Although billed as a disc of Boccherini's
cello sonatas, this disc is not quite
what it seems. Boccherini wrote more
than thirty-two sonatas for cello and
only three of them appear here. The
rest of the playing time is made up
by compositions for cello by some of
Boccherini’s contemporaries at the Spanish
court. These are arranged chronologically
around Boccherini's three sonatas, so
that the recital gives the listener
an insight into the progress of music
for cello in Spain during the 18th
century. With the exception of Boccherini's
Sonata in C major and Sonata
in G major, all of the works appear
here in world premiere recordings.
The program begins
with Facco's Balletto No.3, a
brief but pleasant dance suite in the
baroque style, which concludes with
a lively gavotte. Like Porretti and
Boccherini after him, Facco was an Italian
composer who found employment in Spain.
According to the booklet notes, his
six suites for two cellos are the earliest
known compositions for cello written
in Spain. The suite is the only work
on the disc to give both cellos an equal
role. In the rest of the program the
second cello plays second fiddle, so
to speak, providing the continuo accompaniment.
Porretti was a cellist
in the Capilla Real from 1734 and became
Boccherini's father-in-law on the latter's
second marriage. His Sonata in D
major was only discovered and published
recently. It is noticeably the product
of the early classical period, with
long lyrical phrases and a twinkle of
humour. The first movement andante is
complimented by a second movement allegro
based on the same thematic material.
A brief, soulful adagio third movement
is then followed by an equally brief
but light allegro finale.
The main attraction
of the disc, however, are the three
Boccherini sonatas. The Sonata in
C major immediately shows the composer's
confidence with his instrument. The
solo cello writing has a more fluid
quality than Porretti’s, and Boccherini
makes greater use of double stopping
and the full compass of the cello's
range. The Sonata in G major
opens with a beautiful largo (played
here as more of an adagio) which ventures
into the solo cello's upper register;
the intonation of the lead cello is
not always perfect here. The second
movement allegro alla militaire has
a military bearing reminiscent of Haydn's
more martial compositions. While tastefully
performed, Bassal and Lehner could have
given this movement more crisp energy.
The concluding menuetto is played with
a nice sense of pulse. The previously
unrecorded Sonata in C minor
is a charming work, with subtle shading
of mood. The final movement sounds a
little studied and does not really take
off as it might, but the performance
is otherwise well nuanced.
Vidal played under
Boccherini's direction in the Casa de
Osuna orchestra and his short Andante
Gracioso shows Boccherini's influence.
It deserves its place as an encore as
the only item in this program of Spanish
cello music actually composed by a Spaniard.
However, its melancholy tone gives the
disc a ruminative rather than a bright
conclusion, which would have been more
in keeping with the feel of the disc
as a whole. This is an observation rather
than a criticism.
Throughout Bassal and
Lehner play with taste and refinement,
and the reservations noted above are
minor. Theirs is a genteel view of the
repertoire, and though others may give
the music more thrust and excitement,
their playing remains satisfying. The
continuo accompaniment is also generally
well pointed. My one quibble is that
a cello continuo accompaniment to music
for solo cello, while perfectly valid,
lacks the contrast in tone and colour
that a harpsichord continuo, for example,
could have contributed. However, as
this disc would probably not have been
recorded at all but for Bassal's and
Lehner's dedication to Spanish cello
music, this complaint is perhaps ungracious.
In any case, rival versions of this
program are not likely to appear any
time soon, and lovers of 18th
century chamber music can buy this disc
with confidence.
Tim Perry
Josep Bassal (cello) 
