 21, 2013, 09:40:32 PM
How could I have missed this?? The samples sound pretty good to my ears, anyone able to comment? :)

[asin]B008XVY9OQ[/asin]

Q

Well, I own the set and have listened to it twice. Bonizzoni plays as expected in a very virtuoso way and in some of the harpsichord pieces sometimes too much so, that the pulse is pushed a bit too much forwards, and I would have preferred a bit more reflection. The organ pieces on the other hand are beautifully done without any rushing.

The existing more or less complete recordings of Frescobald´s keyboard music (Vartolo, Aymes, Loreggian, Bonizzoni) have so different virtues, that you will want to own them all.

Recently I relistened to Baiano´s  Frescobaldi harpsichord CD. He is more imaginative than Bonizzoni, and to be preferred to him I think. But the most imaginative and intense expressive Frescobaldi playing I have heard comes from Aapo Hakkinen on his single harpsichord CD (Alba).

Has anyone read Frederick Hammond's book? Would they recommend it?

A promising set seems to be the one by Richard Lester:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qWyy-TQJyI

So far i only tried Loreggian (which i didn't really like, not sure why. I felt he was making the music to be more virtuosic than it is while glossing over some of the contrapuntal subtlety, or at least that's how i remember it) and the one by Vartolo (who's approach is... unique, to say the least). Richard Lester seems to be like a good compromise. Lively tempos, but with a good vertical sense, at least judging by that youtube clip. One of this days i'll have to buy the whole set.

Because I do not know very much about Frescobaldi's music I recently bought this box set....


(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0003/220/MI0003220248.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)

I am quite conscious that it gets mixed reviews and reactions but I wanted to get an overall flavour of the composer's music and I intend to use it as a launching pad for further exploration in the future should I find the music to my taste.

Enjoy, and please post what you think!

(http://direct-ns.rhap.com/imageserver/v2/albums/Alb.218885744/images/170x170.jpg)    (http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/8015203101289_p0_v1_s272x272.jpg)

I can't find anything about the organ on the Bellotti recording, it sounds good, old, Italian and interestingly tuned. The organ on the recording by Franco Paturzo is extremely characterful - at Arezzo cathedral. Again it sounds interestingly tuned.

Both performers are flamboyant, to some extent my critical faculties have been disarmed by their energy, spirit.  And by the wonderful dissonances! Is Paturzo a bit crude? is Bellotti a bit stiff? I don't care, those questions were just swept aside by the brio of it all.

Both these CDs were for me really revealing, because I had know idea how well things like the cento partite sopra passacaglia  can sound on a suitable organ. I knew I liked Italian organs from my experience with the one in Naples conservatory. But these are both really special instruments.

(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0001/075/MI0001075641.jpg)

This recording of music played on harpsichord by Richard Egarr in my opinion presents an entirely original vision of the meaning of Frescobaldi's music. As often conceived, the keyboard music is mystical and virtuosic. But Egarr completely eradicates all of that, and shows is a Frescobaldi which is small scale, domestic, lyrical, rather relaxing to listen to.

I think the approach sheds some new light on the relation between Froberger and Frescobaldi, not formally but emotionally. At least, I was surprised to find occasional intimations of the sort of melancholy which pervades Froberger's music, even his Italianate music, in these touching and intimate Frescobaldi performances by Egarr. 

It made me think of the small number of Froberger recordings on clavichord - Jaroslav Tuma and Thurston Dart - as far as I know no one has recorded Frescobaldi on a clavichord but I wish Egarr had chosen clavichord rather than harpsichord. His gentle approach would have benefited from the expressivity and colourfulness of the instrument.

I seriously doubt if Frescobaldi ever used a clavichord, but a spinet (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinet) could have been an option. :)

Q

Quote from: Que on July 26, 2016, 10:11:44 PM
I seriously doubt if Frescobaldi ever used a clavichord, but a spinet (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinet) could have been an option. :)

Q

Didn't they have clavichords in Italy then?

Maybe the range in Frescobaldi is  too big for a clavichord or a spinet.

Quote from: Mandryka on July 26, 2016, 11:41:25 PM
Didn't they have clavichords in Italy then?

I'm sure there were... :) It's just that I haven't seen Frescobaldi on a clavichord before the youtube you posted.

I've done  some googling, and it appears that the clavichord largely disappeared in England, France and Italy quite early on, during the 16th century.
It remained relatively popular in Germanic countries.

From The Harpsichord and Clavichord: An Encyclopedia, edited by Igor Kipnis:

The inventories of Frecobaldi patron's collection list organs and graviorgans (combinations of harpsichord and organ), and harpsichords and spinets of various national building traditions; organs and harpsichords with enharmonic keyboards (on which Frescobaldi is known to have performed) are found, but clavichords do not occur.

Q

Quote from: Que on July 27, 2016, 09:27:52 PM
I'm sure there were... :) It's just that I haven't seen Frescobaldi on a clavichord before the youtube you posted.

I've done  some googling, and it appears that the clavichord largely disappeared in England, France and Italy quite early on, during the 16th century.
It remained relatively popular in Germanic countries.

From The Harpsichord and Clavichord: An Encyclopedia, edited by Igor Kipnis:

The inventories of Frecobaldi patron's collection list organs and graviorgans (combinations of harpsichord and organ), and harpsichords and spinets of various national building traditions; organs and harpsichords with enharmonic keyboards (on which Frescobaldi is known to have performed) are found, but clavichords do not occur.

Q

Oh good find about his patrons' instruments.

One thing that may be relevant is that I believe in Germany organists used to practise on a pair of stacked clavichords, I wonder what they did in Italy.

I'm listening as I type this to Leonhardt playing AoF on DHM, and the thought crossed my mind that a good harpsichordist playing a good instrument can be every bit as colourful, every bit as soulful, as a clavichord player.

Quote from: Purusha on March 20, 2015, 09:59:17 AM
A promising set seems to be the one by Richard Lester:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qWyy-TQJyI

So far i only tried Loreggian (which i didn't really like, not sure why. I felt he was making the music to be more virtuosic than it is while glossing over some of the contrapuntal subtlety, or at least that's how i remember it) and the one by Vartolo (who's approach is... unique, to say the least). Richard Lester seems to be like a good compromise. Lively tempos, but with a good vertical sense, at least judging by that youtube clip. One of this days i'll have to buy the whole set.

Hello! Are you still there, or am I talking to myself? Anyway I'm starting to try to get to grips with Lester right now so I thought I'd post my first, tentative, reactions.

Frescobaldi's music often has many sections, and often each section brings its own character. When Richard Lester plays Fresco on harpsichord, his tendency is not to underline this these dramatic changes by giving each section its own texture or its own timbre. What's more, the way he uses ornamentation and tempo rubato and rhythmic rubato seems to be designed to stop the music from sounding either spontaneous or heartfelt. The result is coherent and refined and flowing and mature. And like music which is often  an exploration of voices in counterpoint. Sometimes the Lester linearity seems really spot on - listen to his 7th Toccata and genuflect!

By the way, the organ parts of the set, CD 4, are some of my favourite Fresco recordings: spiritual, colourful, mature, rapt.

(http://classicstoday.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/coverpics/463_coverpic.jpg)


One thing that Blandine Verlet's Frescobaldi has in common with Richard Lester's is that neither are boisterous or flamboyant.

But Verlet uses colours and textures which just aren't part of Lester's vocabulary. And she's a real musician - you know she knows how to uses pauses and articulation to create an ebb and flow of tension, rather than create it by means of bravura.

I think that Verlet's Frescobaldi is more like madrigal than opera. That's to say there's all the expression of vocal music in there, but chamber size. There's something almost confiding and intimate about what she does. In the toccatas especially this is unusual.

Her instrument is beautiful, maybe a bit weak in the bass.

(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0001/030/MI0001030648.jpg)

I've been focusing on a couple of things in this set, Bk 1 Toccata 9 and Toccata 11. Prior to hearing then I said to myself that his penchant for slow tempos would lead to increased introspectiveness at the expense of bravura - I had thought that the just because there are less notes per minute, as it were, the result would be less virtuosic sounding.

Not a bit of it! The virtuoso element of Frescobaldi's music is as strong as it is with Asperen or Baiano or Hakkinen. The elapsed time is longer because he finds the rhetorical ideas in the music and doesn't skate over them. His rhetorical depth is one of his greatest qualities.

Vartolo's  performances seem to me to be wonderfully paradoxical. Simultaneously sensuous and convoluted, complicated; simultaneously flamboyant and reflective; simultaneously as far removed from song as you can get and get contain all the emotion andl lyricism of a madrigal.

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51EXEHsRpuL.jpg)

Asperen's Frescobaldi is frank. There's no irony, ambiguity or paradox. It's  mostly just fun, boisterous, playful, happy, perky music with occasional lyrical interludes.  But it would be unfair to dismiss it as superficial because the voicing is so lively - a real rapport among the voices. And the instrument sounds great, full of nice timbres and textures.

(http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/july08/Frescobaldi_folts_8570717.gif)

There's nothing superficial about the way Martha Folts treats Frescobaldi, she is very aware of the paradoxical nature of his music. Indeed she adds a new contradiction: the general feel of everything she plays here is both serene and heartfelt. It is also clearly virtuosic - there are a lot of notes - and it's introspective. And on the one hand it's extremely lyrical - flexible rhythms and full of feeling like a madrigal - while on the other  it is instrumental music par excellence - often arpeggiated and ornamented like a harp.

(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0000/997/MI0000997586.jpg)

Tilney's way of playing Frescobaldi is literal, direct. He refuses to dress up the  the contrasts in the the music with changes in texture or timbre,  He  refuses to psychologise the music, to use it as a vehicle to expose his own personality. This is a simplified and purified Frescobaldi.

I remember once commenting here that I thought his Frescobaldi was disappointing. But  over time I've really begun to find the recording fascinating. Part of the reason is the brilliance of the harpsichord, I guess (I don't have the booklet) a Neapolitan instrument like the ones he prefers in Scarlatti. The clarity of the tone, together with Tilney's minimal articulation, serve to bring out the structure of each piece really clearly.

Another part of the reason is the intense and jubilatory quality of the interpretations, which is not without an uplifting and extrovert spirituality.

There's no irony or paradox in Tilney's Frescobaldi, and that is I'm sure a weakness. But nevertheless these simplified and radiant performances match the rich and clear sound of the instrument perfectly. It is, despite the above mentioned reservations, a hypnotic and irresistible experience.

(https://img.discogs.com/gr9teyOl0bR0ngW8vijo5XIiSFI=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-3986720-1351455017-3645.jpeg.jpg)


What do you listen to Frescobaldi for? If you listen because you find the music full of fantasy, full of emotions and mysticism, full of swagger and bravura, then Hogwood is possibly not for you. If you listen because it is elegant, unruffled and rather beautiful than he just may be. "Elegant and unruffled" sounds like a euphemism for "boring and earthbound" to me, but Hogwood is not that at all because he communicates his own intensity and commitment, and because the surface beauty is lively and  engaging and relaxing. More so, I would say, than in his recordings of English music.

The harpsichord he uses is timid sounding, and so along with Egarr's this recording provides a valuable contrast to Vartolo's approach (=mystical, virtuosic, harp-like) and Tilney's (= brilliant, hypnotic)

(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_250/MI0001/043/MI0001043849.jpg)

This recording by Pierre Hantaï reminds me of one or two other things by him -  the first Scarlatti CD and the Farnaby CD.

What he offers us  seems initially like an exploration of harpsichord colours, presented in a context of astonishing virtuosity. But it is much more than that, because he is capable of eliciting the most poignant and introspective lyrical music too. The juxtaposition of these serene, tender and dark passages and the more brilliant bravura music makes for something which is humane: humane because the moods are  as changeable in the music  as they are in the human mind. We have here the mixture of laughter, love and tears which constitutes the human condition.

The style of play is like an explosion, an earthquake, a tidal wave. A force or nature. All you can do is let yourself be swept away. Hantaï is so strong here he pacifies the listener, so great is his power to take your breath away.

So Hantaï's Frescobaldi is psychologically real. That's a revelation, and perfectly stylish given the preface to the first book of Toccatas! It is IMO one of the great Frescobaldi CDs, a wonderful complement to Vartolo's mystical virtuosic approach.

Great sound, a harpsichord which sounds like a cross between a wolf and a harp.

(http://www.christopherstembridge.org/images/stembridgefrescob.jpg)

Listening to Christopher Stembridge play a dozen early toccatas made me think of Nicolaus Harnoncourt:

• articulation in short and often jolting cells;
  
  
• the phrasing in each voice often independent, so that each voice acquires its own character, one voice may be fluid while another simultaneous one may be anything but;
  
  
• the meantone quarter comma harpsichord giving rise to some striking dissonances. 
  
  

The result is a music which is more complex and less lyrical, more virtuosic and less mystical. It is rich from the point of view of counterpoint, though in my opinion this wealth is procured at the expense of a certain severity. An effect compounded by Stembridge's authoritative and extrovert manner.

(http://c3.cduniverse.ws/resized/250x500/music/373/8826373.jpg)

There are three things which make this recording of the capriccios by Gustav Leonhardt one of my favourites.

• The way he plays the harpsichord (a copy after Giusti 1681.) He's on top form. The delicacy, the refinement, the variety of colours and textures is remarkable. His organ playing is also outstanding.
  
  



• The articulation. The music sings, as is correct for this relatively late music by GF. But he manages to create that cantabile without losing the tension in the music, which I think is an essential part of GF's art (contrast Lester.)
  
  



• The combination of seriousness and wit: many others have managed to be one or the other, but  Leonhardt can be both at the same time.
  
  

Leonhardt seems completely at home in the later, relatively austere,  Frescobaldi style. He knows how to make the unexpected musical developments sound coherent in in its context, rather than just the product of an improvisatory élan, a creative whim.

(http://www.melosantiqua.it/images/cd_frescobaldi_large.jpg)

Federico del Sordo plays Fiori Musicali, flashily, energetically and I would say glibly. He makes Koopman's Missa Dominica sound meditative and restrained by comparison.  No sense of responsiveness between the organ and the chant as far as I can judge. I can't find any details of the organ, but it sounds like an goodie.

Some interesting comments from Bernard Foccroulle on Facebook. I've just bought myself a ticket to hear him play a mixed programme with some Frescobaldi in Paris in March. He has in fact released just one piece by Frescobaldi, a Toccata on a Ricercar CD called Rubens and his Time.

Quote from: https://www.facebook.com/bernardfoccroulle/In search of the best organs to play Frescobaldi
I spent last month a beautiful week in Central Italy. For many years, I've been looking for the best possible organs to record the music of Girolamo Frescobaldi, the prince of Italian organists at the beginning of the XVIIth century. Born in Ferrara, Frescobaldi became an outstanding and very innovative musician, opening new ways to the expression of highly contrasted human affetti on keyboard instruments. Organist in Rome (Santa Maria in Trastevere and later in the Basilica San Pietro), he also worked in Florence for the Medici and has remained a reference for several generations of musicians. Johann Sebastian Bach copied the whole collection of his "Fiori Musicali" (published in 1637).
As many colleagues, I've been more in touch with North Italian organs: the magnificent instruments built by the family Antegnati or by other great organ builders from the Renaissance or the XVIIth century. But several years ago, my friend Andrea Marcon told me: "for years, we've been recording Frescobaldi on these Northern instruments. Isn't time to reveal the instruments Frescobaldi played and composed for when he was in Rome?" I went to Rome and visited historic instruments; it was a big disappointment to see the poor condition of most of them, not well preserved or badly restored. The most beautiful historic organ I played in Rome is located in Santa Barbara dei Librari, a small and intimate church close to Campo de' Fiori. The instrument has been made around 1600 by an anonymous builder, came there in 1912, and has been very successfully restored by Marco Fratti in 1995. It has only eight stops, no flute, its energy, sound, vivacity, mechanical action, polyphonic clarity and expressiveness are just great!
Last year, I visited also some organs in Umbria with my wife Annick, our daughter Alice who is a soprano and her husband Lambert Colson, who plays the cornetto. This exquisite region, situated not far from Rome, has given several families of organ builders working in Rome and influencing the art of organ-building there from the XVIth century on. Claudio Pinchi, an organ builder coming from a family that has been active in Umbria since four centuries under the name of Fedeli and then Pinchi (is'nt this a world record...?) presented us some extraordinary instruments situated in small cities (Trevi, a very delicate organ built in 1509 by Mastro Paolo di Pietropaolo da Montefalco, one of the most ancient ones in the world!) or villages (Cerreto di Spoleto, A. Belforti, 1580, and A. Maccioni, 1620, or Serra San Quirico, G. M. Testa, 1676). With my students of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, I also visited last week beautiful historic organs in Orte and Collescipoli (one of them being built in 1670 by the Flemish organ builder Hermans).
Central Italian organs do have many similarities with Northern ones (on the paper, they look the same), but their pitch is much lower (between 390 and 420 Hz, which is between one tone and half a tone lower than our usual modern pitch – 440Hz), where Northern organs are around 465 up to 490 Hz! More important, the pipes are significantly narrower than in the North, which gives a rich sound that suits very well the flexible and versatile music written by Girolamo Frescobaldi. The chorus of Principale registers as well as the Ripieno make polyphonic pieces sound very transparent. Almost all these organs are tuned in meantone temperament, with pure thirds, which suits perfectly most of these pieces.
Last week, we recorded in several churches: Trevi (mainly for a CD dedicated to Roman composers and conceived by Lambert Colson for the label Passacaille), Cerreto di Spoleto and Santa Barbara in Roma. On that last organ, Marco Fratti made some work, re-establishing a Voce Humana in a second Principale. For Ricercar - a company founded by Jérôme Lejeune I've been working with since its begin in 1980 ! -, I recorded a CD of Frescobaldi on the three instruments, as well as some beautiful pieces by Giovanni De Macque, a very innovative composer born in Valenciennes but active mainly in Rome and Naples, at the court of Carlo di Gesualdo.
As often in my experience, playing on and with these old historic instruments indicates a lot of solutions or orientations to perform this music. The way they sound, the way they react to the intentions of the musician, their singing, all that is transforming our perception of that music. Of course, alternating pure organ music with some vocal pieces by Frescobaldi or accompanying the cornetto was another source of inspiration. Playing all that music in these exquisite cities and villages, so harmoniously disposed in their natural beautiful environment, was another part of a global experience. And the radiating and smiling presence of Ilia, our granddaughter (4 months), added a unique perfume to this memorable week.
After having enjoyed so much these instruments, I am now looking forward to hearing the final result in a few months...
Bernard Foccroulle
8 May, 2016

Interesting article of rubato here

https://andrewlawrenceking.com/2015/10/23/frescobaldi-rules-ok/

.[asin]B00IADJVT0[/asin]
This recording is a very pleasant surprise. :)

I didn't even know that Alessandro de Marchi had recorded for the German Christophorus label, and he didn't since this seems to be a 2014 reissue of a recording on Italian Symphonia in 1993 - it includes 2 pages of liner notes and the Latin texts.

The eight-part mass is here presented in a liturgical reconstruction with additional instrumental pieces (cornett, viola da gamba violoncello, violin, lutes & organ) and motets (all by Frescobaldi) and Gregorian chant. Roman practice is followed by using a spatially divided double choir, each section with its own continuo instruments. The opening and interludes on the organ are played brilliantly by Attilio Cremonesi. Choral singing is excellent.

The recordings were made in two churches in Italy. The recording catches the spatial ambience in a very natural way that is well balanced between the choirs, the organ and the other instruments.

What is regrettable, is that this seems a one off....
Frescobaldi composed another eight-part mass (Messa sopra l'aria di Fiorenza), which could have benefitted from the same luxurious treatment...

A warm recommendation!  :)

Q

I have been listening to the 12 CD set on Tactus (Loreggian, Tasini, Vartolo). After the first two CDs (Fantasias, Recercare, Canzoni), and I just cannot get into it. They are all very learned compositions, but they seem a bit dull and--to my admittedly uneducated ear (for this period anyway)--they all pretty much sound the same. Still 10 more CDs to go...

Any suggestions for enjoying/appreciating Frescobaldi?

Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on April 13, 2017, 03:30:55 PM

Any suggestions for enjoying/appreciating Frescobaldi?

For the keyboard music choose one piece and get to know it. Maybe the partite cento sopra passachagli.

If you have Vartolo's capricci in that box, or his Fiori Musicali, they are very successful, and they may also be good places to move to. With the capricci, it's not a single work in any sense, one piece at a time is enough IMO, I think the capriccio on la sol far mi re ut is a good one to start with. And with the Fiori Musicali, they're masses, performed liturgically by Vartolo, so make sure you're following the words and take it one mass at a time.

I note that the Fantasias, Ricercari and organ canzoni are his earliest extant compositions, and may not be the best place to start if you want to get rapidly acquainted with his most important music.   

Yes thanks, I figured that moving chronologically might be the best way to understand this (or any) composer's evolution, and that the more engaging/popular pieces would have come later. Vartolo's Fiori Musicali are included in this set, but it will be a while before I get to them. For now, the toccatas (harpsichord) are a little more interesting than the Fantasias and Recercare (organ) that preceded them.

I'm curious if ducks like Frescobaldi were even considered before the post-war period revival.
(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0000/997/MI0000997586.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)
I'm listening to this at the moment. I'm not sure why I like early baroque like this so much. There's more mystery to it than to gallant or romantic music. It kind of turns around and around and gives me a pleasing vertigo. Anyway: Tilney is at home in this music I think. But I don't have much to compare it to. I have Scott Ross but I've only listened a little to him. Maybe it's a disc that came with his Goldberg-s (I can't remember where I got it). Tilney is a little more intense and mesmerizing. Maybe it's the instrument. Or maybe Ross is slightly more leisurely and lovely. Both seem worth it. Frescobaldi had quite the life working in the best places for the best people.

Quote from: Mandryka on August 03, 2016, 09:58:13 PM
(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0000/997/MI0000997586.jpg)

Tilney's way of playing Frescobaldi is literal, direct. He refuses to dress up the  the contrasts in the the music with changes in texture or timbre,  He  refuses to psychologise the music, to use it as a vehicle to expose his own personality. This is a simplified and purified Frescobaldi.

I remember once commenting here that I thought his Frescobaldi was disappointing. But  over time I've really begun to find the recording fascinating. Part of the reason is the brilliance of the harpsichord, I guess (I don't have the booklet) a Neapolitan instrument like the ones he prefers in Scarlatti. The clarity of the tone, together with Tilney's minimal articulation, serve to bring out the structure of each piece really clearly.

Another part of the reason is the intense and jubilatory quality of the interpretations, which is not without an uplifting and extrovert spirituality.

There's no irony or paradox in Tilney's Frescobaldi, and that is I'm sure a weakness. But nevertheless these simplified and radiant performances match the rich and clear sound of the instrument perfectly. It is, despite the above mentioned reservations, a hypnotic and irresistible experience.

Have you ever seen the French film "Perceval" by Eric Rohmer? In this film, rather than dramatizing the story for a modern audience or setting, he seeks to make something rather flat and circular to evoke the feeling and aesthetic of the medieval. It's a flat film: the sets are flat the the story and acting is flat. Yet it ends in a passion play that reverberates in a lovely and profound way. I think it's because he takes you so far into the sensibility of the story rather than interpreting it in a "personal" way. Anyway, your comment and Tilney remind me of that. Tilney's music seems to "stay in one place" with the music. Nothing jumps out but the music vibrates with its "is-ness." 

Tilney also recorded some Frescobaldi on his Art of Fugue CD for Music and Arts, called Bach and his forerunners. It's outstanding  I think. Also your comments make me think you'd appreciate Leonhardt's final Frescobaldi recording for Alpha, shared with music by Louis Couperin.

Quote from: Mandryka on January 07, 2017, 11:01:20 PM
Some interesting comments from Bernard Foccroulle on Facebook. I've just bought myself a ticket to hear him play a mixed programme with some Frescobaldi in Paris in March. He has in fact released just one piece by Frescobaldi, a Toccata on a Ricercar CD called Rubens and his Time.

I just obtained this:
(https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/611RUCbfwbL._SR600%2C315_PIWhiteStrip%2CBottomLeft%2C0%2C35_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

Quote from: milk on November 19, 2017, 02:25:01 AM
I just obtained this:
(https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/611RUCbfwbL._SR600%2C315_PIWhiteStrip%2CBottomLeft%2C0%2C35_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

He's hardly got a latin temperament, Foccroulle, but I think he's quite flamboyant enough.

Quote from: Mandryka on November 19, 2017, 03:52:48 AM
He's hardly got a latin temperament, Foccroulle, but I think he's quite flamboyant enough.

I may need something to compare it to.

Quote from: milk on November 19, 2017, 04:08:30 AM
I may need something to compare it to.

[asin]B000G7EXGO[/asin]
Q

Quote from: Que on November 19, 2017, 05:20:03 AM
[asin]B000G7EXGO[/asin]
Q

:o uh-oh. More spending!

Interesting article on Ancidetemi pur here

http://www.accademiagherardeschi.it/pdf/ANCIDETEMI%20PUR%20-%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Frescobaldi%20s%20madrigale%20passaggiato%202013.pdf

I have 13 recordings of Ancidetimi pur

Vartolo - harpsichord, with the sung madrigal
Häkkinen - harpsichord
Le banquet céleste - harp
Bonizzoni - harpsichord
Loreggian - harpsichord, with the sung madrigal
Laurent Stewart - harpsichord
Thomas Schmögner - Organ (modern?)
Colin Tilney - Harpsichord
Rachel Taylor - harpsichord
Guglielmi - harpsichord
Aticciati - harpsichord
Lester - harpsichord
Silvia Rambaldi - harpsichord

Comparative listening really reveals how special Häkkinen's instrument is, and indeed what a good feel he has for playing stylus phantasticus.

Quote from: Mandryka on February 11, 2018, 09:31:42 PM
I have 13 recordings of Ancidetimi pur

Thomas Schmögner - Organ (modern?)

I suppose you think of his Arte Nova recording from 1998.

He plays the organ in San Filippo in Luca. an organ built 1796 in classical ( = baroque) Italian tradition.
It is tuned meantone (1/4 komma), contains 11 stops on one manual, pedal attached without individual stops.

Why is Frescobaldi lumped in with a lot of Moderns, such as Ligeti? Is he that cool?

(https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0002/940/MI0002940670.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)

Frescobaldi Aymes Capricci. Too fast and too little variation (tempo, touch, attack, rubato etc ) to do justice to the affective potential of the music. Why? He knew what Frescobaldi wanted in this respect. I think he's bought into some theory of tactus, I'll try to investigate it more next week. Brilliant sound and fabulous instruments, astonishing virtuosic playing. But my own leanings, my own expectations,  make it a disappointment for me.

A new, revised and extended edition of Frederick Hammond's book on Frescobaldi has now been published free and online here

http://girolamofrescobaldi.com

Quote from: Mandryka on August 03, 2018, 01:06:59 PM
A new, revised and extended edition of Frederick Hammond's book on Frescobaldi has now been published free and online here

http://girolamofrescobaldi.com (http://girolamofrescobaldi.com)

Splendid, thanks.

A composer friend here in Boston hates Frescobaldi;  and I just don't see how that is possible.

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on August 04, 2018, 09:51:35 AM
Splendid, thanks.

A composer friend here in Boston hates Frescobaldi;  and I just don't see how that is possible.

Twenty years ago I considered Frescobaldi a difficult accessible composer, - to day I have no problems. But I think that it isn't easy to do a convincing, integrated and coherent performance or recording of a number of the toccatas.

Hammond's book has got me interested in De Macque and Mayone, last night I listened to Stembridge's recording called Consonanze Stravagante - I like it very much. Some of the harmonies in the harpsichord music are really surprising (Trabaci consonanze stravaganti! )it's clear that music in 16th and early 17th century Naples was very avant garde! I thought Hammond was  very inspiring  to read on the evolution of the toccata, in the chapter on the 1614 book.

In the chapter on the 1627 book he uses a word to describe an effect in the 6th toccata - brutal. It made me stop and think and listen, and suddenly I saw how rich the affects in the music are, or can be.

Hammond has released a number of tracks which he says is himself playing Frescobaldi, harpsichord and organ. They're on soundcloud and you'll find a link to them in the online book, the contents page has a link called "musical examples" They sound like very old recordings on an LP.

I've downloaded the book and today or tomorrow I intend to merge the pdfs and make a kindle book out of them. If anyone wants it, they're welcome.

Quote from: Mandryka on August 05, 2018, 12:13:58 AM
I've downloaded the book and today or tomorrow I intend to merge the pdfs and make a kindle book out of them. If anyone wants it, they're welcome.

Was planning on doing that, so I appreciate your doing the "heavy lifting."  Yes, please.

Quote from: Mandryka on August 05, 2018, 12:13:58 AM
I've downloaded the book and today or tomorrow I intend to merge the pdfs and make a kindle book out of them. If anyone wants it, they're welcome.

I can say the same as Karl, and thanks in advance.

Quote from: Mandryka on August 05, 2018, 12:13:58 AM
Hammond's book has got me interested in De Macque and Mayone, last night I listened to Stembridge's recording called Consonanze Stravagante - I like it very much. Some of the harmonies in the harpsichord music are really surprising (Trabaci consonanze stravaganti! )it's clear that music in 16th and early 17th century Naples was very avant garde! I thought Hammond was  very inspiring  to read on the evolution of the toccata, in the chapter on the 1614 book.

In the chapter on the 1627 book he uses a word to describe an effect in the 6th toccata - brutal. It made me stop and think and listen, and suddenly I saw how rich the affects in the music are, or can be.

Hammond has released a number of tracks which he says is himself playing Frescobaldi, harpsichord and organ. They're on soundcloud and you'll find a link to them in the online book, the contents page has a link called "musical examples" They sound like very old recordings on an LP.

I've downloaded the book and today or tomorrow I intend to merge the pdfs and make a kindle book out of them. If anyone wants it, they're welcome.

Definitely some weird sounds coming out of The Stenpmbridge recording. I wonder who are the modern composers most interested in late renaissance and early baroque. Maybe Cage was? I guess I should read the pdf but I also wonder about the context of this music...like, what's different about the aim of this from the classical tradition which came after it? Is the aim of this religious or something else?

Two essays on the Capricci, from Aymes's recording booklet

QuoteQuelques remarques sur le choix des instruments - Jean-Marc Aymes

Le Primo Libro di Capricci fait partie de la longue liste des recueils publiés en partitura, c'est-à-dire en présentant la superposition des portées, chacune de celles-ci étant consacrée uniquement à une voix. Cette présentation correspond à une écriture strictement contrapuntique, où, contrairement à ce qu'il se passe dans les toccate, par exemple, aucune note ou voix fugitivement supplémentaires ne vient s'ajouter aux voix de la polyphonie, ici au nombre de quatre.

Reflet d'une volonté de présenter un travail axé sur la beauté du contrepoint plutôt que sur l'effet purement sensuel, pourrait-on dire, de la musique, le choix de l'instrument pour interpréter ces oeuvres reste ouvert. Bien entendu, l'orgue s'impose naturellement pour certaines pièces, comme le Capriccio XI, si l'on considère avec Etienne Darbellay (dont la préface des Capricci, dans l'édition intégrale qu'il a supervisée, reste une modèle du genre) que la fameuse quinta parte, destinée à être chantée et non jouée, correspond aux paroles lesu Redemptor Omnium.

Pour d'autres capricci, le choix est entièrement subjectif, dans la mesure, bien évidemment, où l'on se limite aux instruments que Frescobaldi pratiquait régulièrement. Il est intéressant de noter que dans le titre même du recueil, il est présenté comme « organista in San Pietro di Roma ». Mais on sait aussi qu'à cette époque, Girolamo était le professeur de clavecin certainement le plus recherché (et peut-être le mieux payé...) d'Italie.

C'est pour cela que nous avons choisi un orgue de tribune typique de ce que pouvait avoir connu notre compositeur, un clavecin de facture italienne, mais aussi un claviorganum, instrument maintenant assez bien connu. Il s'agit de l'association d'un instrument à cordes pincées et d'un petit orgue à tuyaux en bois (organo di legno) tel que le fabriquaient les Italiens. Frescobaldi a de toute évidence connu cet instrument, ne serait-ce que durant sa jeunesse à Ferrare : son maître Luzzaschi en était un virtuose reconnu.


Mais encore une fois, l'interprète, de la même manière que lorsqu'il aborde l'Art de la Fugue, se trouve devant des choix personnels. Souhaitons qu'ils correspondent à une certaine évidence, qui, de toute façon, ne sera jamais l'unique vérité. Une interprétation de ces oeuvres par un complexe instrumental (de cordes, de vents, ou 'brisé') reste par exemple à faire.

Dernière remarque : certains auditeurs seront peut-être étonnés de certains bruits parasites. Ils proviennent tous de la vie propre des instruments, craquements des peaux des soufflets de l'orgue, bruits de claviers, etc. Nous avons souhaité les laisser, dans la mesure, évidemment, où ils ne se révèlent pas une véritable gène pour l'audition de la musique, et où ils font partie d'une réalité que l'enregistre-ment discographique tend, malheureusement parfois, à policer, à uniformiser. Ce sont des bruits dont Girolamo, à sa tribune ou dans son cabinet de travail, était certainement familier.


`Capricci" Christine Jeanneret, docteure ès lettres, maître-assistante à l'Université de Genève

Une dizaine d'années après la publication du premier livre de Toccate, Frescobaldi produit un chef-d'oeuvre dans un tout autre genre, celui de la musique de style dit sévère : le Primo libro di Capricci fatti sopra diversi soggetti et arie publié en 1624. Après la virtuosité de la technique de clavier, il se tourne vers la virtuosité compositionnelle. Il s'agit d'une musique pour connaisseurs où les artifices de composition résident dans la maîtrise et l'invention contrapuntiques. Sans doute à la recherche d'un nouveau mécène, Frescobaldi dédicace l'ouvrage à Alfonso d'Este, troisième du nom. A cette époque à Rome, Girolamo ne bénéficie plus d'aucun mécénat, le cardinal Aldobrandini est mort en 1621 et il n'a pas encore de liens avec la nouvelle famille papale des Barberini. Il vit alors de son seul salaire de Saint-Pierre et des engagements extraordinaires dans différentes églises romaines ainsi que de ses leçons. Il envisage peut-être de se transférer à Modène. Qu'il s'agisse d'un artifice rhétorique ou d'un véritable attachement, il évoque dans la dédicace ses liens à sa patrie ferraraise où il a étudié avec Luzzascho Luzzaschi : «Je me suis dédié dans mes premières années à ces 'fatigues' musicales sous la discipline du Seigneur Luzzaschi, organiste si rare et serviteur si cher de la Sérénissime Maison d'Este ».

Chaque caprice est construit sur un sujet simple et distinct qui cimente la pièce d'un bout à l'autre. Il peut s'agir d'hexacordes de solmisation, ascendant pour le Capriccio primo ou descen-dant pour le Capriccio seconde ou quarto, ce dernier étant fameux depuis la messe de Josquin sur ce soggetto cavato' (Missa Lascia lare mi = la sol fa re mi). Par ailleurs, on y retrouve l'influence de Luzzaschi, qui publie des pièces similaires dans le Transilvano de Diruta (1593/1609). D'autres caprices sont construits sur des airs populaires en vogue, la Spagnoletta (Capriccio sesto), la Bassa Fiammengha, une variante de la Folia, tirée de l'air allemand Bruynsmedelijn (Capriccio quinto) ou encore l'aria Or che noi rimena, un chant d'étudiants hollandais intitulé More palatine (Capriccio settimo), qui a également inspiré Sweelinck ainsi qu'une autre pièce de Frescobaldi, l'Aria delta Balletto du second livre de Toccate (1627). Y figurent également des caprices d'inspi-ration clairement napolitaine, jouant sur les artifices contrapuntiques comme le neuvième caprice di durezze qui enchaîne les dissonances. C'est aussi le cas de deux pièces où le compositeur s'impose une contrainte externe et préalable appelée obbligo : le huitième caprice chromatique, où le défi consiste à résoudre les dissonances en montant et le onzième caprice avec l'obligation de chanter la cinquième voix, i.e. l'interprète doit résoudre une énigme consistant à introduire une cinquième voix non-écrite chaque fois que le contrepoint le lui permet.


Ces oeuvres polyphoniques complexes ne se contentent pas de suivre les conventions du gente mais font en outre des emprunts à tous les autres genres pratiqués pour le clavier à cette époque : canzone, ricercari, variations et même toccate. Ces expérimentations formelles sont typiques du style tardif de Frescobaldi, où il cherche à intégrer différents genres dans un style particulier. Cette tendance apparaît déjà dans ce volume : c'est par exemple le cas du douzième caprice, construit sur le Ruggiero, une des basses de prédilection pour les variations, mais utilisée ici comme sujet dans une pièce contrapuntique. Elle sera poussée à l'extrême par la suite, dans le deuxième volume de Toccate, mais surtout dans l'Aggiunta au premier volume (1637), avec les célèbres Cento partite, où Frescobaldi marie à grande échelle deux types de variations (chaconne et passacaille) avec une danse. On trouve également dans un manuscrit autographe inédit (Paris BNF.Rés.Vmc.64) une curieuse combinaison entre Toccata et Romanesca, qui atteste de cette recherche et expérimentation formelles.

Les capricci se caractérisent de surcroît par un travail original et très innovateur sur le tempo ; on peut même affirmer qu'ils sont à l'origine de cette notion musicale fondamentale. Frescobaldi peut en effet être considéré comme l'inventeur du tempo moderne. Dans ces œuvres, il réalise l'acrobatie mentale de combiner un système de notation mensuraliste figé du point de vue du tac-tus avec une nouvelle esthétique inspirée du style vocal libre monodique et impliquant la flexibi-lité de la battue. Déjà mentionné dans la préface du premier livre de Toccate, ce système est ici for-mulé de façon nouvelle par la combinaison des changements de proportions avec la fluctuation du Cactus. La préface contient à ce propos des indications extrêmement précieuses sur la pratique d'exécution. Une première partie fait référence à la flexibilité de la battue dans les passage en style libre, c'est-à-dire ceux qui ressemblent à des toccate :

« On doit jouer lentement les commencements pour conférer au passage suivant plus d'animation d'agrément, et beaucoup retenir les cadences avant l'ouverture de la section suivante. [...] Dans les choses qui ne semblent pas gouvernées par l'usage du contre-point, il faut d'abord chercher l'affect du passage et l'intention du compositeur en ce qui concerne à la fois la délectation de l'oreille et la façon de jouer qu'elle implique. »

Une seconde partie explique clairement la combinaison des variations de tempo selon l'indication des proportions :

« Dans les triples ou sesquialtere majeures [c'est-à-dire les mensurations ternaires en valeurs longues de semibrèves], on doit jouer adagio ; mineures [mensuration ternaires en valeurs plus brèves de minimes] quelque peu plus rapide ; s'il y a trois semiminimes [valeurs encore plus brèves de semiminimes], plus rapide ; s'il y en a six pour quatre [mensuration à 6/4] on mènera leur tempo d'une battue allègre »

Il s'agit en fait pour l'exécutant de pondérer une battue flexible avec les valeurs de notes utilisées. Il faut toutefois noter qu'il ne s'agit pas d'un tempo entièrement libre, mais que les variations restent toutefois soumises aux contraintes des proportions avec comme référence la battue binaire de base.

Ce volume a subi une genèse longue et mouvementée, comme en attestent d'une part des détails philologiques des sources et d'autre part des témoignages externes. Il existe une correspondance édifiante entre Francesco Toscani, un Florentin résidant à Rome et son beau-frère musicien, Francesco Nigetti de Florence. Le premier devait envoyer des oeuvres de Frescobaldi au second. Impatient d'obtenir les capricci en préparation, il a dû ronger son frein pendant plus d'un an, comme en témoignent une dizaine de lettres rédigées entre octobre 1623 et juillet 1625, dans lesquelles est évoquée la publication toujours retardée des Capricci, car Frescobaldi « est un homme si long en affaires, que vous ne le pourrez croire [...] j'ai attendu deux heures chez lui pendant qu'il recorri-geait [le volume des Capricci] comme vous le verrez, car l'imprimé a quelques erreurs, désormais corrigées ». En effet, le recueil présente plusieurs curieux problèmes de pagination, signatures et fasciculation, qui sont les indices de remaniements intempestifs. Frescobaldi était l'homme de la dernière minute, modifiant et retravaillant constamment ses oeuvres, avant de les donner à imprimer, mais aussi pendant le processus d'impression et même une fois que le volume était sorti de presse.

L'étude des rares témoignages manuscrits qui nous sont parvenus confirme cette méthode compositionnelle. Le troisième caprice sur le coucou est le seul à présenter une concordance avec le répertoire manuscrit. La version manuscrite (Rome, Bibliothèque Apostolique Vaticane, ms Chigi Q.IV.25) est nettement moins élaborée que la version imprimée. Il s'agit d'une simple pièce sectionnelle, sans le profond travail d'intégration réalisé dans la version imprimée. Les valeurs et les échelles temporelles sont de convenance, sans les combinaisons complexes de mensuration évoquées dans la préface. C'est clairement une version préliminaire, qui nous permet de compren-dre que la fonction du manuscrit était de servir de support à la mémoire, comme un réservoir d'idées formé de courtes pièces terminées, harmonisées, mais construites de façon rudimentaires. Elles seront développées à grande échelle, complexifiées du point de vue de la construction formelle et des indications de mensuration par intégration de différents blocs de composition combinés dans une grande forme, mêlant les genres et les proportions. Dans ce sens, le manuscrit nous offre un regard privilégié dans l'atelier mental de composition de Frescobaldi et nous permet de mesurer le chemin parcouru jusqu'à la version définitive.

A lecture on Frescobaldi by Richard Lester

https://www.youtube.com/v/KhxUgue95ig

https://www.youtube.com/v/3cZRTy5NxFs

In the first video he talks about the necessity for using a split keys in the cento partite to avoid dissonance. It's interesting how attitudes to dissonance are so divided, if you contrast Egarr's attitude to dissonance in Byrd in his new CD. I think you can acquire a taste for tones that Lester would think of as problematic, and, from my point of view, Lester's attitude to tonality is doctrinaire.

(https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000477685086-uafw9c-t500x500.jpg)

This is an experiment in authentic Frescobaldi performance. The experiment consists in using a harpsichord which, apparently, is like those which Frescobaldi himself used. The instrument (16th century and then given a ravalement in the 18th century, it's been restored recently but I can't make out whether it was restored to its 16th century or 18th century state, I hope the former. Meantone) sounds lovely, and it's well recorded, but it's striking how imbalanced it is towards high notes!  Rousset thinks this is how Frescobaldi's harpsichords were

QuoteThe harpsichords available to Frescobaldi had a reduced compass of four octaves (C3 to C4, with a short octave that did not include G#, F#, E flat, or C#). Most of the original instruments that have come down to us do not allow for register changes, which means that the interpreter must play everything with the two 8 foot unisons coupled throughout

I'm not clear what the results of the experiment are for our understanding of the music, except to say that the highness brings will it  radiance, a solar quality.  I may have to eat my words, but Rousset's approach seems to me to be very much about melody and motion -- he's hooking us with ravishing and memorable tunes (lyrical Frescobaldi,  an Italian stereotype)  which flow one into another with a sense of inevitability.

He's less aloof, more expressive, more improvisatory,  than I was expecting. But you know, it's Rousset, he's by nature authoritative. This time, given the sunniness of the music making, he's Apollo.

I'm far from being an out and out Rousset fan, but I feel reasonably positive about this release, though I have a fear that over time it will prove to be too linear and too lacking in relief, too frank and lacking in mystery.  The bar is set very high for recorded performances of this music.

The music, by the way, is all taken from the toccatas, no cappricci.

(https://outhere-music.com/cache/im/album_portrait/uploads/albums/5ce805821c5d4.jpeg?1.0.1.1)

I have been listening to two things in this new set from Francesco Cera  - the Missa Della Madonna and the three magnificats.

Sometimes there is a paradox in the performance of music: it's not always the interpretations which are the most erudite which are the most convincing. In a way it's just not fair that these performances, which are objectively remarkable, are a flagrant manifestation of this phenomenon.

What it lacks is just that little bit of something to make me get excited and make me listen, draw me in. There's no sense of abandon, no taste for adventure, no readiness to push boundaries and be outrageous. These things are  an essential aspect of Frescobaldi's art I'd say: Frescobaldi  was an experimental avant garde composer.

For what it's worth, I felt exactly the same about Cera's Trabaci, so it may be that those who liked his Trabaci will feel positively about this too.

And I look forward to exploring more of the set of course, initial dipping into the toccatas has been enticing.

(https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0001/025/MI0001025699.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)

One of the characteristics of the Frescobaldi toccatas is that they are made up of several short sections each of which is not only distinguished musically - by rhythm or key for example - but also by the feeling evoked, the affetto. Sergio Vartolo is well aware of this, and that's why he gives time for the listener to absorb the emotional impact of the gestures, their varied affective impacts. This comes out very well in his performance of the 1627 Toccata 9.

Cera is well aware of this too, in fact he puts it very well indeed

QuoteIn his toccatas, in fact, the words [of madrigals] are substituted by brief and incisive melodic figures, rhythmic fragments and accents which resound in a tightknit dialogue between the hands. These diverse figures and ac- cents – almost like words of text – flow along a har- monic path to create a sequence of brief episodes. Like poetic verses, each episode expresses a differ- ent affect, coming together to form an ample and well-structured musical poem.

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His approach in the 9th toccata of Bk 2 is dramatic rather than cantabile. He drives the music forward too.

It's like I'm in a roller coaster which is constantly changing direction. Do I have enough time to appreciate the new vista each time the view changes? Does Cera have the technique to paint each vista in fresh colours, by varying attack, portato etc?

Quote from: Mandryka on July 07, 2019, 01:32:02 PM
(https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0001/025/MI0001025699.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)

One of the characteristics of the Frescobaldi toccatas is that they are made up of several short sections each of which is not only distinguished musically - by rhythm or key for example - but also by the feeling evoked, the affetto. Sergio Vartolo is well aware of this, and that's why he gives time for the listener to absorb the emotional impact of the gestures, their varied affective impacts. This comes out very well in his performance of the 1627 Toccata 9.

Cera is well aware of this too, in fact he puts it very well indeed

(https://outhere-music.com/cache/im/album_portrait/uploads/albums/5ce805821c5d4.jpeg?1.0.1.1)

His approach in the 9th toccata of Bk 2 is dramatic rather than cantabile. He drives the music forward too.

It's like I'm in a roller coaster which is constantly changing direction. Do I have enough time to appreciate the new vista each time the view changes? Does Cera have the technique to paint each vista in fresh colours, by varying attack, portato etc?

Thanks for these posts. I do follow along and come back to Frescobaldi. I think his music is the kind that could be easily dismissed on first listen. It's not full of melodic progression. But it gets more interesting if one comes back to it and lets oneself be absorbed into it. So, I'm going back to Vartolo per your post. What do you think of Hantai? Or maybe I have to look back a page or two here and see if you'd already commented. Ross and Leonhardt did a lot of Frescobaldi; I think I remember you already having commented on Leonhardt perhaps.

In fact Frescobaldi's harpsichord toccatas and capriccios seem to me easy music to appreciate once you understand the form and his goals, and Frescobaldi was helpfully very explicit about all of that. Small sections each of which is designed to elicit an emotional response from the listener, often the whole unified by a simple tune, a motif. So you need someone who has the technique to do that, and who has the maturity to make the music eloquent. .

It's been a great pleasure to think about the music again in response to Cera's set.

Quote from: milk on July 08, 2019, 02:50:29 AM
Thanks for these posts. I do follow along and come back to Frescobaldi. I think his music is the kind that could be easily dismissed on first listen. It's not full of melodic progression. But it gets more interesting if one comes back to it and lets oneself be absorbed into it. So, I'm going back to Vartolo per your post. What do you think of Hantai? Or maybe I have to look back a page or two here and see if you'd already commented. Ross and Leonhardt did a lot of Frescobaldi; I think I remember you already having commented on Leonhardt perhaps.

Leonhardt's Philips recordings and Hantai's recording are great things IMO.

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There's a lot of Frescobaldi on this, pieces I'm familiar with, various passacaglias etc. It sounds really different on harp, the way the voices stand to each and interact is different. A revelation or a change? I don't know.

What I can say is that Nishayama's very meditative introspective lyrical anti-swagger poetic way of performing the music has never been tried on harpsichord, and I like it very much, much more than Andrew Lawrence King in Louis Couperin - it's as if Nishayama has found a distinctive harp way of interpretation, while Lawrence King just sounds like a harpsichordist on a harp.

The tracklist is here

https://play.primephonic.com/album/4562257810086

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31D0C7N8K3L.jpg).     (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512QFGEfF6L._SX355_.jpg)

The two recordings of Frescobaldi's Missa Dominica are both on the same organ, the Milan Antegnati. The registrations which Alessandrini chooses are rich and he delights in the dissonances, Ghielmi is more flat and plain Jane. Alessandrini brings a sense of magnificent abstract music, Ghielmi makes them sound like a bunch of rote Italian baroque toccatas. The sound quality that Michel Bernstein brought to Alessandrini is brilliant, all the details of the high notes, which chiff wonderfully, are caught on the recording. There's less of that sort of thing in the Ghielmi. The chanting on Alessandrini 's recording is also exceptional.

Alessandrini plays nobly and with a sense of serene strength,  Ghielmi doesn't.

Frescobaldi: Il Primo Libro di Capricci [Vartolo]


(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Sek4cyFCL._SS500_.jpg)


I like this music a lot. I find it to be very engaging and both calming and soothing. I also like Vartolo's playing. I find that he has a somewhat assertive touch but one which is tempered by grace and elegance. I also find the sound of the instrument used to be very appealing. A combination of the playing and the nature of the sound of the instrument allows all lines to be clearly defined, articulated and heard. It is also recorded in a complimentary and enhancing acoustic. There is good space and depth in the recording. It is a very fine and recommended presentation. 

(https://albumart.primephonic.com/s900/4061707509919.jpg)

This uses an Ategnati at Mantua, the organ is noble and sweet, sweeter and rounder, tubbier,  in tone than the Ategnati at Milan which Alessandrini used. Michele Fontana plays calmly, he is more inclined to introspection than brio. The performances seem very "straightforward", maybe not as poetic or mystical as others but nevertheless not unsatisfactory. All three masses, I've listened to the Sunday mass only. Some singing in the Kyrie.

https://www.antegnatisantabarbara.it/en/organ-antegnati-technical-data.asp

(https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/755/5425004849755.jpg?frescobaldi-tamminga-2012-capricci-libro-1-cd&class=scaled)
Very uplifting, transportive!

Very thought provoking essay by Francesco Corti in his new Fresconbaldi oriented CD - on the tension qua performer between the requirements of spontaneity and firm score based direction in the music of the period. 


https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/88/000158288.pdf

Any nice piano recordings of Frescobaldi?

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on September 04, 2023, 12:49:28 PMAny nice piano recordings of Frescobaldi?

Michele Fontana

Quote from: Mandryka on September 04, 2023, 07:00:29 PMMichele Fontana

Fontana sounds good! Also I found this nice video on YT.

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Information about Ivana Valotti here

https://www.consmi.it/it/didattica/docenti/5488/valotti-ivana


This sounds wonderful to me, performance and organ, and I'm particularly pleased to have a new recording collecting all Bk 2 toccatas together - since I'm not totally clear still about the differences stylistically between the two collections of music. Her CV on the Milan Conservatory website says that her recording of Bk 1 is imminent.

The downer is that I can't find the booklet online - and she's a real scholar so it could well be interesting to read. If anyone finds it, please say.

(I really feel like writing to her and asking what she thinks of Vartolo - but my Italian isn't up to it!)

(And listening to it I'm getting clearer about Bks 1 and 2 - some of this music is really complicated! Thought after hearing Toccatas 5 and 6.)

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Leonhardt used a harpsichord in Nuremberg, the Giusti 1681, for the Capricci. Hogwood used it too for his Frescobaldi  recording. I think the sound engineers revealed a stronger lower register for Hogwood, and that makes Leonhardt's instrument sound relatively sour. I do not know which is more truthful. I have an amateur transfer from LP, but if anything, that's worse. The image above is not a Japanese remastering.