Agostino GUERRIERI (c.1630 - c.1662)
Sonate di Violino
Agostino GUERRIERI
La Sevescia, Sonata a 4 [2:59]
La Galeazza, Sonata a 2 violini [3:08]
La Sevaschina, a solo [3:42]
La Brignoli, Sonata a 2 Violini [3:10]
La Tità, Sonata a solo, Alpa doppia, overo Teorba [5:29]
Giovanni Antonio Maria TURATI (1608-1650)
La Viviani, Sonata a 3. Due Violini and Theorba [4:04]
Agostino GUERRIERI
Balletto prima, per camera [3:23]
La Lucina, Sonata a 2. Alpa doppia over Teorba and Violino [6:17]
Balletto secondo, per camera [3:29]
Sonata malinconica, a solo [3:46]
La Marchetta, Sonata a 2 Violini [1:54]
La Benedetta, Sonata a 2 Violini [2:46]
La Rotini, a solo [5:45]
La Rosciana, Sonata a 2 Violini [2:40]
La Pietra, Sonata a 3. Due Violini and Basso di Viola [4:42]
Giovanni Antonio Maria TURATI
La Rovetta, Sonata a 4 [2:37]
Parnassi musici (Margaret MacDuffy, Matthias Fischer (violin), Wolfgang Wahl
(viola), Stephan Schrader (cello), Sven Schwannberger (recorder, theorbo),
Masako Art (harp), Martin Lutz (organ))
rec. 16-17 January, 9 July 2008, Hans-Rosbaud-Studio of SWR, Baden-Baden,
Germany DDD
CPO 777 543-2 [59:58]
In the early 17th century not only the style of composing changed, but also
a whole new genre came into existence: the instrumental sonata. Two instruments
played a key role: the cornett and the violin. During the 17th century the
cornett was gradually moved to the sidelines, whereas the violin became dominant.
A large repertoire for one or more violins was composed, and much of it was
quite virtuosic. Around the middle of the century the form of the sonata started
to change. Until then many sonatas were divided into short sections of a mostly
contrasting character. In the last decades of the century composers began
to divide sonatas into various movements with specific indications in regard
to tempo and character. The sonatas by Guerrieri, from which a selection is
played here, document a stage in this development. In the liner-notes Sven
Schwannberger writes: "[A] bass line that is (for its time) fairly richly
figured, piano and forte markings appearing at times with extreme
frequency, movement (or section) titles indicating form and tempo, and the
very detailed instrumentation for the basso continuo mark this collection
as a modern work of its day". Unfortunately the indications for the various
movements or sections are omitted in the track-list.
We know next to nothing about Guerrieri, not even the exact years of his birth
and death. We do know that he was a pupil of Giovanni Antonio Maria Turati
(1608-1650) from Milan. A collection of sacred music by Turati was published
after his death by Guerrieri. The latter's sonatas op. 1 include two sonatas
by his teacher, which are also recorded on the present disc. This collection
is the only extant music from Guerrieri's pen. The Sonate di Violino a
1.2.3.4. per Chiesa and anco Aggionta per Camera were printed in 1673
in Venice. It bears witness to the fact that titles can mislead. The title
of Guerrieri's set seems to suggest that all the sonatas are for violins,
but that is not the case. La Tità is a solo sonata for harp
or theorbo with basso continuo; here it is played on the harp. The theorbo
is used in La Lucina, a sonata for harp or theorbo, violin and bc.
La Viviani by Turata also includes a solo part for the theorbo.
In the title we also find the addition anco aggionta per camera. This
refers to the balletti which Guerrieri included in this collection.
The two balletti in this recording are for a pair of treble instruments
and basso continuo. They are played with violin and recorder. The latter is
also used in various other pieces: La Sevaschina and the Sonata
malinconica. Schwannberger writes about documentary evidence of the use
of recorders in Italian music of that time, but doesn't explain why exactly
it is used in music which seems first and foremost to be written for violin.
Not that there is any objection to that per se: it depends on the character
of the music. Sonatas which don't include specific violinistic passages, like
double-stopping, can perfectly well be played on the recorder.
The titles of the sonatas probably refer to people from Guerrieri's environment
or to colleagues of his. This was quite common practice at the time. We find
such titles also in the oeuvre of composers like Legrenzi and Pandolfi Mealli.
The names are often hard to identify. Schwannberger suggests that La Rovetta,
one of the sonatas by Tirata, could refer to the composer Giovanni Rovetta.
La Viviani could be a reference to Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani, a
violinist and composer of Guerrieri's time.
Some sonatas are quite virtuosic. That goes for La Rotini, a solo sonata
played here on the violin, and for La Lucina. The performers have no
problems whatsoever with the technical requirements. Parnassi musici have
made a series of recordings for CPO which show their interest in rather unconventional
repertoire, such as Legrenzi, Vierdanck and Neruda. All of them are of high
quality, technically and musically, and that’s no different here. The
approach is lively, energetic and captivating. The violinists take the main
role, but I would especially mention the contributions of Masako Art on the
arpa doppia and Sven Schwannberger on recorder and theorbo. The way
this disc has been put together guarantees a good amount of variety in regard
to scoring and character.
Anyone who likes to broaden his musical horizon should consider this disc.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
Anyone who likes to broaden his musical horizon should consider this disc.