Marco UCCELLINI (1610-1680)
Sonate over Canzoni op. 5
Sonata I [8:27]
Sonata II [5:28]
Sonata III [4:53]
Sonata IV [5:45]
Sonata V [5:40]
Sonata VI [6:16]
Sonata VII [5:55]
Sonata VIII [4:36]
Sonata IX [6:35]
Sonata X [3:03]
Sonata XI [5:50]
Sonata XII [4:20]
Sonata XIII a dłoi violini [2:50]
Trombetta sordina per sonare con violino solo [9:09]
Arparla (Davide Monti (violin), Maria Christina Cleary (arpa doppia));
Ulrike Engel (violin), Alberto Rasi (viola da gamba), Massimo Marchese
(guitar), Marco Muzzati (percussion)
rec. 2013, Canonica Regolare di Santa Maria di Vezzolano,
Albugnano/Vezzolano, Asti, Italy. DDD
STRADIVARIUS STR37023 [78:53]
One of the features of the
stile nuovo which emerged in the early
17th century in Italy was instrumental virtuosity. This came especially to
the fore in music for the violin. Many collections of sonatas, canzonas and
pieces based on a
basso ostinato were written during the first half
of the 17th century. Among the best-known composers of such music are
Giovanni Battista Fontana, Carlo Farina and Biagio Marini. They were
violinists themselves, and their sonatas reflect their own skills. The same
goes for Marco Uccellini whose sonatas op. 5 are the subject of the present
disc.
According to
New Grove the year of his birth is not known; the
booklet says it was 1610. Uccellini studied in Assisi and then settled in
Modena where he became head of instrumental music at the Este court and in
1647
maestro di cappella at the Cathedral. From 1665 until his
death he held the same position at the Farnese court in Parma. It is known
that he composed operas and ballet music but that part of his oeuvre has
been lost.
His surviving music comprises one book of sacred music and seven
collections of instrumental music for one to six instruments and basso
continuo. Most of the instrumental pieces were probably intended for the
violin, his own instrument. It is telling that his seventh book of sonatas
was first printed in 1660 as a collection of sonatas for violin and other
instruments and was reprinted eight years later in the form of sonatas for
violin. Uccellini contributed considerably to the development of violin
technique, for instance by including tremolo passages, and exploring higher
positions; in this op. 5 he goes up to seventh position. His sonatas bear
the traces of the
stylus phantasticus in its alternation of
contrasting episodes. Also notable are the use of slurs and wide leaps.
There is also some double-stopping - for instance in the
Sonata II.
The
Sonata XI ends with an episode including echo effects, another
popular device in vocal and instrumental music of the period.
This is the first complete recording of this collection which dates from
1649. The liner-notes deal at length with the importance of the theory of
the
affetti which was one of the features of the
stile
nuovo. On the basis of a book by Cesare Ripa the producers of this disc
have tried to connect every single sonata with a specific
Affekt
which is described in the booklet. These are added to the sonatas in the
track-list; these titles are not in the printed edition. I don't find
those descriptions very helpful, but others may have different experiences.
The name of the ensemble refers to its habit of using a harp in the basso
continuo. That was a very common instrument at the time but today it is not
often used in chamber music. The benefits are evident: the harp has a strong
presence and allows for dynamic differentiation which contributes to the
dramatic nature of this ensemble's performances.
There is certainly no lack of that here. Both artists show a good feeling
for the theatrical character of Uccellini's sonatas and deliver
excellent performances. The
Sonata I starts with an introduction by
the harp which lasts 40 seconds. As I don't have access to the score
I can't tell whether that is from Uccellini's pen or a kind of
improvisation by Maria Christina Cleary. The
Sonata XII is
performed here as a harp solo; that seems to have been a decision of the
artists, because the upper part is clearly violinistic. Uccellini has added
two extras to his collection. The first is the
Sonata XIII, scored
for two violins and bc. The second piece is a kind of imitation of the
trumpet and here Uccellini links with a tradition which seems to have been
established by Carlo Farina with his famous
Capriccio stravagante.
I find it disappointing that here percussion has been added. I am sure that
this was not prescribed by Uccellini; it is rather a challenge for the
violinist to imitate the trumpet with the military effects going along with
it without the involvement of percussion.
That is the only blot on this production which is a major addition to the
discography. Uccellini is often considered the link between early baroque
violin music and the Austrian virtuosos Schmelzer and Biber. Everyone
interested in 17th-century violin music should investigate this fine
disc.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
