Italian Music from the Late Renaissance and Baroque

[Antoine Marchand]

I have to admit that my collection is lacking in Italian baroque.  Any recommendations for keyboard recordings -- harpsichord or organ -- other than D. Scarlatti?

I think these are a handful of interesting recordings to start a research:

- Alessandro Scarlatti:

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or these two (3) discs:

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- On Divox Antiqua you can find several interesting discs dedicated to this repertoire; specially performed by Andrea Marcon ("The Heritage of Frescobaldi" Vol. 2 is not strictly of Italian music, but about the influence of Frescobaldi in Europe which is quite interesting, IMO):

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- An obvious recommendation are, additionally, the complete series of Frescobaldi's keyboard music, released both on Tactus and Brilliant Classics, as Frescobaldi is, IMO, the only Italian composer at the same level of the greatest North German and French composers for keyboard. BTW, one of my favorite Frescobaldis is this one, unfortunately OOP:

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- I think it would also be a good idea to explore the catalogue of the Italian label Tactus.

Here: http://www.tactus.biz/store/index.php?cPath=37&osCsid=f229baf9c0deff62891885a8cb311fd9

and here: http://www.tactus.biz/store/index.php?cPath=28

[Geo Dude]

Antoine,

Thank you for that very informative post.  I must admit that it makes me deeply regret not buying that Frescobaldi complete keyboard works set a couple of months ago when Amazon was stocking it for $12.  I considered it, but was under the unfortunate impression that he was a pre-baroque composer which was outside my sphere of interest then.   In any case, I'll start exploring this material when the opportunity arises.

[Leo K.]

Coincidentally this is just an area I am investigating. BTW an important successor of D. Scarlatti was of course Antonio Soler. But then again Spanish and Italian Baroque are highly intereconnected.

I'll come back for more recommendations, but I'll recommend one smashing disc for now - a must have, IMO:



Q

Que, it appears we have the same recording, just different cover art.

It is indeed a fascinating listen!

[prémont]

I'll come back for more recommendations, but I'll recommend one smashing disc for now - a must have, IMO:

Having heard Attilio Cremonesi´s Della Ciaja I think you agree with me, that he is much more exciting than Martin Derungs.

[Que]

Having heard Attilio Cremonesi´s Della Ciaja I think you agree with me, that he is much more exciting than Martin Derungs.

Maybe not in terms of sheer excitement itself - the Derungs is pretty volatile and hard pressed - but Cremonesi has more depth and nuance. Very stylish!

Q

[SonicMan46]

Ariosti, Attilio (1666-1729) - Stockholm Sonatas w/ Thomas Georgi on Viola d'Amore (actually 3 different period instruments; one w/ sympathetic strings); born in Bologna and ended up in London, where he died - a Swedish musical student, Johan Roman, copied these works while in London in the early 1710s - hence the name of the compositions.

Purchased V. II nearly 2 years ago based on a number of excellent reviews (one reprinted HERE) - just acquired the other 2 volumes from MDT and just as enjoyable as my initial purchase (and also ones that received great comments).  Instruments used in these recordings include viola d'amore, theorbo, archlute, baroque guitar, viola da gamba, bass viol, & cello; this is intimate chamber music, both well performed on period instruments and recorded - if interested, give the first volume a try!

   

[Leo K.]

Ariosti, Attilio (1666-1729) - Stockholm Sonatas w/ Thomas Georgi on Viola d'Amore (actually 3 different period instruments; one w/ sympathetic strings); born in Bologna and ended up in London, where he died - a Swedish musical student, Johan Roman, copied these works while in London in the early 1710s - hence the name of the compositions.

Purchased V. II nearly 2 years ago based on a number of excellent reviews (one reprinted HERE) - just acquired the other 2 volumes from MDT and just as enjoyable as my initial purchase (and also ones that received great comments).  Instruments used in these recordings include viola d'amore, theorbo, archlute, baroque guitar, viola da gamba, bass viol, & cello; this is intimate chamber music, both well performed on period instruments and recorded - if interested, give the first volume a try!

   

Agreed! I have volume 2 and enjoy it immensely. One of these days I'll seek out the rest. The sound quality is very good indeed, I love the dark tones from the viola da gamba.

[The new erato]

I hope BIS boxes these as they seem to do with lots of other stuff.

[prémont]

Maybe not in terms of sheer excitement itself - the Derungs is pretty volatile and hard pressed - but Cremonesi has more depth and nuance. Very stylish!

Q

Yes, Cremonesi´s interpretation is more nuanced, but I think he also realizes  the "phantastic" element of the toccatas in a more eloquent and exciting way.

[Mandryka]

Unfortunately many of my favorite Frescobaldi recordings are OOP at the moment.

These OOP´s include first and foremost:
Fiori Musicali by Rinaldo Alessandrini on Opus 111
Toccatas book I. by Rinaldo Alessandrini on Arcana.

Available at the moment:

The Brilliant series (complete Frescobaldi edition intended) with Robert Loreggian. which are cheap but not more than serviceable. I have not heard the vocal music releases in this series.

Also available are the Sergio Vartolo series (Tactus and Naxos - only keyboard works). I consider Vartolo an acquired taste.

Enrico Baiano´s single CD (selected harpsichord works) on Symphonia is authoritative and imaginative.
And Gustav Leonhardt´s recording of the Capriccio´s on DHM is even more authoritative and imaginative.
Lorenzo Ghielmi´s Fiori Musicali (2CD) on DHM is very good too.

So is Vartolo the  best option for a complete record of  the second book of toccatas and partitas? I have and like his recordings of the first book -- I like the tempo choices and the tranquility of the performances.

[prémont]

So is Vartolo the  best option for a complete record of  the second book of toccatas and partitas? I have and like his recordings of the first book -- I like the tempo choices and the tranquility of the performances.

If you like Vartolo´s first book you, will probably like the second book too. I am a bit cautious, as it took me some time to acquire the taste for him, but at the moment he is my first choice for book two - and book one as well. On the other hand I am also slowly beginning to acquire the taste for the much more extrovert Loreggian (Brilliant). As is true of all great music, Frescobaldi´s music lends iitself well to rather different styles of interpretation.

At the moment I listen the most to Loreggian, so I have only listened to J-M Aymes´ book two (Ligia) once, and need to listen more to him. I did not know the existence of his recently released Frescobaldi recordings in 2010, when I wrote the post you quote above.

[bumtz]

Alessandro Marcello - Concerto for Oboe & Strings (Arts Music). Beautiful stuff.

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[chasmaniac]

   

Not willing to wait for a box, so I've plunked for the 3.

[SonicMan46]

Not willing to wait for a box, so I've plunked for the 3.

Hi Chas - will not disappoint!  Hope that you enjoy - Dave   

[chasmaniac]

   

Delicious. Highly recommended to Baroquistas. (Emma's on her form too, in the kicker.)

Thanks for bringing these to my attention.

[Que]

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A quick note on this beautiful set on which very little is written. This apart from some comments by listeners that generally seem a bit lost lost in making sense of this music in stylistic terms. As references Scarlatti, CPE Bach and the young Mozart are mentioned. Maybe it's because I already know the works of quite a few relevant composers before and after the Venetian Baldassare Galuppi that I don't think it's that complicated. Simply put: to my ears Galuppi is the link between the Baroque Scarlatti and the early Classical Muzio Clementi. Galuppi starts out (on disc 1) in a Scarlatti inspired style - and frankly it pales so much next to that great composer that after the 1st disc I was fairly disappointed by the musical quality and originality. Though there are some nice and original moments here and there. From the 2nd disc onwards things improve hugely: here we see Galluppi's transition, in a very varied style, to straightforward Galant Style or Rococo. A style on which Muzio Clement built on and (through Clementi?) influenced the young Mozart. Apart from the 1st disc, which is still interesting to witness Gauppi's development, this set offers pure enjoyment for those with a taste for the benign, ornamented and galant Rococo.

The booklet doesn't tell us anything about harpsichordist Ilario Gregoletto, who according to this webpage (Google translated) studied under Kenneth Gilbert and is a professor at the Conservatoire of Udine. Gregoletto's style is typically Italian: rhythmically astute and well articulated. His playing is flexible but groomed: he doesn't go crazy, as would be possible in this repertoire. He plays a dual-manual harpsichord, a copy after Pierre Donzalague made by Malcolm Rose. An instrument that doesn't sound anything like the usual lush and plush French harpsichords (like Taskin) but with a very clear and penetrating sound perfect for this repertoire. Clarity also marks the pleasant recording. Most of the content of this set, but not all, was previously issued by the tiny Italian label Musica e Musei (Rivoalto). Thank goodness, Dutch Newton Classics came to the rescue of these wonderful recordings.

Recommended for harpsichord and keyboard music buffs!

Q

[Opus106]

Thank you, Que, for your setting down your initial thoughts on this music. (I was hoping you would do that. )

[Mandryka]

I've been listening to records of Frescobaldi's 8th Toccata from the 1615 set. I listened to Alessandrini,  Vartolo, Hantai, a couple of Leonhardt performances and Baiano.

Iin the transition from the intro to the central section  Vartolo stops the music, you can hear him release the action of the instrument. The introduction itself is very noble, but it's the central; section that makes it a memorable performance for me. Vartolo is almost confidential, you feel as though he's playing for himself.

Hantai is equally interesting  in this Toccata in exactly the opposite way to Vartolo. Hantai is much more  witty and extrovert to my ears.

I liked others just as much, most especially Alessandrini, who is authoritative and very eloquent throughout I thought. In a way this is probably my favourite.

One thing that has been very striking is how much variety there is in the performances. This is something I'm only just learning about baroque music -- how much scope there is for interpretive discretion.

[Papy Oli]

in full streaming here

[Bogey]

Well, I finally ordered the third installment....and I have to say that I have not had this level of anticipation of a disc arrival in some time.  The first two were fantastic and I am guessing that the third will live up to the first two.  Again, thanks Dave for test driving and sharing your thoughts on this run.