Italian Music from the Late Renaissance and Baroque

[head-case]

Albinoni, Tomaso - Trio Sonatas, Op. 1 w/ Parnassi Musici - I really enjoy his music (now have about a half dozen discs)!

 

The Albinoni opus 1 is awesome.

[Harry]

Sammartini, Giovanni (1770/1-1775) - Symphonies w/ Mallon & Aradia Ensemble (on period instruments) - YES, a 'transitional' figure between the Baroque/Classical eras, but an important innovator in that transition - a Brother Act along w/ Giuseppe, the older of the pair (b. 1695); father was actually a French oboist, who moved to Milan & married into an Italian family - he changed his name from Alexis Saint-Martin to Alessio Sammartini, but Giovanni basically spent his life in that wonderful northern Italian city (my last visit there was in 1996 - loved it!).

Brief Naxos Bio - can also check out the album & liner notes, if interested; this is my first disc of these two bros (have another coming in the mail soon!) - but, he was quite prolific, and wrote some 450 vocal & instrumental works, including at least 67 'surviving' symphonies (75 more attributed to him!) - other composers influenced and/or taught by him who visited Milan include Gluck, JC Bach, and Boccherini (I'm sure there were more!); his works have been categorized by Newell Jenkins & Bathia Churgin, hence the numbering seen is often preceeded by J-C - probably should be considered an important pioneer in this transition into classical music, a 'precursor of the Mannheim school, and, indeed, of Haydn' (quote from liner notes, if you want to contemplate?).

At any rate, I'd be quite interested in others' comments & recommendations for recordings of the Sammartini Bros!  Thanks - 

 

I am non to keen on this Naxos Dave, its far to traditional, and the tempi are just not what it should be, for my money Ik would buy this recent aquisition I made. Recording from both brothers on Brilliant. superb value for your money!

[Harry]

The Albinoni opus 1 is awesome.

The opus 1 from Albinoni is indeed a good recording, as are the seven concerti for Flauto by Scarlatti.
I have both discs, and played them many times.

[SonicMan46]

I am non to keen on this Naxos Dave, its far to traditional, and the tempi are just not what it should be, for my money Ik would buy this recent aquisition I made. Recording from both brothers on Brilliant. superb value for your money!

Harry - thanks for the comments - I was listening to the disc while posting, and agree, the tempos are somewhat slow in certain movements, but I've no basis for comparison - looking forward to the other disc ordered, however; and will check into that Brilliant set - Dave 

Addendum - just out of curiosity, after my listening & Harry's comments on the Sammartini Symphony disc, I searched for a review or two - not much available, but found one by Hurwitz (who has been praised or reviled in this forum -  ) on Classics Today - think that I pretty much agree w/ his assessment; his overall rating was 8/9, which is not bad, and the sound recording is done well - 

Sammartini is an important composer in the history of the symphony, but that doesn't mean that he wrote important symphonies. These brief, pleasant works, all in three movements (No. 62 has an alternative finale), contain much Vivaldian passagework and some aptly songful tunes in the slow bits, but little else memorable or distinctive. The two works in minor keys, Nos. 9 and 23, are more interesting by virtue of that fact, and the occasional presence of a pair of horns or trumpets adds interest to the prevailing string sonority. But let's not kid ourselves: this is pretty lightweight stuff. That said, the performances are lively and spirited, with good string tone and a correctly subservient balancing of the continuo harpsichord whenever it appears. The Aradia Ensemble is a Canadian group based in Toronto, and on evidence here it would be nice to hear them in more substantial fare. Very good engineering too.

--David Hurwitz

[rubio]

Can I ask about opinions of the Gesualdo Madrigals here (or does he need his own thread)? Has anybody heard these from La Venexiana (4th and5th book)?

 

Or would Alessandrini be preferable (5th and 6th book)?

[Que]

Promised Bill some feedback on this. And I'm happy to report that this scores IMO high points in the Italian oratorio repertoire. This is my first encounter with composer Giovanni Bononcini but I'm impressed: this is a masterpiece in the genre. It's not surprising (and quite noticeable) that Georg Friedrich Händel took Bononcini as a primary example for his own (later) oratorios.
The music is inventive, diverse and very touching.



I can be short about the performance: stunning, stunning. Absolutely superb singing by sopranos Lavinia Bertotti and Antonella Gianese. The Ensemble Concerto under Gini actually breathes this music: idiomatic, balanced and subtle, colourful.
Strongly recommended, but there is one significant drawback: though full texts (in Italian) are provided, with a French translation only...

Q

[FideLeo]

It's not surprising (and quite noticeable) that Georg Friedrich Händel took Bononcini as a primary example for his own (later) oratorios.

Handel himself may disagree on this 

When asked why he borrowed material composed by Bononcini, Handel is said to have replied, "It's much too good for him; he did not know what to do with it."
http://gfhandel.org/anecdotes.htm

Anecdotes aside, just how noticeable is Bononcini's influence on Handel in oratorios, given that Handel himself wrote quite a lot of these already when he was in Italy?

[Que]

Handel himself may disagree on this 

When asked why he borrowed material composed by Bononcini, Handel is said to have replied, "It's much too good for him; he did not know what to do with it."
http://gfhandel.org/anecdotes.htm

Anecdotes aside, just how noticeable is Bononcini's influence on Handel in oratorios, given that Handel himself wrote quite a lot of these already when he was in Italy?

I presume that during his stay in Italy Händel encountered Bononcini's music. Of course, the question is always: who influenced who? In any case some stylistical similarities are striking.

Q

[71 dB]

Of course, the question is always: who influenced who?
Q

It's rational to assume they influenced each other.

[Que]

Azzolino Bernardino Della Ciaja (Ciaia). Sometimes one finds a true original, as is the case here! Witty, eccentric and invigorating high quality music from this composer of the Tuscan (Florentine) School. Top marks for this performance by Swiss harpsichordist and contemporary composer Martin Derungs, who obviously knows what to do with this colourful music. Della Ciaja's style does remind of Domenico Scarlatti, those who are into Scarlatti needn't hesitate to get this for an entirely different twist. Great fun, this Azzolino!



Q

[mozartsneighbor]

I can heartily second Stradella -- very unique. Particularly this oratorio of his (Minkowski conducting):


... and these motets, that come with some nice Caldara as well:

[Que]

Azzolino Bernardino Della Ciaja (Ciaia). Sometimes one finds a true original, as is the case here! Witty, eccentric and invigorating high quality music from this composer of the Tuscan (Florentine) School. Top marks for this performance by Swiss harpsichordist and contemporary composer Martin Derungs, who obviously knows what to do with this colourful music. Della Ciaja's style does remind of Domenico Scarlatti, those who are into Scarlatti needn't hesitate to get this for an entirely different twist. Great fun, this Azzolino!

I'm crazy about this disc!
Now I'm wondering: anybody has other recommendations for harpsichord music from the Italian Baroque?

Q

[Drasko]

Now I'm wondering: anybody has other recommendations for harpsichord music from the Italian Baroque?

Q

Could try Bernardo Pasquini. He was higly renown harpsicordist of his time (contemporary and friend of Corelli). I personally wasn't thrilled with what I heard, very little gift for melodic invention and huge preference for variation writing in various forms. But of course, YMMV. I have Roberto Loreggian disc on Chandos/Chaconne. Playing on the cool side, nicely recorded using two istruments - harpsicord and a spinet.

[prémont]

I'm crazy about this disc!

So am I. Other than Rechsteiners recording, which I have not purchased, there is an even better recording on Pan by Atilio Cremonesi, stressing the phantastic and eccentric elements even further:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/1654604?rk=classic&rsk=hitlist

Now I'm wondering: anybody has other recommendations for harpsichord music from the Italian Baroque?
Q

Concerning other Italian baroque harpsichord music I think the Toccatas of Alessandro Scarlatti might interest you. They are in between rather "phantastic" but not as eccentric as Ciaja´s. I think my preferred recording by Rinaldo Alessandrini (Arcana) is unavailable, but I also own a recording by Alexander Weimann (Atma), which may substitute reasonably well. I neither know the recordings by Andrea Marcon (Divox) nor by Milena Frige (Stradivarius). The latter is on my wishlist.

Italian baroque harpsichord music begins with Frescobaldi, - how far backwards in time do you want to go.

[Que]

So am I. Other than Rechsteiners recording, which I have not purchased, there is an even better recording on Pan by Atilio Cremonesi, stressing the phantastic and eccentric elements even further:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/1654604?rk=classic&rsk=hitlist


Concerning other Italian baroque harpsichord music I think the Toccatas of Alessandro Scarlatti might interest you. They are in between rather "phantastic" but not as eccentric as Ciaja´s. I think my preferred recording by Rinaldo Alessandrini (Arcana) is unavailable, but I also own a recording by Alexander Weimann (Atma), which may substitute reasonably well. I neither know the recordings by Andrea Marcon (Divox) nor by Milena Frige (Stradivarius). The latter is on my wishlist.

Italian baroque harpsichord music begins with Frescobaldi, - how far backwards in time do you want to go.

Thanks for all the pointers! I'll check out Cremonesi's Ciaja. I have already some Frescobaldi by Scott Ross. Meantime, I nosed through Amazon's listmania and came up with some idea's.
Again, would appreciate any helpful comments!

Domenico Paradies                          Antonio Valente - by Francesco Cera (Tactus)
by Ottavio Dantone (Stradivarius):
   

Franscesco Geminiani                       Francesco Durante - by Laura Alvini (Tactus)
by Fabio Bonizzoni (Glossa):
   

Benedetto Marcello                           Alessandro Poglietti - by Jorg-Andreas Bötticher (Harmonia Mundi)
by Roberto Lorrigian (Chandos)
   

Domenico Zipoli                                Bernardo Storace - by Francesco Cera
by Sergio Vartolo (Tactus)
   

Q

[Que]

Interesting post!

Q

Alessandro Stradella(1639-1682), Motets, Lesne
This is one baroque composer that should definitely be better known. His output can be a bit uneven as he was a bit of a hard-partying playboy who had a penchant for pursuing other men's wives.
One of these husbands sent a couple of hitmen after him, and he spent years moving from city to city in Italy to avoid them. Eventually, his past caught up with him and he was stabbed to death in Genoa.
But aside from his colorful life, at its best his music reaches Purcell's level IMHO. His oratorio San Giovanni Battista (directed by Minkowski) is also top drawer stuff.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Hey - would anyone like to rec a Frescobaldi keyboard disc or two?

I'm curious about this composer, but have no idea where to invest. 

[Que]

This 4CD-set just surfaced in France & Germany. Seems interesting - I became a Bachini-fan recently!

Comments?



Content:

Bononcini: "La Nemica d'Amore fatta Amante" (Serenata a tre)
Geminiani: 12 Concerti grossi (after Corelli's op. 5)
Valentini: Concerti grossi op. 7 Nr. 1-3, 7,10, 11

Q

[Josquin des Prez]

Hey - would anyone like to rec a Frescobaldi keyboard disc or two?

I'm curious about this composer, but have no idea where to invest. 

My favored recording of his are the Capricci, played by Francesco Tasini. They are polyphomic pieces containing every single formal device known to Frescobaldi (Toccata, Fantasia, Ricercare, Canzone) fused into an homogeneous whole. They are thick, highly contrapuntal organ works, definitely not for the faint of hearts. The Fiori Musicali, by Alessandrini, is also interesting. It's one of the works studied by Bach during his formative years, and it's a fascinating study of early baroque chromaticism in the manner of Luzzaschi, Frescobaldi's teacher and the forerunner to the forminable Gesualdo. After that, the two books of Toccatas by Vartolo are also in order. Besides the Toccatas proper, they are filled with a lot of extra material (mainly Partite, I.E., variations on popular themes, but also Capricci, Correnti, Gagliarde and other popular forms of the time). Alas, his playing style is a bit of an acquired taste, and many people prefer other perfomers for this music (though only Vartolo recorded the complete set, to my knowledge at least).

Frescobaldi is the last, and greatest exponent of the late Renaissance/Early Baroque keyboard style of Italy, which tended to be a bit on the "erudite" side, mainly as a reaction to the introduction of homophony into the vocal repertory, which forced a lot of conservative musicians to retreat to the keyboard as the contrapuntal instrument of choice. This doesn't mean Frescobaldi didn't adapt to the times, but on the main his works are are a testament to the more "learned" side of Italian music. He was also a great virtuoso and he used to draw crowds in the vein of a Liszt, which i think it's sort of a first. Even Sweelinck, perhaps the greatest keyboard player of the entire Renaissance/early Baroque, was more used to play in front of private audiences, either his students or devoted amateurs, as per custom.

[Coopmv]

I have a little over 40 LP's/CD's on works by Albinoni and maybe a similar number of recordings by Corelli.  On the other hand, I have over 100 LP's/CD's by Vivaldi.  It is not easy to have a large selection of any Italian composer except Vivaldi and not having multiple recordings of the same work.  Vivaldi was just the most prolific Italian baroque composer ...