Sammartini - Sonate e Concerti per flauti - Lariviere, Maute
Chamber | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 304 MB
January 1, 2003 | Atma | RapidShare
When Giuseppe Sammartini arrived in London from Milan (probably in 1728), he was one of many Italian musicians who saw their future in Anglo-Saxon terrain. Geminiani, Barsanti and Bononcini were among the composers who made their home on the isle. Why was this trend for emi-gration out of Italy so strong? Two different rea-sons must be mentioned. First, ever since the sev-enteenth century, Italian musicians were in demand abroad as stars of their trade. The sun-shine of Italian art that seduced so many central European artists to Rome, Florence, and Venice could be brought, in the form of Italian musicians, right to the front door. The numerous appoint-ments of Italian maestros to highly endowed posi-tions above all at the courts of Austrian and German nobles says much in this regard. Second, particularly in England, in the early eighteenth century the work conditions for musicians were favorable. The middle classes had emancipated themselves from the nobility, so that culture, now largely financially independent of the nobility, could blossom. Public concerts and opera undertakings multiplied musicians' oppor-tunities, making the importation of stellar virtuosi not only desirable but necessary.
Giuseppe Sammartini soon enjoyed an excellent reputation as oboist in London. Hawkins writes in 1776 that Sammartini was the best player of his time. Sammartini's experiments with oboe reeds, according to contemporaries, enabled his sound to approach the human voice. While few specifics are known, we know that his considerable ability guaranteed Sammartini's rise to the top of his field. In the opera orchestra under Handel's direction he played only the important solos, while orchestral duties were delegated to one of his less privileged colleagues. Sammartini was also esteemed as a composer of instrumental music. This recording attempts to give sonic form to the fascinating breadth of his art. Brilliant concerti can be heard next to spirited and charming sonatas. The tonal and stylistic variety is astonishing. The B minor trio sonata for two traversos closely follows the example of the over-ture: the first movement, with its dotted rhythms, imitates this French model. In contrast, the last movement seems in its racing passages to have slipped out of an Italian concerto from the likes of Vivaldi. Or compare the D minor trio sonata for two recorders with the G major solo sonata. While the sound world of the former is completely indebted to the Italian high Baroque, the G major sonata, in its modern three-movement form, is already an example of ga/ant, even pre-classical style. In both cases unusual harmonic turns and melodic shapes ensure constant, new surprises. Sammartini's concerto output is today best known through his F major concerto for soprano recorder and strings. The slow middle movement belongs to the great creations of the Baroque recorder repertoire. Much less well known are his concertos for other instruments. The D major tra-verso concerto combines galant style with break-neck virtuosity Already in the tutti passages the first and second violin chase each other in thirty-second notes. True to Baroque style, the modest original traverso part is given a virtuoso realization by the interpreter. The slow movement is newly composed by Matthias Maute, based on a motif by Sammartini. The G major concerto for traverso, recorder, two violins, and basso continuo by Matthias Maute was conceived in the spirit of the eighteenth century. As the only work for this instrumentation it fills a gap in the repertoire. The slow movement employs a technique which was passed down to us by, among others, Locatelli. The upper parts (traverso and recorder) are laid out in canon, as are the accompanying violin parts. This double canon creates an attractive effect that is amplified by the lack of the traditional continuo from harpsichord and cello.--MATTHIAS MAUTE
CD Content
Concerto in F major for soprano recorder & strings
Trio sonata in D minor for 2 recorders
Concerto in G major for traverso, recorder, & 2 violins
Sonata 'Sibley' in G major for solo recorder
Concerto in D major for traverso & 2 violins
Trio sonata in B minor for 2 traversos
Performers
Matthias Maute, flûte à bec, flûte traversière, violon alto;
Sophie Larivière and Jörg-Michael Schwarz, violon baroque; K
aren Marmer, violon baroque, john Moran, violoncelle;
Dongsok Shin, clavecin;
Eric Lagacé, contrebasse
Giuseppe Sammartini soon enjoyed an excellent reputation as oboist in London. Hawkins writes in 1776 that Sammartini was the best player of his time. Sammartini's experiments with oboe reeds, according to contemporaries, enabled his sound to approach the human voice. While few specifics are known, we know that his considerable ability guaranteed Sammartini's rise to the top of his field. In the opera orchestra under Handel's direction he played only the important solos, while orchestral duties were delegated to one of his less privileged colleagues. Sammartini was also esteemed as a composer of instrumental music. This recording attempts to give sonic form to the fascinating breadth of his art. Brilliant concerti can be heard next to spirited and charming sonatas. The tonal and stylistic variety is astonishing. The B minor trio sonata for two traversos closely follows the example of the over-ture: the first movement, with its dotted rhythms, imitates this French model. In contrast, the last movement seems in its racing passages to have slipped out of an Italian concerto from the likes of Vivaldi. Or compare the D minor trio sonata for two recorders with the G major solo sonata. While the sound world of the former is completely indebted to the Italian high Baroque, the G major sonata, in its modern three-movement form, is already an example of ga/ant, even pre-classical style. In both cases unusual harmonic turns and melodic shapes ensure constant, new surprises. Sammartini's concerto output is today best known through his F major concerto for soprano recorder and strings. The slow middle movement belongs to the great creations of the Baroque recorder repertoire. Much less well known are his concertos for other instruments. The D major tra-verso concerto combines galant style with break-neck virtuosity Already in the tutti passages the first and second violin chase each other in thirty-second notes. True to Baroque style, the modest original traverso part is given a virtuoso realization by the interpreter. The slow movement is newly composed by Matthias Maute, based on a motif by Sammartini. The G major concerto for traverso, recorder, two violins, and basso continuo by Matthias Maute was conceived in the spirit of the eighteenth century. As the only work for this instrumentation it fills a gap in the repertoire. The slow movement employs a technique which was passed down to us by, among others, Locatelli. The upper parts (traverso and recorder) are laid out in canon, as are the accompanying violin parts. This double canon creates an attractive effect that is amplified by the lack of the traditional continuo from harpsichord and cello.--MATTHIAS MAUTE
CD Content
Concerto in F major for soprano recorder & strings
Trio sonata in D minor for 2 recorders
Concerto in G major for traverso, recorder, & 2 violins
Sonata 'Sibley' in G major for solo recorder
Concerto in D major for traverso & 2 violins
Trio sonata in B minor for 2 traversos
Performers
Matthias Maute, flûte à bec, flûte traversière, violon alto;
Sophie Larivière and Jörg-Michael Schwarz, violon baroque; K
aren Marmer, violon baroque, john Moran, violoncelle;
Dongsok Shin, clavecin;
Eric Lagacé, contrebasse
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