Giovanni Battista DALLA GOSTENA (1558?-1593)
Genus cromaticum - Organ Works, 1599
Irene De Ruvo (organ)
rec. July 2015, Basilica di Santa Barbara, Mantua, Italy
ARCANA AD102 [77:47]
New Grove spends just three paragraphs on Giovanni
Battista dalla Gostena. That is quite surprising, if Irene de Ruvo is
right in stating that he "is considered one of the most important
composers of Genoa and has a key role in the Italian music history between
the XVI and XVII century (sic)". Maybe more recent research has
brought something to light that the author of the article in New
Grove did not know?
Gostena spent his entire life in Genoa, except for a stay in Vienna
where he was a pupil of Philippe de Monte. In 1584 he became maestro
di cappella at Genoa Cathedral, a post he held until 1589. In 1593
he was murdered.
His oeuvre is not large and comprises mostly madrigals. Between 1582
and 1595 five books with madrigals and canzonettas for four and five
voices were published. Five further madrigals were included in several
anthologies. In addition he composed some sacred music: three Magnificats,
five motets and two contrafacta.
This disc is devoted to his organ music, but the work-list in New
Grove only mentions music for the lute, 28 pieces in total. They
were included by Simone Molinaro in his Intavolatura di liuto
which was published in 1599. One may wonder why Gostena would write
music for lute; as far as we know he did not play the instrument. Molinaro
was Gostena's nephew and pupil. Irene de Ruvo believes that these
pieces were not originally intended for the lute. "[The] study
and analysis of these pieces reveal a conduct of the voices in a quite
strict polyphonic style, rather different from the lute compositions
of that time characterized by a freer and more lively polyphony. Furthermore,
the particular sonority of the lute, short and feeble, doesn't
help to appreciate all the polyphonic lines, the dissonances and suspensions
because the long notes stop very quickly." She adds that lute virtuosos
consider Gostena's works extremely difficult to play.
In De Ruvo's view these features point in the direction of the
organ which does much more justice to the polyphony as well as the dissonances
included in a number of them. The three canzonas are typical keyboard
intabulations of chansons as were common at the time. According to De
Ruvo it is likely that Molinaro transcribed Gostena's organ pieces
as a tribute to his uncle. This seems to be confirmed by the preface:
"How can I fully honour God first, Creator of everything, if not
with a big heart, and second my uncle, my mentor; how will I be grateful,
if not with a great tribute?"
The difference in tone production between the two instruments, as De
Rivo pointed out in the quotation given before, forced Molinaro to adapt
them to the lute. In order to be able to play these pieces at the organ
De Ruvo had to reconstruct them which she indicates was a demanding
task.
Having heard these pieces it was worth the effort. Fantasias are pieces
in which the composer can give free reign to his imagination. This explains
why they have strong improvisatory features. Gostena didn't eschew
harmonic experiments. The harshest dissonances are included in the Fantasia
XII which opens the programme. These come especially well to the
fore here thanks to the meantone temperament of the organ. It was built
by Graziado Antegnati, one of Italy's most important organ builders
of the 16th century, in 1565. It was erected in the basilica of Santa
Barbara in Mantua during the reign of Duke Guglielmo Gonzaga. It has
seven broken keys for D-sharp/E-flat and G-sharp/A-flat.
The combination of music, organ and interpreter is a happy one. These
are technically immaculate and musically compelling performances. Obviously
this is the very first time these pieces have been recorded. I don't
know whether they are or will be available in print. That would be nice,
because they are an important addition to the repertoire of early Italian
keyboard music.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
Disc contents
Fantasia XII [5:59]
Fantasia VII [4:01]
Fantasia XXIII [2:23]
Susane un jour (Lassus) [6:07]
Fantasia XXV [2:05]
Fantasia IV [3:38]
Fantasia IX [3:28]
Mais que sert la richesse a l'homme (Costeley) [3:37]
Fantasia XXIV [3:04]
Fantasia XIX [3:30]
Fantasia VIII [4:50]
Fantasia I [4:12]
Fantasia XVI [2:25]
Fantasia XIII [2:22]
Fantasia V [3:43]
Fantasia XVII [4:36]
Pis ne me peult venir (Crecquillon) [3:46]
Fantasia III [3:15]
Fantasia XV [4:17]
Fantasia XIV [3:13]
Fantasia XXII [3:05]
