Classical Music Diary

Francisco Leontaritis (c. 1516/1518-probably 1572) is a composer, singer and hymnographer who lived in the seat of the Dukes of Candia in the Venetian-ruled Kingdom of Candia. Today it is the city of Heraklion on the island of Crete.

Leontaritis (nicknamed "il Greco", aka Francesco Londarit or Francesco Londarit, Franciscus Londariti, Leondaryti, Londaretus, Londaratus or Londaritus) is widely considered the father of modern Greek classical music. He was performed into the seventeenth century and then rediscovered in 1980.

Leontaritis was the second illegitemate son of Nikolaos, a well-to-do Catholic priest, treasurer and ducal cleric of the Church of Agios Titos in Heraklion and a Greek orthodox woman. He received a good education in Renaissance Crete at a time when arts and sciences blossomed under the Venetian rule. Like his father he chose a clerical career, and from 1537 until 1544 he was organist at the Agios Titos Church. Through his family connections he was given the title of protonotary apostolic, which to this day designates a prelate in the Roman Curia who performs certain duties with regard to papal documents. He also received various high-level church appointments which came with property and thus a certain prosperity. Leontaritis nevertheless led a conflict-ridden life and was badly in debt. ⁽¹⁾

Little is known about Leontaritis' early music education. There are reports that he studied Byzantine music with a musician named Ilarion Sotirchos. ⁽¹⁾

In 1949 Leontaritis left Crete, possibly due to the church fire in 1544, for Venice where he was given the name 'Il Greco.' He became a singer at St. Mark's Basilica under chapel master Adrian Willaert (c. 1490-1562), birthplace of the Venetian School and one of Europe's music centers. There he had access to Venice's nobility which strongly supported the arts, music and literature and considered Leontaritis one of their most prominent musicians. ⁽¹⁾ He was invited to sing in Padua and Rome where he may have studied counterpoint with Orlando di Lasso (1530/1532-1594) and Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) at the Basilica di San Giovanni Laterano.

In 1552, however, he did something that caused him to lose his clerical titles for a while, and was apparently facing excommunication. In 1556 these sanctions were lifted, but he couldn't keep his position and left Venice in 1556 to work at the Cathedral in Padua. In 1561, however, he had to leave the Veneto region altogether, possibly because of reformist sympathies.

Probably through Nikolaus Stopius, manager of the Bomberg printing press in Venice, he had contact with the Fugger family and through them with the Bavarian Court. From 1562 to 1561 he was one of the esteemed musicians under Orlando di Lasso at the Chapel of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in Munich, the center of Renaissance music in Germany. During these years he wrote two motets for the wedding of Johann Jakob Fugger and works for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II.

From 1567 he was a spy for the Spanish crown, then in possession of Milan and an enemy of Venice, and in 1568 he had to return to Crete. He paid off his debts with his inheritance from his father and resumed clerical and composition activities. Reports on Leontaritis end in 1572.

Leontaritis composed three surviving masses (Missa super Aller mi faut, Missa super Je prens en grez and Missa super Letatus sum), from 21 to 76 secular and religious motets depending on the source, six madrigals and two Canzone Napolitane. He has been called a musician of "eternal fame"⁽²⁾ whose 'subtle and imaginative music sheds valuable light on the Italian inheritance in Crete during this period.' ⁽³⁾ Certainly, we hear the influence from Venice and Willaert's polyphony. Let's take a listen:

- Missa super Aller mi faut was the earliest mass, possibly written to 'cultivate relations with Johann Jakob Fugger.' It was based on Clément Jannequin’s (c. 1485-1558) chanson à 4 Aller m’y fault sur la verdure (I must go to the countryside) (1528). Here are 1. Kyrie and 2. Gloria. Listen to 3. Credo, 4. Sanctus et Benedictus, and 5. Agnus Deihere, here and here.

- Missa Je prens en grez (la dure mort) (I willingly accept (hard death)) (c. 1562-1566) was composed during Leontaritis' time in Munich. Its name derives from the 4-part chanson Je prens en gré la dure mort which was first written by Jacob Clemens non Papa (c. 1510/1515–1555/1556), published by Pierre Attaignant in Paris in 1539, and in rapid succession in various settings by Clemens, Tielman Susato (c. 1510/15–after 1570), and others in a number of Susato publications. ⁽⁴⁾ It must be noted that the theme of the mass does not entirely correspond to that of Clemens' or Clément Jannequin's (c. 1485–1558) chanson. ⁽²⁾

Here are 3. Credo, 4. Sanctus-Benedictus, and 5. Agnus Dei. Listen to 1. Kyrie and 2. Gloriahere and here.

- Also during his time in Munich, Leontaritis worked on two collections of motets both published in Venice. The first was printed by Francesco Rampazetto in 1564, the second by Antonio Gardano in 1566. The group Polyphonia has released two albums which include some of these motets in alternating vocal and instrumental settings, probably all from the second collection. Let's listen to Ave Sanctissima Maria (instrumental) and In te Domine Speravi (vocal) from the first volume, and to the 5-part Cantate Domino (Sing the Lord) (instrumental) and O Rex Gloria (King of Glory) from the second volume, probably all from the 1566 collection.

- To conclude on a light note, here is a Canzon Napolitan, Cosi va chi ha ventura (How those who have an adventure, go [lit.] ) (1565/67). It was published in a collection of 3-part Canzone Napolitane by Giulio Bonagiunta on the Girolamo Scotto press.

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⁽¹⁾"Londariti." German Wikipedia entry. (http://deacademic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/876096 (01/04/2018))
⁽²⁾ Miranda Kaldi, "Franciscos Leondaritis (c.1516-c.1572) - Missa super Aller mi faut [sur] la verdure." York Early Music Press, March 2006, Preface. (https://www.york.ac.uk/media/music/yemp/pdfs/Leondaritis%20-%20Missa%20Aller%20mi%20faut%20la%20verdure.pdf (01/5/2017))
⁽³⁾ Ivan Moody, "Early music in Greece."Goldberg Magazine No. 9, Ivan Moody website, UK, 1999. (http://ivanmoody.co.uk/articles.earlymusicingreece.htm (01/05/2017))
⁽⁴⁾ Keith Polk, "Tielman Susato and the Music of His Time: Print Culture, Compositional Technique and Instrumental Music in the Renaissance." Hillsdale, NY, Pendragon Press, 2005, p. 21. (https://books.google.com/books?id=iEKQ8CkEsY8C&lpg=PA21&dq=je%20prens%20en%20gr%C3%A9%20la%20dure%20mort%2Btielman%20susato&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q=je%20prens%20en%20gr%C3%A9%20la%20dure%20mort%20tielman%20susato&f=false (01/05/2017))

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Joan Cererols (1618-August 28, 1676 ⁽²⁾) was a Catalan musician and composer, and a Benedictine monk. He was born in Martorell, now primarily known for its medieval Devil's Bridge, built on Roman foundations.

In 1626, merely seven or eight years old, he entered the now still flourishing Escolania boys choir at the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat. The abbey is located on the Catalan mountain of Montserrat near Barcelona and was founded in the tenth century. The mountain was the site of an ancient Roman temple in honor of the goddess Venus.

The abbey houses the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat, which may have been brought there to escape the wrath of the invading saracens. It is one of the black madonnas in Europe and attracts pilgrims to the present day. No wonder then that the abbey has fostered the composition of many Marian hymns, antiphons and Christmas music.

The hymn to the Virgin of Montserrat, known as "el Virolai" and sung at noon each day by the Escolania de Montserrat boys' choir, begins with the words: "Rosa d’abril, Morena de la serra..." (April rose, dark-skinned lady of the mountain...).⁽³⁾

At the abbey Cererols studied under the organist and composer Father Joan March (aka Juan Marques) (1582-1658). Ten years later in 1636 he became a novice at the abbey, studying humanities and moral theology, and remained there until 1648 through the troubled period of Catalan Revolt (1640-1652) against Philip IV. ⁽⁴⁾ In 1648 Cererols traveled to Madrid and joined the Castilian monks who had fled Catalonia in 1640. Philip IV had given them a new home in Madrid, the Church of Our Lady of Montserrat. In Madrid Cererols became familiar with the music of the royal chapel led by Mateo Romero (originally Mathieu Rosmarin from Liège in present-day Belgium, c. 1575-1647) and Carlos Patiño (1600-1675).

Upon his return to Montserrat he became chapel master of the Escolania, and in 1658 he succeeded Joan March as its director, a position he held until his death. He was also the major sacristan for the abbey church.

In keeping with the isolation of the Montserrat abbey, Cererols' style is deeply rooted in Renaissance polyphony. Nevertheless his later exposure in Madrid had its effect in the composer's use of 'early Baroque polychoral effects, with a marked contrapuntal and rhythmically complex style,' ⁽²⁾often in triple meters.

Cererols wrote Latin masses, hymns, antiphons a.o. for use in vespers and complines, motets, and about 35 villancicos in the vernacular. In my next two posts, I will explore the composer's motets and Marian works, and his villancicos. During the holidays we will also hear some beautiful works for the Christmas season. Let's here turn to Cererols' masses.

- Cererols composed about nine masses, starting with six Tonal Masses on the first six Gregorian modes. The originals burnt, along with the entire Montserrat archive, in the 1811 fire of the monastery set by Napoleonic troops, but later copies have survived in elsewhere. These masses date probably from before 1648 when Cererols went to Madrid. The masses on the 4th and the 6th tone are for five voices and basso continuo, the others are for four voices. The soprano part often dialogues and responds to the chorus. The polyphony is saved for the end of the movements.⁽⁵⁾

- From Missa Angelorum del 4t to (Angelorum Mass on the fourth tone) here are the Kyrie and Gloria. You can listen to the Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Deihere, here and here.

- From Missa Martyrum del 6è to (Martyrum Mass on the sixth tone) here are the Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. The Kyrie and Gloria are here and here.

- The much better known Missa De Batalla (Battle Mass) (c. 1649) celebrates Spain's 1648 victory over France in Naples. It is set for twelve voices and continuo, divided over three choirs of "glory," which can be seen as an allegory for the trinity. ⁽⁶⁾

Cererols clearly distinguished the role of each choir in this ‘Battle Mass’: the first would recite the text and the ornament when performing solo whilst the other two would gradually increase the number of voices.⁽⁷⁾

Here are the Kyrie and the Agnus Dei. Listen to Gloria, Credo and Sanctushere, here and here.

- The Requiem Mass Missa pro defunctis (c. 1654) is another well known Cererols work, written for seven voices in two choirs. Its ten movements are: Introïtus, Kyrie Eleison, Graduale, Sequence (here the Dies Irae), Offertorium, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Communio, Hei mihi Domini, Libera me, Kyrie Eleison. The Dies Irae sequence (@ 9:20) was a response to the plague which afflicted Barcelona in 1650-1651.

In 1683 King Charles II of Spain ordered this splendid Baroque composition to be sung in all lands to honour the memory of soldiers who died in combat... The contemplative atmosphere without austerity is underlined not only by the dialogue with the plainchant choir but also by the tonalities which follow those of the Gregorian melodies.⁽⁶⁾

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⁽¹⁾ By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
⁽²⁾ Most sources give Cererols' year of death as 1680. However, the Spanish Culture website is very specific with its 8/28/1676 date.
⁽³⁾"Virgin of Montserrat." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_Montserrat (01/07/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ By 1648 the French to whom the Catalan elite had turned for help, withdrew. The Catalan rebels continued to fight but many of the Catalan elite reconciled with the Spanish crown. ("Catalonia, Revolt of (1640–1652)." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. . Encyclopedia.com. (January 6, 2018). http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/catalonia-revolt-1640-1652.)
⁽⁵⁾ Josep Dolcet, "Joan Cererols (1618-1680)." CD notes, Cor de cambra Francesc Valls - Joan Cererols: Missa martyrum; Missa angelorum; Quatre antífones marianes, La mà de guido website, 2007. (http://www.lamadeguido.com/book2080.pdf (01/06/2018))
⁽⁶⁾ Daniele Becker, "Jordi Savall / La Capella Reial de Catalunya - Joan Cererols: Missa pro Defunctis; Missa de Batalla." CD notes, Astree Naive #9924, 2000. (http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPS6/sd_6191.htm (01/06/2018))
⁽⁷⁾"Battle Mass." Spanish Culture website. (http://www.spainisculture.com/en/obras_culturales/missa_de_batalla.html (01/07/2018))

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In my previous post we learnt that Joan Cererols (1618-1676) was a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat located on the historic mountain of Montserrat. The abbey houses the revered statue of the Virgin of Montserrat, one of Europe's black Madonnas and a site of pilgrimage and prayer to this day.

Cererols entered the monastery as a boy of seven or eight to sing in the abbey's revered boys' choir, the Escolania, one of the oldest boys' choirs in Europe. Except for a trip to Madrid in 1648 where he familiarized himself with newer, early Baroque trends, he spent his active life in the secluded abbey. His early music education was steeped in traditional church music and renaissance polyphony used for the chant, antiphons, psalms, and hymns sung at the Escolania and during the monks' daily canonical hours and masses. Cererols' music shows a mix of tradition and polyphony with the use of multiple choirs.

- Adoro te devote was a Eucharistic hymn written by Saint Thomas Aquinas who originally also used it as a private prayer. ⁽²⁾ It is one of the hymns sung at the Feast of Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. Adoro te devote, Visus, tactus, gustus, and O Memoriale are three Cererols motets using verses from the old hymn. The slow moving polyphony is deeply touching.

I devoutly adore you, O hidden Deity,
Truly hidden beneath these appearances.
My whole heart submits to you,
And in contemplating you, It surrenders itself completely.⁽²⁾

Sight, touch, taste are all deceived in their judgment of you,
But hearing suffices firmly to believe.
I believe all that the Son of God has spoken;
There is nothing truer than this word of truth.⁽²⁾

O memorial of our Lord's death,
Living bread that gives life to man⁽²⁾

- Ave Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Sea) is a plainsong hymn to Mary sung at Vespers. It dates from about the eighth century and has been attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Saint Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530–c. 600/609 AD) and Hermann of Reichenau (1013-1054). The hymn was very popular during the Middle Ages, and many composers have based works on it. Cererols preserves the simplicity of the hymn in homophonic verses alternating between the two choirs, and builds up heavenly polyphony in between and in the ending verse, a tribute to the Trinity. The text starts with:

Hail, star of the sea,
Nurturing Mother of God,
And ever Virgin
Happy gate of Heaven⁽³⁾

- The Magnificat is one of the eight most ancient hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn. It is traditionally sung at Vespers in the Catholic service. The song derives from pre-Christian Jewish hymnology. It is known in the Byzantine tradition as the Ode of Theotokos and is used in the Greek Orthodox church during morning services. Here is a live performance from the Escolania boys' choir. The beginning lyrics are:

My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.⁽⁴⁾

- Cererols also set the four seasonal liturgical Marian antiphons sung at the end of the office of Compline. They are written for eight voices divided over two choirs in a Baroque style.

• Like the Ave Maris Stella above, the hymn Alma redemptoris mater (Advent through February 2) is said to be authored by Hermann of Reichenau and is based on writings by three saints. The hymn is mentioned in The Prioress's Tale, one of the Canterbury Tales. This is a more intimate antiphon, a prayer to the Virgin to intercede for sinners. ⁽⁵⁾

Mother of Christ! Hear thou thy people's cry, Star of the deep, and portal of the sky! Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made, Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid; ⁽⁶⁾

• Ave Regina Cælorum (Presentation of the Lord through Good Friday) has been found in a twelfth-century manuscript. Its origins are unknown. It is a plea for indulgences. In Cererols' setting polyphony prevails. Only certain contrasted words such as Domina, ex qua, or vale are homophonic. ⁽⁵⁾We hear the Escolania live, here and in the next two antiphons.

Hail, O Queen of Heaven enthroned.
Hail, by angels mistress owned.
Root of Jesse, Gate of Morn
Whence the world's true light was born⁽⁷⁾

• Regina Coeli Lætare (Easter season) is a night hymn which goes back to the twelfth century. It is typically sung during Vespers or Compline and replaces the Angelus during part of the Easter season. In this antiphon Cererols uses the two choirs most like the Venetian school.

Since in this case it is a text of praise, the echoes and responses in repeated notes that alternate from one choir to the other confer on it an exulting and magnificent nature that have made it become one of the most emblematic pieces of the Montserrat School in its brightest side.⁽⁵⁾

The lyrics start as follows:

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia:
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.⁽⁸⁾

• Salve Regina (from first Vespers of Trinity Sunday until None of the Saturday before Advent) is the final Marian antiphon. Cererols' added the specification "the first chorus in falsete" for the second choir. The Escolania's second choir is placed in the choir loft and echoes the first choir's verses.

There is a fair amount of text setting, e.g. the syncopations on the word suspiramus (we sigh), the descending notes in lacrimarum valle (the valley of tears), and the quick, repeated notes in Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte (Turn then, most gracious advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us), to the peaceful ending of o dulcis Virgo Maria (oh, sweet Virgin Mary). ⁽⁵⁾

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
Poor banished children of Eve;⁽⁹⁾

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⁽¹⁾ By Misburg3014 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽²⁾"Adore te devote." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoro_te_devote (01/08/2018))
⁽³⁾"Ave Maris Stella." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maris_Stella (01/08/2018))
⁽⁴⁾"Magnificat." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnificat (01/08/2018))
⁽⁵⁾ Josep Dolcet, "Joan Cererols (1618-1680)." CD notes, Cor de cambra Francesc Valls - Joan Cererols: Missa martyrum; Missa angelorum; Quatre antífones marianes, La mà de guido website, 2007. (http://www.lamadeguido.com/book2080.pdf (01/08/2018))
⁽⁶⁾"Alma Redemptoris mater." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Redemptoris_Mater (01/08/2018))
⁽⁷⁾"Ave Regina Caelorum." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Regina_Caelorum (01/08/2018))
⁽⁸⁾"Regina Coeli." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Coeli (01/08/2018))
⁽⁹⁾"Salve Regina." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salve_Regina (01/08/2018))

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Joan Cererols (1618-1676), Benedictine monk and director of the Escolania, the boys' choir at the Abbey of Montserrat, wrote a number of villancicos, i.e. popular songs in the vernacular, using simple, rustic themes frequently in triple meter.

Villancicos consist of an estribillo (refrain) and coplas (stanzas), often in a loose ABA format. The genre was first purely secular. In the second half of the sixteenth century religious villancicos became popular in Spain and in Latin America. They were sung during matins on Catholic feast days or important saints' days, and were sometimes intended to help the converts understand and enjoy the new religion. ⁽²⁾

Matins services consisted of three nocturnes, i.e. three readings and responsories. During high feasts the last responsory was often the Te Deum, a a hymn of thanksgiving. There could thus be up to eight or nine villancicos in the service. Many chapel masters at major cathedrals in Spain and Latin America wrote villancicos, in renaissance and baroque styles, using homophony, imitative polyphony, and polychoral settings. ⁽²⁾

The chapel masters at the Escolania did their part to write songs in the vernacular, and one can imagine the boys' choir's enthusiasm for these lively pieces. Let's listen to some of Cererols' villancicos.

- Ay, qué dolor! (Ouch, what pain!) is maybe an atypical, very subdued but intensely beautiful example. The word painting on "Ay (Ouch)" conveys the message very effectively.

Johann Sebastian Bach used the theme of this song for the opening chorus of the St. Matthew Passion (1729). Let's compare.

- Fuera que va invención (Here's a piece of fantasy) is written for eight voices in two choirs and basso continuo. This is a very lively, rustic villancico accompanied by period instruments. There's a major party in the works outside the stable of the Nativity.

Here's a piece of fantasy,
to bring the babe some cheer,
for they're at the stable door;
let every lad come outin the famous mask,
so funny, that even the angels come to see,
and after adoring their King
they will take their place at his feet. ⁽³⁾

- Segura vais, Labradora (Go safely, Working Woman) is sung by the boys of the Escolania led by Father Ireneu Segarra i Malla (1917-2005) who led the choir for 45 years. The score is written for three sopranos, tenor (SSST) and continuo. ⁽⁴⁾

- Son tus bellos ojos soles (Your beautiful eyes alone), is here performed by an adult choir, maybe the Basque group Capilla Peñaflorida on the 1999 Glissando release Salve Reyna Música Espanola. It is written for four voices (SSAT) and continuo.

Your beautiful eyes alone
With their rays of light defend us, Mary;
That's how well you understand them,
Your Spanish slaves.⁽⁵⁾

- Serafín, que con dulce harmonía (Seraphim, you who with sweet harmony) is Cererols' best known villancico. It is built on a marizápalos, i.e. a brief movement of sixteen measures with a harmonic structure very similar to that of the folia, and consists of a refrain and four stanzas.

- Finally the villancico Ha de los hombres (He has men) was found in the archive of the Saint Peter Church in Canet de Mar. It is set for eight voices and continuo. Although the source is anonymous, this song was probably written by Cererols. ⁽⁶⁾ It has strong similarities with the previous song Serafín, que con dulce harmonía. ⁽⁷⁾

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⁽¹⁾ By José Luis Filpo Cabana (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽²⁾"Villancico." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villancico (01/09/2018))
⁽³⁾ sh4m69, "Joan Cererols - Fuera que va invención." Notes to YouTube video, 03/02/2011. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbiewLH8nIc (01/09/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Primera Vegada, "Joan Cererols Obres Completes, III." Abbey of Montserrat, Mestres de l'Escolania de Montserrat series, 1983, p. 12. (https://books.google.com/books?id=5YBX_A_tmD8C&lpg=PR16&dq=Son%20tus%20bellos%20ojos%20soles&pg=PR16#v=onepage&q=Son%20tus%20bellos%20ojos%20soles&f=false (01/09/2018))
⁽⁵⁾ Free translation from lyrics given in Primera Vegada, "Joan Cererols Obres Completes, III." Abbey of Montserrat, Mestres de l'Escolania de Montserrat series, 1983, p. XVI, score on p. 32. (https://books.google.com/books?id=5YBX_A_tmD8C&lpg=PR16&dq=Son%20tus%20bellos%20ojos%20soles&pg=PR16#v=onepage&q=Son%20tus%20bellos%20ojos%20soles&f=false (01/09/2018))
⁽⁶⁾See for example Ha de los hombres description at AllMusic.com. (https://www.allmusic.com/performance/ha-de-los-hombres-mq0000426235 (01/08/2018))
⁽⁷⁾ Francesc Bonastre, "A l'entorn de Serafín, que con dulce harmonia, de Joan Cererols." Recerca Musicologica VIII, 1988, 65-103. (http://www.raco.cat/index.php/recercamusicologica/article/viewFile/42748/56329 (01/08/2018))

My Fate is poem no. 59 in Abraham Cowley's (1618-1667) collection The Mistress (published 1647 and corrected by Cowley and republished in 1656).

Cowley was a Royalist during the English Civil War (1642-1651) and followed Queen Henrietta Maria to Paris as her secretary for twelve years. During these years he maintained a frequent ciphered correspondence between the King and the Queen and was involved in much other intelligence work.

Written during this tumultuous time and once 'the most popular poetic reading of the age,'The Mistress has since fallen under pretty harsh criticism and is now 'the least read of all Cowley's works.'⁽¹⁾ Apparently, Cowley took John Donne's (1572-1631) 'conceit' and 'extended metaphors' a bit further, thereby jarring 'sensibilities' and even creating outright 'fanciful poetic nonsense.'⁽²⁾ Nevertheless, some still call The Mistress'arguably his most famous work,' exemplifying 'Cowley’s metaphysical style of love poetry.'⁽³⁾ Contrary to Petrarch's lasting success with his sonnets of unrequited love for Laura, Cowley's The Mistress, written at 'the exhaustion point of a courtly genre,' ⁽⁴⁾has been called 'a mere exhibition of literary calisthenics' mostly because Cowley himself only once fell in love and 'never summoned up courage to speak of love to a single woman in real life.' ⁽¹⁾

My Fate was set to music by William King (1624-1680) and published in Poems of Mr. Cowley and others (published 1668). The poet declares his unconditional love no matter how he is treated by his beloved. Only 'her Face' and 'the Astrology of her Eyes' can tell the poet's destiny.

We first hear Owain Phyfe (1949-2012) and then Bard Michael Kelly in his own arrangement, inspired by that of Phyfe.

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⁽¹⁾"Abraham Cowley." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Cowley (01/09/2018))
⁽²⁾ The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, "Abraham Cowley." Encyclopædia Britannica website. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-Cowley (01/09/2018))
⁽³⁾"Abraham Cowley - 1618–1667." The Poetry Foundation website. (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/abraham-cowley (01/09/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Tim Morris, "Cowley's Lemmon: Secrecy and Interpretation in The Mistress." The Journal of the English Association . Spring2011, Vol. 60 Issue 228, p21-41. 21p.

Two musicians on my 1618 400th anniversary list did present some problems:

- The English Solomon Eccles (Eckles, Eagle in some literature) (1617/18-1682/83): Eccles was a musician who taught the virginal and viola. Around 1660 at age 43, during all the religious uncertainty in England, he decided to become a Quaker and adhered to its virtues of 'simplicity, egalitarianism and honesty, outside of any ecclesiastical hierarchy.'⁽¹⁾

Deeply troubled by his previous sinful life in music, he published his new point-of-viewpoint in a treatise, A Musick-Lector (1667), a dialog between a musician, a Baptist and a Quaker. He sold his instruments and books, recovered all his music and burnt it on Tower Hill, opposite the Tower of London. From then on he made a more prosaic living as a shoemaker while becoming a quite fanatical demonstrator and protester, often half-nude, traveling as far as Barbados and Jamaica in the West Indies in 1671 and to New England in 1672. He was arrested in Boston and imprisoned during a follow-up trip to Barbados in 1682 and subsequently banished.

Long story short, this Solomon Eccles is not the Solomon Eccles whose Divisions (Variations) on Grounds we find on YouTube. Despite the ubiquitous conflation of dates and persons, that honor seems to belong to Eccles' nephew (or probably incorrectly 'son,' depending on the source) by the same name: Solomon Eccles II (1649-1710), composer and violinist, member of the Royal Chapel of William III. Eccles II was an active musician for the theater. There were other musicians in the Eccles family: Eccles II's brother Henry, Henry's son John--the best-known one, and Henry and Thomas who were born in the 1670s. ⁽²⁾

- The Brussels organist Abraham van den Kerckhoven (1619-1701). The place and year of birth of this esteemed organist and composer is widely given as 'Mechelen and c. 1618.' However, this was changed in May 2012 to'Brussels and 1619' on the Dutch Wikipedia site by user M.R.Berts or "Bertie" who lives in Flanders. He doesn't give his source, but is probably very close to it. I am therefore deferring my post on Mr. van den Kerckhoven to next year.

This brings me to Juan Matías (c. 1618-1665), a native Zapotec musician and composer who was born in San Bartolo Coyotepec in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. ⁽²⁾He first was a bass singer and then the first indigenous chapel master of Oaxaca Cathedral (1655-1665). Under his direction the quality of music at the cathedral reached a high level which would be maintained during the next one and a half century. ⁽³⁾

Several myths about Matías' life have recently been exposed, a.o. that he was the cathedral's organist, that he entered the cathedral as a teacher and was going to make a trip to Spain to be presented at the court--when he was only two years old!, and that he refused to give his works to the cathedral and instead gave them to Guatemala or the isthmus. The works found in Guatemala (see below) were brought there by Juan Fernandez de Leon who moved from Oaxaca Cathedral to work in Guatemala years later. ⁽⁴⁾

As chapel master Matías composed sacred music, masses, glorias, vespers, antiphons, and short songs for the office of the hours, and Christmas carols. Eleven such works have been found in three different locations. Only four of them are complete enough to be reconstructed and performed: ⁽⁵⁾

- In the Historical Archives of the Archdiocese of Guatemala: a mass à 4, a motet à 8 Cantate Domino, and two villancicos à 8 Quien sale aqueste día disfrazado (Who leaves this day in disguise) and Quien puebla de delicias, with different lyrics for two different feast days, with the same music. Three are complete, one is missing two voice parts.

- In Oaxaca six works have been found:

• In San Pedro Huamelula there are two invitatories, Nos autem gloriari and Gaudeamus, an invocation, Domine ad adjuvandum me festina, and two masses (one à 4 and another à 8).
• In San Bartolo Yautepec: a Marian hymn Ave maris stella, and an incomplete mass, the Missa Batalla, of which only the tenor part of the second choir survives.

The authorship of the popular Stabat Mater Dolorosa which has long been attributed to Juan Mathias, is not authentic. It is the work of an anonymous nineteenth, probably Oaxacan composer.

Let's listen to two works by this distinguished musician:

- The villancico Quien sale aqueste día disfrazado (Who leaves this day in disguise).

- Kyrie and Gloria from one of the masses for four voices. It is performed at Oaxaca Cathedral, so it's probably from the mass à 4 found there.

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⁽¹⁾ María R. Montes, "Solomon Eccles, la música condenada (Solomon Eccles, condemned music)." ReciClassiCat website, p. 36. (http://conard30.rssing.com/chan-15783776/all_p36.html#item703 (01/10/2018))
⁽²⁾ Juan Matías, the Zapotec chapel master of the seventeenth century, is not to be confused with Juan Matías de los Reyes (1724-1779), the Spanish Creole Chapel Master of the same cathedral a century later who composed this splendid Magnificat.
⁽³⁾ jsape, "Indígena zapoteco Juan Matías (ca.1618-1665). Maestro de capilla de la Catedral de Oaxaca." Introduction of book by Ryszard Rodys, FundacionAHHO website, 09/03/2015. (http://fahho.mx/blog/2015/09/03/indigena-zapoteco-juan-matias-ca-1618-1665-maestro-de-capilla-de-la-catedral-de-oaxaca/ (01/10/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Carina Pérez Garcia, "Juan Matías: mitos y realidades a 350 de su muerte." Oaxaca Culture, Old Notices page at NVI website, 07/07/2015. (http://old.nvinoticias.com/oaxaca/cultura/artes/289446-juan-matias-mitos-realidades-350-su-muerte (01/10/2018))
⁽⁵⁾Lisbeth Mejia, "Juan Matías, la importancia del compositor en Oaxaca." Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, Imparcial website, 06/07/2017. (http://imparcialoaxaca.mx/arte-y-cultura/8607/juan-matias-la-importancia-del-compositor-en-oaxaca/ (01/10/2018))

Robert was one of the last heirs to the great French polyphonic tradition which he brought to a high degree of contrapuntal complexity and rhetorical refinement. ⁽¹⁾

As a grandiose genre, the grand motet "took on the aspects of a sacred concert right from its inception," lacking the liturgical significance of the first motets, serving to signify the grandeur associated with the monarchy. ⁽²⁾

French composer Pierre Robert (c. 1618/1622-1699) received his music education as a choir boy at the Maîtrise Notre Dame de Paris under Henry Frémart (c. 1595-1661), Jean Veillot (active from 1643 - d. before 1662), and François Cosset (c. 1610-c. 1673). In 1638 he was named "Spé" of the choir, a title reserved for the oldest child or the child with the longest tenure. ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾ In 1639 when he must have been 17 years old, he obtained a scholarship for the Collège Fortet at Paris University.

In 1643 he was appointed Master of Music at Senlis Cathedral in the North of France. In 1648 he won a Saint Cecilia motet competition in Le Mans. In 1650 he worked in Chartres for 18 months as interim Master of Music and returned to Senlis in March 1652.

From 1653 until 1662 he was Master of Music at the Notre Dame de Paris where he replaced Valentin de Bournonville (c. 1610–c. 1663).

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In 1663, Louis XIV chose him and the South-Netherlandish composer Henri Dumont (1610-1684) to occupy two of the four posts of Assistant Master of the Chapelle Royale. The other two musicians until 1668 were Thomas Gobert (c. 1600-1672) and Gabriel Expilly (c. 1630-c. 1690).

From 1668 after their colleagues' departure Robert and Dumont shared the direction of the chapel and together developed the grand motet or motets for double choir and orchestra. ⁽⁵⁾ The petit motet in contrast was a chamber genre for one or two solo voices and one or two solo instruments with basso continuo. The grand motet came to typify French Baroque sacred music. In 1682 the court moved to Versailles, and Robert and Dumont retired.

Robert composed two contrapuntal motets prior to 1663 (Regina Coeli (2 versions) and Tristis est anima mea), 24 grands motets for the Royal Chapel (published 1684), ten elevations (petits motets) for the Royal Chapel, and three plainchant hymns on Latin poems of Jean Santeul (1630-1697) for the new breviary of Paris (1680).

- Let's first listen to the Elevation (petit motet) Adoro te devote (I devoutly adore you), a setting of a hymn written by Thomas Aquinas. Catalan composer Joan Cererols and contemporary of Pierre Robert whom we reviewed some posts ago, also set this hymn, but he broke it up into several shorter motets. Robert's motet starts with an instrumental introduction, followed by verses sung alternating between the soprano and alto voices. At the O Memoriale verse, we hear the third, tenor voice.

- Robert's grands motets tell their amazing stories that still speak to us today and feature grand choruses and orchestral sections called symphonies. They are great works from the Grand Siècle. Here are a few examples:

- De profúndis: 1. De profúndis clamávi (From the depths I have cried) and 2. Réquiem aetérnam (Eternal Rest), set to text of Psalm 130, is a mournful and supplicating work for the departed.

- Nisi Dominus (Except the Lord) to text of Psalm 127 is a more cheerful motet painting the building the Lord's house, as described in the first verse of the psalm: Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

- Nolite me considerare (Don't stare at me) is a setting of a text from the Song of Songs, Introduction 1:6. It immediately follows the Nigra sum et formosa (I am black and beautiful) section of the text. The text is a dialogue between King Solomon and either his Egyptian wife, Pharaoh's Daughter, or the visiting Queen of Sheba.

- Quare fremuérunt gentes (Why are the nations in an uproar?) is a setting of Psalm 2 of David, a text that has been subject to different religious interpretations. Listen to the second part Reges eos in virga férrea (Now therefore, O ye kings, be wise)here.

- From Te decet hymnus, a setting of text from Psalm 65 which is believed to originally have been for thanksgiving celebrations at harvest time, ⁽⁷⁾ here are Te decet hymnus Deus (A Hymn, O God, becometh thee) and Praeparans montes (Thou who preparest the mountains). Listen to Rivos ejus inebria (Fill up plentifully the streams thereof)here.

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⁽¹⁾"ROBERT, Pierre (ca 1622-1699) - Grands motets." CD description, La Boutique du Centre de Musique Baroque website. (http://editions.cmbv.fr/achat/produit_details.php?id=912 (01/11/2018))
⁽²⁾"Grands motets." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grands_motets (01/11/2018))
⁽³⁾"Pierre Robert (compositeur)." French Wikipedia entry. (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Robert_(compositeur) (01/10/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Marie-Reine Renon, "Musique d'église autour de N. Pacotat maître de psallette: Bourges, vers 1696-Poitiers, 1731 : actes du colloque de Poitiers, 14 février 2007 (Church Music surrounding N. Pacotat Master of the Choir School: Bourges, c. 1696-Poitiers, 1731: Poitiers conference proceedings, 02/14/2007)." Paris, Editions Publibook, p. 63. (https://books.google.com/books?id=y-5dvCD6rqQC&lpg=PA63&ots=3vwiU4FGZW&dq=%22Sp%C3%A9%22%20titre%20dans%20une%20maitrise&pg=PA63#v=onepage&q=%22Sp%C3%A9%22%20titre%20dans%20une%20maitrise&f=false (01/10/2018))
⁽⁵⁾ A third creator of grands motets at the Louis XIV court was the Italian born French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687).
⁽⁶⁾ By Adam Bishop (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
⁽⁷⁾ Scott Shauf, "Commentary on Psalm 65:[1-8] 9-13." Workingpreacher.org website, 07/10/2011. (https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=954 (01/11/2018))

Emanuele Barbella (1718-1777) was a composer, violinist and teacher active in Naples. His father taught violin at Santa Maria di Loreto, one of four Naples conservatories at the time, and Emanuele studied with him from age six and a half. ⁽¹⁾ He later studied violin a.o. with Pasqualino Bini (1716-1770), a student of Tartini (1692-1770), counterpoint with Michele Gabbalone (1692-1740), and composition with Leonardo Leo (1694-1744).

In 1753 he became concertmaster at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples where he wrote some arias, a finale and a duet for the opera buffa Elmira generosa in collaboration with Nicola Logroscino (1698 - ca. 1765), his only known effort in the vocal repertoire.

In 1756 he was appointed violinist at the Royal Chapel where Leonardo Leo had a.o. been organist, and from 1761 until his death he was also a member of the orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo which had been built in 1736.

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It was during the 1740s that the Neapolitan mandolin was invented, possibly by the Vinaccia family. A relative of the baroque mandolino or mandola and the Renaissance lute, it has only four strings and is tuned in fifths like a violin. Its frets make it easier to play in tune. Basically all music for violin could be played more easily on the Neapolitan mandolin. It was thus ideal for domestic music making. ⁽³⁾

Moreover, the instrument was considered suitable for women to play 'with bodily grace and charm expected from them.' It even had a seductive touch as evidenced in contemporary paintings of 'scantily clad'female mandolin players--possibly courtesans, and in Mozart's serenades for the instrument in Don Giovanni. It is placed in front of Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764) in her last portrait (François-Hubert Drouais, 1764). ⁽³⁾

All this contributed to a mandolin boom, making it the instrument à la mode in 1760s Paris. Barbella was happy to oblige. His works appeared in print, a.o. in Paris in the late 1760s, and were popular with copyists and eager dealers who sold them 'to anyone from out of town.'⁽³⁾

In the 1760s Barbella befriended a couple of English diplomats and visitors, a.o. Charles Burney (1726-1814), who later testified to the quality of his friend's violin playing and facilitated the publication of his works in London.

We will learn more in the next posts about Barbella, a.o. his works in the Swedish Gimo collection and the Hamilton Trios published in London. Here are a few other works for violin and mandolin, courtesy of YouTube. The last one is his most popular.

- From 24 Minuetti gustosi for two mandolins (ca. 1760), a set of very short pieces marked 'for two violins', we hear, on mandolin, first: 24. Minuetto, 23. Minuetto, 17. Balletto and 22. Minuetto, and then a second set: 12. Minuetto, 15. Duetto in sol maggiore, 8. Minuetto--a pretty little piece, 21. Allegro and 10. Minuetto.

- From the Sonata in D major for mandolin and basso continuo here are, very well performed by Carlo Aonzo e Elena Buttiero, 1. Allegro and 2. Largo. Listen to 3. Andantino alla francese and 4. Fugatohere and here.

- From the Sonata No. 3⁽⁴⁾, also in D major: 1. Allegretto and 2. Larghetto, here handsomely performed on violin, German lute and basso continuo.

- From Six Duos pour deux Violons ou Mandolines avec un Basse ad Libitum (Six Duettos for two Violins or two Mandolins with an optional Bass) (ca. 1770):

- Duo No. 1: 2. Alla Frencese furiosamento.

- Duo No. 4: first and third movements.

- Duo No. 5 ⁽⁵⁾.

- Finally, let's listen to Tinna Nonna, per prender sonno (Lullaby), Larghetto, Sempre legato e sotto voce, Barbella's best known violin piece, here arranged for two mandolins and mandocello. It was probably inspired by the Neapolitan lullaby Ninna Nanna.

The piece was originally published in Charles Burney's A General History Of Music From The Earliest Ages To The Present Day (1789). Burney befriended Barbella during his travels in Italy and France and included a touching tribute to the composer in his book. The entry is followed by the score of the Tinna Nonna piece, one of the few musical examples in the book. Burney mentions that Barbella liked to play the piece among his friends: 'for though he seemed never to have had sufficient force to lead an orchestra, his tone and manner were marvelously sweet and pleasing in a room, even without any other accompaniment than the drone-base of an open string.'⁽⁶⁾

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⁽¹⁾ Edward H. Donkin, "Barbella, Emanuele." Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1900. (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Dictionary_of_Music_and_Musicians/Barbella,_Emanuele (02/24/2018))
⁽²⁾ François-Hubert Drouais [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
⁽³⁾Göran Rydén, "Sweden in the Eighteenth-Century World: Provincial Cosmopolitans." Routledge, Mar 9, 2016, Chapter 5: Travelling and the Formation of Taste: The European Journey of Bengt Ferrner and Jean Lefebure 1758-1763 by Lars Berglund, subchapter Jean Lefebure and the Neapolitan Mandolin. (https://books.google.com/books?id=L5e1CwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT119&dq=jean%20lefebure%20music&pg=PT133#v=onepage&q=jean%20lefebure%20music&f=false (02/24/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Not sure which set of trio sonatas this is from. I could not discover a comprehensive catalog for this composer.
⁽⁵⁾ The video's volume is set very low and needs to be maximized. The quality of the playing by the Venezuelan mandolinists Mayerlyn Achiquez and Melanie Lara on the other hand is excellent.
⁽⁶⁾ Charles Burney, "A General History of Music: From the Earliest Ages to the Present Period, Volume 3." London, Payne and son, 1989, p. 570. (https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-lCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA570#v=onepage&q=tinna%20nonna&f=false (02/24/2018))

Emanuele Barbella (1718 - 1777), court violinist in Naples composed many works for the Neapolitan mandolin. The instrument had become popular with amateur musicians after its invention in the 1740s. It was easier to play in tune than the violin. Moreover, violin pieces could be performed on either instrument, providing an instant repertoire. Music dealers eagerly supplied copies to out-of-town travelers.

In 1758 Bengt Ferrner, astronomer at Uppsala University, and his student Jean Lefebure embarked on a European Grand Tour. Jean was the son of a major iron master of French Huguenot descent who would acquire many Swedish estates and was eventually ennobled. The main goal of Bengt and Jean's journey was to study manufacturing, entrepreneurship and science, to 'establish business connections for the Lefebure house' and, for Ferrner, to acquire astronomical equipment for the university. Still, if the tour was to increase their standing in Swedish society, they were also expected to acquire the 'good taste' of a 'European, cosmopolitan gentilhomme.'⁽¹⁾ This was to be achieved by absorbing the arts and culture of the countries they visited.

During their journey Ferrner and Lefebure visited Holland, England, France, Italy, Austria and Germany. Ferrner kept a detailed diary in which he reviewed and evaluated many concerts they attended. Lefebure's figure is more evasive, but he bought many music manuscripts, now known as the Gimo Collection. Gimo was the estate his father purchased the year after their return. Jean inherited it in 1767 and stored the collection in its library. In the 1930s the estate was sold and the collection donated to Uppsala University. ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾

Lefebure acquired most of the 360 items in the collection during the trip. It contains a.o. 140 trio sonatas, most for two violins and basso continuo, and some sonatas for two or three mixed instruments, many of them copied from printed collections. The collection also includes about 50 Italian opera sinfonias as well as opera arias which were more intended as souvenirs than for domestic music making. ⁽¹⁾

There are only a small number of recurring copyists in the collection, suggesting that Lefebure bought them by in just a few bundles from commercial dealers. ⁽¹⁾

The Gimo collection contains 25 works for Neapolitan mandolin, a.o. ten by Giovanni Battista Gervasio (ca. 1725 - ca. 1785), one of the leading mandolin players at the time, and eleven by Emanuele Barbella.

Here are some of Barbella's pieces in the collection. Sheet music can be found here.

- Works for two mandolins:

Sonata a Due Mandolini (Gimo 12): 1. Allegretto and a very short 2. Tempo di Menuetto, in midi format and thus rather mechanical sounding.

Sonata a Due Mandolini (Gimo 13): 3. Minuetto. Alla francese and 4. Gavotta. Listen to 1. Larghetto e staccato and 2. Allegretto here and here.

The first movement from Sonata a Due Mandolini (Gimo 14): 1. Andante, e con espressione. Listen to 2. Allegro and 3. Gavotta allegro here and here.

Sonata Due Mandolini (Gimo 15=16=17): 1. Allegro and 2. Andantino.

- Sonata in G major for two mandolins and mandocello (Gimo 18=19): 1. Allegro, 2. Largo and 3. Allegro in a live performance followed by an arrangement for string quartet/orchestra..

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⁽¹⁾Göran Rydén, "Sweden in the Eighteenth-Century World: Provincial Cosmopolitans." Routledge, Mar 9, 2016, Chapter 5: Travelling and the Formation of Taste: The European Journey of Bengt Ferrner and Jean Lefebure 1758-1763 by Lars Berglund. (https://books.google.com/books?id=L5e1CwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT119&dq=jean%20lefebure%20music&pg=PT133#v=onepage&q=jean%20lefebure%20music&f=false (02/25/2018))

⁽²⁾ Today this estate is a lovely country estate hotel.

If perhaps Emanuele Barbella (1718 - 1777) did not meet the traveling Swedish duo of Ferrner and Lefebure in person when the latter purchased the composer's mandolin manuscripts for the Gimo collection, Barbella did meet at least two very distinguished Brits in Naples.

One was Charles Burney (1726-1814) who much admired Barbella's violin playing and paid tribute to him in his celebrated history of music and for good measure added, as a musical illustration, the score of Tinna nonna, a lullaby Barbella frequently performed on his violin among friends.

The other was Sir William Hamilton (1730 - 1803) who served as British ambassador at the Bourbon court in Naples from 1764 until 1800. In true keeping with the intellectual spirit of the time and its emphasis on the scientific method, Hamilton was also an antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist.

Moreover, Hamilton was an 'avid music lover.'⁽¹⁾The Hamiltons liked to give musical entertainments where they played alongside servants or professional musicians. Sir William played the violin. In 1770 young Mozart and his Father Leopold paid them a visit during which the not so easy-to-please Mozart admired Mrs. Hamilton's harpsichord playing. Charles Burney stayed with the Hamiltons, and Sir William assisted with Burney's research. ⁽²⁾

- The set of six Hamilton Trios, Op. 1 (London 1772) for two violins and cello was dedicated to Hamilton and, likely with his help, printed in London in 1772. ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ Written toward the end of Barbella's life, they are in a more pre-classical style. The base part is written for cello, although the score still suggests adding a harpsichord. The tone is largely very pleasing, intended for joyful entertainment. They are all in three movements--fast-slow-fast, except for the fifth sonata. Johan van Veen reviewed them as follows:

...The first violin usually takes the lead. The cello part - here performed with cello, baroque guitar and harpsichord - provides harmonic support. Now and then the bass has a more or less concertante role. The cello part also contains passages with drum basses, in particular in the last movements, which - with the exception of the Sonata V - always take the form of a rondo.

The first movements are by far the longest, except, again, in the fifth sonata. They also contain the most original material, as well as the most expressive passages. Examples are the closing episode of the allegro of Sonata III, several passages in the allegretto of Sonata IV and in the first movement of Sonata VI. The performers effectively emphasize them by slowing down the tempo. The second movement of Sonata V is quite theatrical.⁽¹⁾

Let's take a listen:

Trio Sonata No. 1 in B-flat major: 2. Andantino affettuoso. Listen to 1. Allegretto and 3. Rondo - allegrettohere and here.

Trio Sonata No. 2 in A major: 1. Allegretto. Listen to 2. Andantino and 3. Rondo - allegrettohere and here.

Trio Sonata No. 3 in C major: 1. Allegro. Listen 2. Larghetto con gusto and 3. Rondo - allegro here and here.

Trio Sonata No. 4 in E-flat major: 2. Andante. Listen to 1. Allegretto and 3. Rondo - allegro comodohere and here.

Trio Sonata No. 5 in G major: 1. Larghetto - molto andantino. Listen to 2. Non tanto allegro and 3. Andantinohere and here.

Trio Sonata No. 6 in F major: 3. Rondo - allegro. Listen to 1. Non tanto allegro - con brio and 2. Larghetto - andantehere and here.

- We conclude this survey of Emanuele Barbella and his compositions with two works for somewhat larger forces:

Concerto in D major for mandolin, strings and basso continuo in three movements (1. Allegro ma non presto, 2. Andantino and 3. Giga allegro) in a live performance. The first movement includes an impressive mandolin solo. This work appears on many YouTube videos, sometimes in different settings.

Allegro movement from a Sinfonia in D major also in a live concert. ⁽⁵⁾

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⁽¹⁾ Johan Van Veen, "Emanuele BARBELLA (1718 - 1777) - Sei trii per due violini e violoncello - 'Hamilton Trios'." CD review, MusicWeb International, June 2010. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/June10/Barbella_TC712701.htm#ixzz53vvmJo1V (02/26/2018))
⁽²⁾"William Hamilton (diplomat)." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hamilton_(diplomat) (02/26/2018))
⁽³⁾ Some of Barbella's works were printed in Paris and some in London. Some sources draw the conclusion from this that Barbella probably traveled to London. It is more likely that Sir William Hamilton was the intermediary.
⁽⁴⁾ The link is to the complete playlist of the trios.

⁽⁵⁾ Other than this YouTube video I could not find any information regarding this Sinfonia.

Placidus von Camerloher⁽¹⁾ (1718 - 1782) was a Bavarian composer active in Freising and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

Born in Murnau am Staffelsee in the very south of Bavaria to a court clerk, he attended the nearby and rather short lived Ritterakademie in Kloster Ettal, an educational institution for sons of nobility at the Benedictine Abbey in Ettal. ⁽²⁾ There he seriously began to develop his musical talent. He later studied theology and was ordained priest in 1744.

He became Chapelmaster for Cardinal Johann Theodor von Bayern (1703 - 1763) in Freising and Chamber Music Director in Liège when Johann Theodor was appointed Prince Bishop there. He accompanied the Prince Bishop on trips, a.o. to Bonn, Düsseldorf and Paris.

In 1748 he returned to Bavaria and became a canon at St. Veit in Freising. In 1753 he took over the canonry at the collegiate St. Andreas Stift also in Freising.

In his early years in Freising Camerloher wrote a number of student operas, a.o. Melissa tradita (aka Comedia Frisingana) (1739) written for Munich.

Camerloher is best known for his instrumental music. His Trio Sonatas and Sinfonias are grounded in folk melodies and dances and show fresh creativity and familiarity with the Mannheim and Italian trends. ⁽³⁾ Already in his first symphonies he abandoned the thorough bass and would later explore quartet writing.

His church music remains more traditional. In his Passion settings he still used stile antico.

He wrote six symphonies for 2 violins, viola, cello, bass, 2 French horns, and 2 trumpets--four were published in the early 1760s in Liège and Amsterdam, 18 trios for lute with violin accompaniment, 24 violin trios--some published in Paris, a quartet, a notturno, the above-mentioned student operas, and a numbers of masses, vespers, cantatas--a.o. a Christmas Cantata, litanies and Passion music.

On YouTube we find a live performance, a recording, and a number of arrangements of Camerloher's symphonies and trios.

- Allegro from a Trio Sonata for two violins and basso continuo.

- Gloria from a Missa solemnis performed by the Freising Cathedral choir and chamber orchestra.

- Symphonia in C Major No. 1 for strings (1. Allegro, 2. Andante and 3. Prestissimo), and Symphonia in C Major No. 2 for strings (1. Allegro, 2. Andante and 3. Scherzo), here arranged for woodwind quartet.

- Trio Sonata in B Major No. 1 for strings, here arranged for oboes and strings.

- Trio Sonata in D minor No. 2 for strings, here arranged for clarinets and strings.

- Trio Sonata in C Major No. 3 for strings, arranged for horns and strings.

- Listen to Trio Sonata in G Major No. 4 for strings, arranged for trumpets and strings, Trio Sonata in C Major No. 5 for strings, arranged for two violins, viola and cello, and Trio Sonata in C Major No. 6 for strings, arranged for flutes and strings, here, here and here.
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⁽¹⁾ The name is also given as Placidus Cajetanus Lawrence of Camerloher, Don Placido de Camerloher, Cammerlocher, Cammerlochner, Kammerlocher, Camerloker, etc.
⁽²⁾ The school existed from 1711 until the fire of 1744. The structure was rebuilt in high baroque style.
⁽³⁾ Karl Gustav Fellerer, "Camerloher, Placidus v." Biographical entry, Neue deutsche Biographie, Bd.: 3, Bürklein - Ditmar, Berlin, 1957. (http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0001/bsb00016319/images/index.html?seite=122 (02/27/2018))

Antonio Ferradini⁽¹⁾ (1718 - 1779) was a composer of operas, and sacred and instrumental music, born in Naples.

His earliest known compositions, two Credos, date from 1739, and in 1745 an oratorio, Il Giuseppe riconosciuto (Joseph Discovered), was performed in his hometown. In 1750 an opera, La finta frascatana (The Pretend Frascati Woman) written in collaboration with Nicola Logroscino (1698 - ca. 1765), was still performed in Naples.

Between 1751 and 1760 he traveled to northern Italy and probably also Madrid to stage about a dozen works, a.o. Semiramide (Madrid, 1756) and Il Festino (Parma, 1757), an opera buffa with a libretto by Carlo Goldoni (1707 - 1793). Unfortunately, only the libretti and a few arias survive of these stage works.

Around 1760 he settled in Prague. ⁽²⁾ There he staged Giuseppe riconosciuto as a sacred opera (1763) and wrote a number of other sacred works, a.o. his last work, a Stabat Mater for eight voices and orchestra (1979). He died in Prague at the Italian Hospital. ⁽³⁾

Among his instrumental works we find a set of six Sonate per Clavicembalo (ca. 1760), dedicated to the Elector of Saxony. ⁽⁴⁾ The set was conserved in manuscript at the Sächsische Landesbibliothek (Saxon State and University Library Dresden). ⁽⁵⁾

The harpsichord sonatas are in the galant style, a departure from the baroque with more contrast, grace, and pre-romantic sensibility of expression. If Ferradini stayed in Madrid in the 1750s, these works do not show much influence from Domenico Scarlatti (Naples, 1685 - Madrid, 1757), although:

Occasionally there are concerto-like effects using the two manuals of the harpsichord that remind one of Scarlatti, whose music Ferradini must have known.⁽⁶⁾

Except for the sixth sonata, which is in a more baroque seven-movement sequence with a large set of variations in the middle, the sonatas are in four movements (slow-fast-slow-fast). They are:

imbued with Ferradini’s prevailing sense of melancholy and it’s this that generates perhaps the most permanent interest in these expertly wrought and diverting works.⁽⁷⁾

The playlist for the entire set can be found here. Let's listen to a few individual movements:

- Sonata No. 1: 2. Allegro vivace with 'cadenzas interpolated on the fermatas on the final note of a phrase,'⁽⁷⁾ and the expressive 3. Larghetto sostenuto. Listen to 1. Lento, e giustoso and 4. La clochette (The Bell), Allegro di moltohere and here.

- Sonata No. 2: 3. Sostenuto e staccato with its staccati and repeated notes, and a 'vigorous and emphatic' ⁽⁷⁾ 4. Allegro grazioso. Listen to 1. Adantino affettuoso and 2. Allegro moderatohere and here.

- Sonata No. 3: 3. Andantino amoroso showing Ferradini's 'instinct for plangency and expressive contour,' ⁽⁷⁾ and 4. A tempo di menuetto full of 'élan.' Listen to 1. Al gusto francese brillante and 2. Allegro vivacehere and here.

- Sonata No. 4: 1. [Andantino], a French style Prelude, 2. Allegro spiritoso with plays of registers, 3. Andante grazioso, plaintive with rich harmonization which integrates the bass part, and a very light 4. A tempo di menuetto which uses the lute stop. ⁽⁷⁾

- Sonata No. 5: Listen to 1. Largo sostenuto e staccato sul gusto francese, 2. Allegro, 3. Andante grazioso and 4. Andantino graziosohere, here, here and here.

- Sonata No. 6: 1. Andantino, a 'stately air' with 'fine embellishments,' 2. Allegro, featuring a 'lovely left hand melody line and very effective mini cadenzas,' 3. Affettuoso, which includes a 'brief fugal flourish,' an extensive and engaging 5. Menuetto con variazione and a brief 6. La Chasse (The Hunt), Allegro con brio which cleverly combines dance and hunt themes. Listen to 4. Tempo giusto and 7. Allegro spiritosohere and here. ⁽⁷⁾

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⁽¹⁾ The name also appears as Ferrandini, Feradini and Ferandini. His first name is sometimes incorrectly given as Giuseppe. He is not to be confused with Giovanni Battista Ferrandini (ca. 1710 - 1791), composer of operas and cantatas who was active in Munich and probably also Amsterdam.
⁽²⁾ The musicologist Alberto Iesuè mentions in the Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (Biographical Dictionary of Italians), Volume 46 (1996), that Antonio Ferradini settled in Prague already in 1748 or 1749 with long periods of return to Italy to stage his works. He also states that no stays in Dresden or other German cities are documented.
⁽³⁾ It is generally claimed that Ferradini died a pauper in Prague despite his many musical achievements. A similar claim about W. A. Mozart which has been reevaluated by modern scholars, comes to mind. Certainly more detail is needed. The Italian Vlašského Hospital was established along with a Chapel by the Jesuits after an Italian minority moved to the city in the mid-1530s. (See http://www.iic-praga.cz/menu/Istituto/Chi_siamo/Storia_index.html (02/28/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ The Elector of Saxony from 1733 until 1763 was Frederick Augustus II. He was also King of Poland under the name of Augustus III of Poland from 1734 until 1763. He was more interested in hunting, opera and the arts than in Saxony and his Polish kingdom. He only stayed in the latter during three years of his thirty-year reign.
⁽⁵⁾ The Saxon State and University Library in Dresden houses a large music collection containing a.o. the royal private music collection of King Albert of Saxony (1828 - 1902) and the historical collection of the state opera (Staatsoper Dresden).
⁽⁶⁾ James Manheim, "Silvia Rambaldi - Antonio Ferradini: Sei Sonate per Clavicembalo." CD review, AllMusic.com, 2009 release. (https://www.allmusic.com/album/antonio-ferradini-sei-sonate-per-clavicembalo-mw0001875473 (02/28/2018))
⁽⁷⁾ Jonathan Woolf, "Antonio FERRADINI (1718-1779) - Six Sonatas for Harpsichord (c.1760) [78:39]." CD review, MusicWeb International website, Feb. 2009. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Feb09/ferradini_TC713101.htm#ixzz58QMYrWGU (02/28/2018))

Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (aka Marpourg, pseud. Simeon Metaphrastes der Jüngere/the Younger ⁽¹⁾) (1718 - 1795) was a German music critic, theorist, composer, and public servant of the Enlightenment.

Marpurg was active during the reign of Frederick the Great--himself a flutist and composer. In addition to writing a number of influential books and articles on music theory, Marpurg held various public posts in service of the king.

He was born in a well-established family on the Seehof (Neugoldbeck today), a property in Wendemark by Seehausen. His grandfather was a public figure in Seehausen for 39 years, 32 of which as its mayor. ⁽²⁾There were other mayors among his ancestors. The young Marpurg probably received his early education from a private tutor. In 1738 he studied law at the University of Jena. The next year he transferred to Halle (Saale) where he befriended art historian and archaeologist Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717 - 1768) who was instrumental in the so-called 'Tyranny of Greece over Germany,'⁽³⁾ and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729 - 1781), a poet of the Enlightenment.

A contentious tract about a Magister ⁽⁴⁾ at Jena got Marpurg in trouble. Sentenced to prison by Frederick William I, the Soldier King and Frederick the Great's ferocious father, Marpurg fled via Holland to Argentan by the Orne in French Normandy. There he studied Jean-Philippe Rameau's (1683 - 1764) music and François Couperin's (1668 - 1733) style of harpsichord playing. His familiarity with French enlightenment figures such as Voltaire (1694 - 1778), d'Alembert (1717 - 1783) and Maupertuis (1698 - 1759) and their encyclopedic manner informed Marpurg's later writings. After Frederick the Great succeeded his father in 1740, Marpurg returned to Prussia and completed his studies at the University of Frankfurt (Oder) in 1748. ⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾

Marpurg's early biographical information mentions that he was secretary of General Rothenberg or Bodenberg in Paris in 1746. ⁽⁷⁾ This is generally thought to be Friedrich Rudolf von Rothenburg (1710 - 1751). Rothenburg lived as a teenager in Lunéville in Lorraine, joined the Alsatian army, went with a French cousin to Spain where he volunteered in the Spanish army and fought in Algeria, before returning to his military career in the Alsace. He married the daughter of a French lieutenant general. He was called to military duty by Frederick the Great in the early 1740s, and repeatedly proved himself as a war hero. In 1744 Rothenburg entered secret negotiations in Paris with Louis XV and obtained the French king's backing for Frederick's invasion of Bohemia at the start of the Second Silesian War. ⁽⁸⁾If Marpurg assisted Rothenburg during this important mission in Paris, it was in 1744, not 1746. Marpurg did become Rothenburg's secretary in 1749.

Marpurg eventually returned to Berlin. ⁽⁹⁾ The bulk of his writings appeared from 1750 to 1763. A preface to the first edition of J.S. Bach's Art of the Fugue, and his own tract on the Fugue (1753) show Marpurg's early recognition of J.S. Bach's importance. His manuals on Thorough Bass and Composition and his translation of d'Alembert's Elements of Music introduced Rameau's ideas in German harmonic theory. His books and articles on instrumental performance, vocal music, music history and temperament or mathematical music theory made him the leading German music theorist of his time. In 1757 his offer to Breitkopf & Härtel to write for them exclusively, was declined.

In 1760 Frederick the Great appointed Marpurg Director of the Royal Prussian Lotteries. In 1763 he became War Councillor. There was also some domestic bliss. In 1766 a son, Johann Friedrich Marpurg, was born who later became a violinist. Although Marpurg continued to write a couple of books and to publish articles, his musical output was curtailed by these extraneous activities.

Marpurg sometimes faced heated controversies about his writings and theories. One such quarrel concerned Marpurg's ideas regarding the use of fundamental proposed by Rameau vs. Georg Andreas Sorge's (1773 - 1778) more traditional ideas on figured bass. Another was between Marpurg and two other Berlin music theorists, Johann Kirnberger (1721 - 1783) and Kirnberger's student Johann Abraham Peter Schulz (1747 - 1800), a debate which according to recent scholarship left Marpurg unjustly diminished.

In 1772 the reputed music historian Charles Burney (1726 - 1814) paid several visits to Marpurg in Berlin. He found in Marpurg a kindred spirit who gave him valuable information. Among other things, Marpurg gave him a detailed description of an early, unfortunately burnt, prototype of what must have been a musical typewriter. ⁽¹⁰⁾

As a composer Marpurg wrote a number of songs and works for harpsichord and organ. On YouTube, we find a number of pieces for harpsichord and organ. We'll listen to Marpurg's exquisitely French harpsichord music in my next post. Here is some of Marpurg's beautiful organ music, no doubt influenced by J.S. Bach's own organ music and fugues which Marpurg studied closely in the early 1750s.

- Preludio, Capriccio and Fuga in two parts (No. 7 in D).

- A Fugue in D minor.

- Some Chorale Preludes:

Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (Oh, How Great is thy Compassion).

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (Alone to God in the Highest be glory).

Befiehl du deine Wege (Commend Your Way).

Jesu meine Freude (Jesus, my Joy).

Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (I Shall not Abandon God).

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (What God does, that is done well).

Wer nur den lieben Gott (Whoever lets only the dear God).

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⁽¹⁾ The original Symeon the Metaphrast (Symeon Metaphrastes, Simon or Symeon the Logothete) was a tenth century Byzantine hagiographer. He wrote a ten-volume medieval Greek collection of saints' lives.
⁽²⁾ Biographical information about F.W. Marpurg varies considerably among the sources and is often incorrect and contradictory. Willy Thamhayn, "Zur Lebens- und Familiengeschichte Fr. Wilh. Marpurg's (On the life and family history of Fr. Wilh. Marpurg)." Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel 29th Year 1897, No. 7, p. 107. (https://books.google.com/books?id=i_oLAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA107&dq=marpurg%20hof%20zu%20seehausen&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q=marpurg%20hof%20zu%20seehausen&f=false (03/03/2018))
⁽³⁾"Johann Joachim Winckelmann." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Joachim_Winckelmann (03/03/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ A Magister was an academic with a Master's Degree, the highest university at the time. This could have been a professor at Jena with a Master's Degree.
⁽⁵⁾ Frank Norbert Gellerich, "Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg, composer and music critic from Neugoldbeck by Werben." Werben/Elbe, Biedermeier Markbote, No. 8, July 2013, p. 2. (http://www.werben-elbe.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Marktbote-Nr-8-Gellerich.pdf (03/03/2018))
⁽⁶⁾ That Frederick the Great was ready to forgive one of his father's fugitives, is better understood when one knows that Frederick's father considered his son a weakling for his love of music and the arts and his intellectual abilities, and 'did his best to beat him, literally, into a man.' At the same time Frederick's mother made her children speak French, considered the language of cultivated people. (Richard Cavendish, "Frederick the Great comes into the world."History Today, Volume 62 Issue 1, January 2012. (https://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/frederick-great-comes-world (03/04/2018))
⁽⁷⁾ These same sources also state that this is when Marpurg studied French style music and that he met Voltaire and d'Alembert in person in Paris.
⁽⁸⁾ German Enlightenment took hold from the mid-1750s. In the first half of the century the German States still looked to France' for intellectual, cultural and architectural leadership.' Rothenburg and Marpurg are good examples of that influence in Germany.
⁽⁹⁾ Two British sources mention that Marpurg spent several years in Hamburg: the Encyclopedia Britannica and The Musical Times (06/01/1912). Charles Burney who visited regularly with Marpurg in Berlin in 1772 and sings Marpurg's praises in An Eighteenth Century Musical Tour of Central Europe and The Netherlands, Vol. II, is silent on Marpurg's biography.
⁽¹⁰⁾ Charles Burney, "Ib." Percy A. Scholes edition, London, Oxford University Press, 1959, Chapter XI Berlin (28 September-6 October) p. 201. (https://archive.org/stream/eighteenthcentur007203mbp/eighteenthcentur007203mbp_djvu.txt (03/04/2018))

It is not the hand of the teacher that forms the hand of a student, it is his good method. ⁽¹⁾

As discussed in my previous post Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (Marpourg) (1718 - 1795) stayed in France during his student years to escape a prison sentence from Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, the Soldier King. During his exile he became familiar with the latest intellectual and music trends in France and brought it back to Berlin when Frederick the Great ascended the throne in 1740.

François Couperin (1668 - 1733) died when Marpurg was fifteen and still in Germany, but we can deduce that, while in France, Marpurg was trained on the harpsichord by French teachers in the Couperin style. Marpurg's first publication, a collection of Pièces de Clavecin (Pieces for Harpsichord) which was only published in Paris (Royal privilege 1741, publ. 1748), was dedicated to a Monsieur Lallemand who protected the young fugitive in France. ⁽²⁾

In 1753 Marpurg published a more theoretical book Les Principes du Clavecin (Berlin, 1755) with a dedication to Monsieur de Castaing who had encouraged him in France. The original title was Die Kunst das Clavier zu spielen (The Art of playing the Harpsichord), a direct direct translation of the title of Couperin's 1716 L'Art de Toucher le Clavecin. Couperin, with his suggestions for fingerings and ornamentation, sought to express feelings the instrument could not portray with its limited dynamics alone. ⁽²⁾

Marpurg uses many suggestive French titles in both publications. In the Principes he explains the merits of French ornamentation, the rondeau, and the practice of notes inégales. The treatise comes towards the end of Couperin's influence, as a 'maître du temps passé (master of the past),' and shows a more global European approach with the use of Italian terms and references to the German-built clavecin à archet and Sorge's (1703 - 1778) Bach-influenced tuning system. Still, towards the end of the book he gives a series of exercises 'to form the hand' derived from Couperin's examples together with several examples derived from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, without mentioning the master's name. In 1764 the clarinetist Valentin Roeser (ca. 1735 - ca. 1782) ⁽³⁾ published an abridged, more succinct version of Marpurg's work in Paris. ⁽²⁾

- Examples from the Pièces de Clavecin (Paris, 1748):

Suite No. 1 in D major, 1. Les Avanturiers (The Adventurers). Listen to 2. Le Petit Badinage (Little Badinage) and 3. Menuet (et Altro)here and here.

Suite No. 2 in F major, 2. La Voltigeuse, rondeau (The Acrobat, rondo). Listen to 1. Le Songe des Muses, rondeau (Dream of the Muses, rondo)here.

Suite No. 3 in C major/minor, 2. Le Coucou (The Cuckoo). Listen to 1. Tambourins I, II et III and 3. La Plaintive Philis (The Plaintiff Philis)here and here.

Suite No. 4 in A minor/major, 3. Les Petits Trots (Small Steps). Listen to 1. Premiere Gavotte et Double (First Gavotte and Double), 2. Seconde Gavotte et Double (Second Gavotte and Double), 4. Les Remouleurs I et II (The Grinders I and II), and 5. La Frivole (The Frivolous One)here, here, here and here.

Suite No. 5 in G major/minor, 3. Le Diable à Quatre (Devil's Racket), 4. Menuet I et Double and 6. Les Dryades (The Dryads), rondeau. Listen to 1. La Nymphe Marine (The Sea Nymph), 2. Feste provencale (Feast from Provence): Tambourins I et II, Musettes I et II, and 5. Menuet II et Doublehere, here, and here.

Les Dryades reminds of Couperin's Les Sylvains, both mythological creatures of the woods and forests, both double rondeaux played in the low register of the harpsichord. ⁽⁴⁾

- Two excerpts from the Principes du Clavecin (1753): Allegro in A major and Allegro in G major.

- Sonata in A Minor: 1. Allegro, 2. Con tenerezza and 3. Allegretto (1755) played on a spinet.

- 1. Preludio and 2. Capriccio from Fughe e capricci, Op. 1 (1777) for harpsichord or organ, dedicated to C.P.E. Bach who also lived in Berlin.

- Rondeau in G major. This is a little, most charming piece that appears on YouTube in many settings. We first hear it played by the Danish pianist Galina Werschenska (1906 - 1994) who evidently knew how to touch the keyboard, and then in a more up tempo version for trombone. Not sure which collection this comes from.

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⁽¹⁾ F.W. Marpourg, "Principes du Clavecin (Principles of the Harpsichord)." Berlin, Haude et Spener, 1756, Ch. 1, p. 2. (https://archive.org/details/principesduclave00marp (03/04/2018))
⁽²⁾ David Moroney, edited by Christopher Hogwood, "The Keyboard in Baroque Europe, Ch. 6 Couperin, Marpurg and Roeser: a Germanic Art de Toucher le Clavecin or a French Wahre Art?" Cambridge University Press, pp. 122-130. (https://books.google.com/books?id=AVSI8ph-LlgC&lpg=PA122&dq=Marpourg%20Pieces%20de%20clavecin&pg=PA123#v=onepage&q=Marpourg%20Pieces%20de%20clavecin&f=false (03/05/2018))
⁽³⁾ Roeser was a clarinetist in the service of the Prince of Monaco who lived in Paris. He possibly was a student or assistant of Johann Stamitz (1717 - 1757) in Mannheim and may have fled to France during the Seven Years War (1756 - 1763) as, according to Gossec (1734 - 1829), was the case for many musicians.
⁽⁴⁾ Moroney, "Ib.," p. 122.

That must be Mudge for no other man could play my pieces so - George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759) ⁽¹⁾

Richard Mudge (1718 - 1763) was an English clergyman and composer of the late baroque.

The son of a teacher and cleric, he was educated at Bideford Grammar School where his father was master. From 1735 until 1741 he attended Pembroke College, Oxford where he obtained a bachelor's and a master's degree.

In 1741 he became curate and completed his training in the villages of Great and Little Packington. He resided at Packington Hall, ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾the property of Heneage Finch, Lord Guernsey (the later third earl of Aylesford, 1715 - 1777) which indicates that he was perhaps the Lord's private chaplain. Charles Jennens (1700 - 1773), friend of Handel and librettist, was Lord Guernsey's second cousin.

From 1745 until 1757 Mudge was rector at Little Packington and received a benefice. From 1750 on he was also curate at the St. Bartholomew's Chapel located on the Charles Jennens property in Birmingham. The chapel was newly built as a chapel of ease, i.e. to ease the crowding in Birmingham's other churches at a time when the city was rapidly expanding. ⁽⁴⁾

In 1756 Lord Guernsey established Mudge as Rector with an independent living in Bedworth, where he lived until his death.

Richard Mudge, then, was a clergyman as much or more than a musician. We are fortunate to have from him a collection of six concertos and a vocal composition, published in 1749. In addition, two manuscript collections have been found in the Aylesford collection which was inherited by Lord Guernsey/Aylesford from Charles Jennens. The manuscripts contain the same concertos but in slightly different settings. British composer Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956) edited the first, fourth and sixth concertos.

The concertos show the influence of Handel and Francesco Geminiani (1687 - 1762). They were regularly performed in the British provinces. The second through fifth concertos are in seven parts, four violins, viola, cello and continuo, split into a concertino of two violins and cello, and a ripieno of strings and basso continuo. They follow the slow-fast-slow-fast pattern of a French Overture, ending with a Minuet.

The first concerto, Concerto for Trumpet and Strings in D Major (1. Vivace, 2. Allegro, and 3. Larghetto andante), was first recorded by Maurice André (1933 - 2012) in 1957. It was edited by Gerald Finzi and is a concerto for strings with an added part for trumpet. The second movement shows Mudge's skill with counterpoint. ⁽⁵⁾

Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major (1. Largo, 2. Allegro, 3. Larghetto andante, and 4. Allegro). Notable here are 'strong dynamic contrasts through the consistent juxtaposition of the concertino and the ripieno,' at the beginning of the Largo, the 'descending chromatic subject of the first Allegro,' and the 'sparkling' final Allegro. ⁽⁵⁾

Concerto No. 3 in G major (1. Poco largo, 2. Allegro, 3. Adagio, 4. Larghetto, 5. Adagio, and 6. Allegro). The two short Adagios are more transitions than independent movements. The first Poco largo movement is 'dominated by strong staccato chords of the tutti,' and is followed by a bright Allegro. ⁽⁵⁾

Concerto No. 4 in D minor (1. Largo, 2. Allegro ma non troppo, 3. Largo, and 4. Allegro). The Largo is full of expression, and the second movement has a lot of counterpoint. ⁽⁵⁾

Concerto No. 5 in B flat major (1. Largo, 2. Tempo giusto, 3. A la Sarabanda, Larghetto, and 4. Allegro). The first movement has a swaying rhythm. ⁽⁵⁾ The second video is an excerpt from a live performance of the fourth Allegro movement.

Concerto No. 6 for harpsichord or organ in F major (1. Allegro, 2. Largo alla breve, 3. Allegro, 4. Adagio, and 5. Allegro ma non Presto). This is a real concerto for harpsichord or organ. The beginning Allegro functions as a Prelude. ⁽⁵⁾ This is a wonderful organ concerto.

To conclude, here is Non Nobis Domine. The piece starts as an Adagio for strings. The canon, the opening verse of Psalm 115 Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name give the glory, is sung by three voices at the climax of the work @ 2:50. The canon was 'widespread among Jacobite recusants, particularly the Anglican 'non-jurors.'' Mudge's setting may have been a political statement on behalf of Charles Jennens, 'a 'non-juror' who refused allegiance to the house of Hanover which reigned since 1713.'⁽⁵⁾

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⁽¹⁾ Stamford Raffles Flint, "Mudge Memoirs: Being a Record of Zachariah Mudge, and Some Members of His Family." Truro, Netherton & Worth, 1883, p. 68. The author is a descendant of the composer's brother whose family sources may not have been 100% accurate. The composer's year of death, for example, is given as 1773 instead of 1763. According to the memoirs, Mudge:

was a friend of Handel. An anecdote is related of Handel coming into the room on one occasion where Mr. Mudge was playing one of his compositions, he immediately exclaimed, "that must be Mudge for no other man could play my pieces so."

Handel frequently visited Charles Jennens' estate. (https://books.google.com/books?id=Y_9cwpzBlNEC&pg=PA68#v=onepage&q&f=false (03/06/2018))
⁽²⁾ Richard Platt, "Mudge, Richard (1718 - 1763), cleric, composer." Grove Music Online, January 2001. (http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.19288 (03/06/2018))
⁽³⁾ Bideford, Mudge's place of birth, is a port town on the southwest coast of England. Great Packington is near the traditional center of England.
⁽⁴⁾ William Dargue, "Chapels and Churches in the Ancient Parish of Birmingham - St Bartholomew's Chapel." A History of Birmingham Churches from A to Y website, 05/25/2011. (https://ahistoryofbirminghamchurches.jimdo.com/birmingham-st-martin-in-the-bull-ring/st-bartholomew-digbeth/ (03/063/2018))
⁽⁵⁾ Johan Van Veen, "Richard MUDGE (1718-1763) - Six Concertos in Seven Parts." CD review, MusicWeb International website,
June 2009. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/June09/Mudge_tudor7173.htm (03/06/2018))

Nicolo Pasquali (1717/1718 - 1757) was a violinist, composer, and theorist born in Cosenza in the South of Italy and active in the British Isles.

Little is known about his youth and music education. It is possible that he heard Domenico Alberti (ca. 1710 - 1746) sing and play the harpsichord. ⁽¹⁾ He would later praise Alberti's musical clarity. In view of his later activities for the stage, it is likely that Pasquali studied opera, possibly in Naples. ⁽²⁾

The allure of Italy in the eighteenth century made the country's musicians popular in the British centers of London, Dublin and Edinburgh. ⁽⁴⁾

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Nicolo Pasquali arrived in London with his younger brother Francis, a cellist referred to as Sg. Pasquali Jr., in the early 1740s. Nicolo performed in concerts with his brother, wrote for the theater, and was probably a member of the King's Theatre Orchestra. In 1744 a Sonata a Violino e Basso was published in London with a reprint in Paris. His works also appeared in collections, a.o. of Comic Tunes to dances performed in theaters, Select Minuets, and a collection of favorite songs from the pasticcio opera La Ingratitudine Punita. ⁽⁵⁾

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In September 1748 Pasquali traveled to Dublin and was active in the theater there until the early 1750s. He led the orchestra at Smock Alley Theatre which a.o. played several Handel oratorios, and performed as a soloist.

He wrote music of three masques, incidental music for Shakespeare plays, music for The Beggar's Opera and overtures for performances of another ballad opera and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater. His works continued to be published in London. ⁽⁷⁾

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In 1752 Pasquali went to Edinburgh and in March 1753 he was engaged by the Edinburgh Musical Society to lead their weekly concerts. Except for an early opera production, The Enraged Musician or, The Tempest Rehearsed, Pasquali mostly concentrated on instrumental music and teaching. This probably had something to do with the Scottish aversion to operatic subject matters which were often deemed inappropriate. ⁽⁹⁾ Even so, some of his earlier theatrical compositions such as the Solemn Dirge he composed for Romeo and Juliet, continued to be performed. ⁽¹⁰⁾

At first Pasquali led the Edinburgh band in Handel oratorios, Corelli's concerti grossi, The Beggar's Opera and his own compositions for violin. In time he became more influenced by Scottish folk music and was probably also involved with stagings of the ballad opera The Gentle Shepherd which was very popular at the time. He appeared in concerts given by Scots and Italian musicians where a mix of classical and folk music was performed. A number of his minuets which were performed by Scots folk fiddlers. Two such works found their way into collections of classical and Scottish folk music. ⁽¹¹⁾

Much of Pasquali's music and theoretical writings was lost, a.o. two oratorios, three masques, two cantatas, and the aforementioned overture to Pergolesi's Stabat Mater. Nevertheless, two important treatises were published in Edinburgh by the publisher Robert Brenmer:

- Thoroughbass made Easy (1757) was edited and published in England through the nineteenth century and translated into French and Dutch. It was used for thorough-bass instruction for many decades.

- In 1760 The Art of Fingering the Harpsichord was published posthumously. Here Pasquali explains the importance of holding notes sufficiently in order not to interrupt vibration of tones. He compares Handel's three- and four-part writing with Domenico Alberti's two-part writing and declares the latter clearer and thus more desirable for the instrument. ⁽¹²⁾⁽¹³⁾

Pasquali died at the young age of 39; one source mentions 'the fluxes' as the cause of death. ⁽¹⁴⁾ He was by all accounts a much respected violinist, teacher, and music theorist.

On YouTube we find the Sonata No. 11 in F major from the collection of Twelve Sonatas for two violins, viola and continuo. It is an attractive work in three movements: 1. Largo, 2. Presto, and 3. Grazioso.

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⁽¹⁾ Domenico Alberti was a Venetian singer-harpsichordist who worked for a year at the Spanish Court in 1736 and died in Rome. Today he is known as the author of the Alberti bass using accompaniments of arpeggiated figures.
⁽²⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, "Italian music and musicians in Edinburgh c. 1720-1800 : a historical and critical study." PhD Thesis, University of Glasgow, Vol. I, 1999, p. 56. (http://theses.gla.ac.uk/8655/1/1999baxterphd_v1.pdf (03/23/2018))
⁽³⁾ William Capon [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽⁴⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., p. 24.
⁽⁵⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., pp. 57-58.
⁽⁶⁾ By Smirkybec (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽⁷⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., pp. 58-60.
⁽⁸⁾ By Morris [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽⁹⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., pp. 26-33.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., pp. 60-63.
⁽¹¹⁾ Sonia Tinagli Baxter, Ib., pp. 64-76.
⁽¹²⁾Nicolo Pasquali, "The Art of Fingering the Harpsichord." Edinburgh, Robert Brenmer printing press, 1760, p. 24. (http://imslp.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Fingering_the_Harpsichord_(Pasquali%2C_Nicolo) (03/22/2018))
⁽¹³⁾ Daniel Heartz, "Music in European Capitals: The Galant Style, 1720-1780." New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 2003, p. 250. (https://books.google.com/books?id=Sq7rU0BGyREC&lpg=PA250&ots=BQImG4cyJY&dq=Niccolo%20Pasquali&pg=PA250#v=onepage&q=Niccolo%20Pasquali&f=false (03/22/2018))
⁽¹⁴⁾ This was probably dysentery.

Giuseppe Scarlatti (1718 or 1723 - 1777) was the third most important composer of the Scarlatti family. ⁽¹⁾ He worked in different Italian cities mostly on Italian operas. It is not sure whether he is the son of Carlo Francesco Giacomo (b. 1692) born in 1718 and thus a grandson of Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 - 1725) and a nephew of Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757), as stated by Charles Burney (1726-1814), or a son of one of Alessandro's younger brothers, the unfortunate Francesco Scarlatti (1666 - ca. 1741) or the tenor Tommaso Scarlatti (1669/72-1741). His first composition, the oratorio La Santissima Vergine Annunziata, was produced in Rome in 1939 with Giuseppe billed as a Chapelmaster from Naples, which makes Burney's claim of a 1718 birth year more likely. Some sources also mention 1712 as Giuseppe's year of birth, but that seems unsubstantiated.

Giuseppe Scarlatti's activities have been determined by the location of the premieres of his operas: Rome (1739-1741), Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Turin (1741-1749), Venice (1752-1754 and again 1756-1759), possibly Barcelona (1752) in collaboration with Gioacchino Cocchi (ca. 1715 - 1804), Naples (1755), Milan (1756), Turin (1763) and Verona (1765).

He composed over 30 operas, two of which have dubious attributions--21 are opera seria and 11 opera buffa, three cantatas, an oratorio, a ballet, serenatas and a harpsichord sonata. Domenico Scarlatti whose full birth name was Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti which may have led to some confusion.

His operas are set to libretti by a.o. Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) and Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793). Two works featured below are to libretti by Marco Coltellini (1724-1777).

The works are written in a simple, lyrical style, sometimes showing real comedic talent. None of them brought Giuseppe the popularity enjoyed by his grandfather/uncle Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) or by his uncle/cousin Domenico Scarlatti (born Giuseppe Domenico, 1685-1757).

In the late 1750s Giuseppe Scarlatti moved to Vienna where he was active as composer, harpsichordist, and teacher for the Schwarzenberg family until his death. Until 1764 he enjoyed the protection of Count Durazzo (1717-1794) and Gluck (1714-1787) who were bent on operatic reform at the Viennese Court Theater. Up to 1772 a number of Scarlatti's works were produced at the Burgtheater, a.o. Armida and its intermezzo giocoso Dove è amore è gelosia, both featured below.

At YouTube we find some excerpts and one full production of Giuseppe Scarlatti's operas and a cantata. Some are in digital transcriptions by Giuseppe Migliore, a musicologist at the University of Palermo.

- From the opera buffa L'isola disabitata (Desert Island) (Venice, 1757), the Overture, the aria Ora al monte ed ora al fonte (One minute at the mountain, the next at the spring), and Son buona buona fino a quel segno (They're so very, very fine), in transcription:

- From the opera La clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus) (Venice, carnival 1760), the duet Prence è ver la morte attendo (Prince, it is true, I await death) in a transcription of the manuscript from the Naples Conservatorio S. Pietro in Majella, Napoli:

- From the cantata I Lamenti d'Orfeo (Orpheus' Laments) for two voices and orchestra (Vienna, 1762), Orfeo's aria I Sentir parmi d'intorno (I think I hear all around), again transcribed:

- A delightful, open air performance of the festa teatraleArmida (Vienna, ca. 1766), starting in daylight in a rococo setting and ending in the dark with fireworks. The work was dedicated to Scarlatti's patron Prince Joseph Adam I of Schwarzenberg (1722-1782) and his daughter Maria Theresa ((1747-1788). Dove è amore è gelosia, the last work featured below, was used as intermezzo.

- To conclude, let's watch an introductory video and excerpts from a live production at Český Krumlov Castle where it was first performed. of the intermezzo giocosoDove è amore è gelosia (Where there is love, there is jealousy) (Český Krumlov Castle, 1768). The work was written for the wedding celebration of Jan Nepomuk, eldest son of Prince Joseph Adam I of Schwarzenberg and Maria Eleonora of Öttingen-Wallerstein. The couple would have thirteen children.

According to the notes to the second video, the opera buffa had all the ingredients to please the self-confessed 'low-brow taste' of an Austro-German prince. Here are the original lyrics.

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⁽¹⁾ Malcolm Boyd and Gordana Lazarevich: "Scarlatti family (opera)." New Grove Dictionary - Opera, 12/01/1992; published online Grove Music Online (2002), Oxford University Press. (http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-5000904592 (03/24/2018))

He is an Italian through and through, but in the highest sense; often, while listening to his music, it seemed to me that he came from the genuine land of song--the unknown, ever joyous land,--but not that he belonged to this or that nationality. ...
I was sorry to perceive that he did not disdain to flatter the public. … he does not need to take refuge in the artifices of coquetry. - Robert Schumann ⁽¹⁾

Antonio Bazzini (1818-1897) was an Italian concert violinist--'a prime example of the nineteenth-century virtuoso'⁽²⁾, and a composer and educator born in Brescia. After extensive tours through Europe he returned to Italy to focus on composition.

His godfather Antonio Buccellini (1785-1864), a literary man, supported him financially and culturally. Bazzini's earliest compositions include several song settings of his godfather's poems. ⁽²⁾

With Buccellini's support he became a violin student of Chapelmaster Faustino Camisani (1772-1830) at age seven and a half. By age eleven he had already acquired a solid technique. By age 17 he was maestro di cappella at the San Filippo Church ⁽³⁾ where his teacher had held the same position. While there Bazzini wrote masses, vespers and six oratorios. ⁽²⁾

In 1836 he played first violin in a quintet by Luigi Savi (1803-1842) dedicated to Paganini (1782-1840) with the acclaimed virtuoso in the audience. Paganini advised Bazzini to tour as a virtuoso. ⁽²⁾ The following year Bazzini performed in Milan, Venice, Trieste, Vienna and Budapest. From 1841 to 1845 he toured in Germany, Denmark and Poland. He spent some time in Leipzig, studying Bach and Beethoven. Schumann (1810-1856) admired his lyrical style. He performed with Mendelssohn's (1809-1847) Gewandhaus Orchestra, and it is said that he gave one of the first private performances of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto (1844).

In 1845 he returned briefly to Brescia and performed in Naples and Palermo (1846). He toured in Spain (1848 or 1849-1850) and lived in Paris (1852-1863). His last tour was in the Netherlands (1864).

Like many nineteenth century virtuosos, Bazzini wrote for his instrument. Some of these compositions demand considerable technical skills and agility, others appeal with an abundant lyricism. Let's listen to some of them, all from printed collections of Morceaux. Many of them are included in this playlist.

- From 6 Morceaux lyriques (Six lyrical pieces), Op. 35 (1860), 1. Elégie - Andante mesto, 3. Le Muletier (épisode de la vie de montagne) (The Muleteer (an episode of mountain life)) which starts with a blissful stroll, soon encounters the challenges of a steep mountain climb before resuming the happy stroll, and 6. Boléro - Allegro. Listen to 2. La Joie (Joy): Allegro gioioso, 4. Bavardage (Chat) - Scherzo: Vivace, and 5. Rêves de Bonheur (mélodie élégante) (Dreams of Happiness (elegant melody)): Andantinohere, here and here.

- From Trois morceaux en forme de sonate for violin and pianoforte (Three pieces in sonata form for violin and pianoforte), Op. 44 (ca. 1863), 2. Romanza. Listen to 1. Allegro giusto and 3. Finale: Allegro Vivacehere and here.

- From 3 Morceaux caractéristiques (Three characteristic pieces), Op. 45, 3. Seguedille: Allegro moderato, a more virtuosic piece. Listen to 1. Heure d'amour and 2. Regrets: Andante con motohere and here.

- From 3 Morceaux (Three pieces), Op. 46, 3. Inquiétude (Worry): Agitato. Listen to 1. Une matinée au lido (Morning at the lido): Allegretto con moto and 2. Séparation: Andante appassionatohere and here.

- From 3 Morceaux (Three pieces), Op. 53, 1. Sotto I salici (Under the Willows), another beautiful lyrical piece. Listen to 2. Pourquoi? (Why?) and 3. Mignonne (Lovely)here and here.

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⁽¹⁾ Robert Schumann, "Music and Musicians - Essays and Criticisms." 1854. Translated, edited and annotated by Fanny Raymond Ritter, London, William Reeves, 1891, pp. 155-157. (https://books.google.com/books?id=QdKfAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA155&dq=robert%20schumann%2Bantonio%20bazzini&pg=PA155#v=onepage&q=robert%20schumann+antonio%20bazzini&f=false (03/25/2018))
⁽²⁾"Antonio Bazzini." Composer entry, Naxos. (https://www.naxos.com/person/Antonio_Bazzini/17267.htm (03/25/2018))
⁽³⁾ This is perhaps the Santa Maria della Pace Church, home to the congregation of San Filippo Neri in Brescia and known for its pipe organ.

As seen in my previous post the renowned violinist Antonio Bazzini (1818-1897) composed many virtuoso and lyrical pieces for his own instrument, mostly during his performance years (1837-1864).

He followed in the footsteps of Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) whom he met in 1836, and was admired by Robert Schumann (1810-1856) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) in Leipzig in the early 1840s. Schumann who did not particularly like virtuosos for virtuosity's sake, still much admired Bazzini's abundant lyricism. In 1852 the violinist settled in Paris where he gave a series of concerts in 1853 and where a number of his works were published.

The following videos show Bazzini's virtuoso writing although much of it retains his undisputed lyrical qualities. We also hear a substantial operatic fantasy and a beautiful sonata.

- The Scherzo fantastique, La ronde des lutins (Dance of the Goblins) for Violin and Piano, Op. 25 (1852) was a hit. The violinist is challenged to play 'extended passages of rapid double stops, artificial harmonics in double stops (using all four left fingers) and left-hand pizzicati'⁽¹⁾ as a light, pleasant piece. We hear three interpretations: Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987) in a 1917 recording, Itzhak Perlman (b. 1945), and an arrangement played by Alexandr Maslo, a young clarinetist.

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- Le Carillon d'Arras, Op. 36 (1863), introduction, theme and six variations on a Flemish air from the sixteenth century which is still played on the hour on the carillon of the Arras belfry tower in northern France. ⁽³⁾

We first hear the belfry tower itself, then Bazzini's piece. The theme starts @ 1:32.

- 2 Grandes Études for violin and piano, Op. 49 (1868): 1. Allegro vivace assai in D major and 2. Allegro giusto in G major.

- Fantasia on themes from “La Traviata,” Op. 50 (1871), in a live performance.

- Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 55 (written 1867, publ. 1872) in E minor: 1. Allegro deciso, 2. Andante con moto and 3. Finale. Vivace.

There is some German Sturm und Drang, but also much 'expansive lyricism.'⁽⁴⁾

- Rêverie, Op. posth., first in the original for violin and piano, and then in an arrangement for violin and cello.

- For further listening, this video includes, in addition to some of the works featured here and in my previous post, Morceaux lyriques Op. 41, Menus propos! Causières musicales. Première suite Op. 47 - 1. Les Recrues (Vivace), Deux Morceaux Fantastiques Op. 43, and the Deuxième Suite Op. 48.
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⁽¹⁾"Antonio Bazzini - Music." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Bazzini#Music (03/26/2018))
⁽²⁾ By Acd1066 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
⁽³⁾ T. Lamb Phipson, "Old Flemish Musich in Italy." London, The Strad: A Monthly Journal for Professionals and Amateurs of All Stringed Instruments Played with the Bow, Volume 16, p. 116. (https://books.google.com/books?id=IMBEAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA148&ots=y5Lris7PLW&dq=carillon%20of%20arras&pg=PA148#v=onepage&q=carillon%20of%20arras&f=false (03/26/2018))
⁽⁴⁾ Jonathan Woolf, "Antonio BAZZINI (1818-1897) - Works for violin and piano." CD review, MusicWeb International website, rec. April 1999. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/June11/bazzini_vln_DM8018.htm#ixzz5AtOR72xd (03/26/2018))

While on his European tours (1837-1864) as a concert violinist, Antonio Bazzini (1818-1897) became familiar with European instrumental music, a genre long obscured in Italy by the ever popular opera.

Upon returning to his native town of Brescia in 1864 he moved away from writing virtuoso pieces for the violin to focus on composing chamber and orchestral works, both instrumental and vocal. Bazzini's resulting chamber music, written in the classic forms of the German school, 'has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century.'⁽¹⁾

While in Brescia, he performed in a string quartet at the home of his friend and pianist Gaetano Franchi. He helped create the Società dei Concerti, becoming its president (1868), and brought Hans von Bülow (1830-1894) and Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894) to Italy (1870 and 1874 respectively). ⁽²⁾

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In 1873 he became composition professor at the Milan Conservatory where he taught a.o. Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893), Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945), Emilio Pizzi (1861-1940), and Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924).

In 1882 he became the school's director.

Both in Brescia and Milan he actively promoted and composed for quartet societies in Italy. In addition to seven String Quartets which he wrote into the 1890s, ⁽⁴⁾ Bazzini also wrote a Feuillet d'album WoO (1868) for string quartet and a String Quintet for two violins, viola and two cellos WoO (1866). These works are considered among his strongest. Let's take a listen.

- String Quartet No. 1 in C major, WoO, (1864): 1. Adagio - Allegro risoluto, 2. Andante sostenuto, 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivo, and 4. Finale. Allegro deciso. The work won first prize of the Milan Quartet Society in 1864. The lightness of the Scherzo reminds of Mendelssohn (1807-1847) whom Bazzini befriended during his stay in Leipzig during the early 1840s.

- String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 75 (1877): 1. Allegro appassionato, 2. Andante con moto, 3. Gavotte. Allegretto, and 4. Quasi presto. This is a very playable quartet with a beautiful second movement--a true song without words. The Gavotte anticipates Respighi's (1879-1936) Ancient Airs and Dances. ⁽⁵⁾

- String Quartet No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 76 (1878): 1. Molto sostenuto - Allegro vivo, 2. Minuetto. Allegro giusto, 3. Andante quasi allegretto - Allegro impetuoso - Andante cantabile, and 4. Vivacissimo. Especially beautiful is the third movement:

... which is clearly the center of the quartet's gravity. The sad, lilting opening theme is followed more subdued musette and then a set of excellently contrasting and effective variations.⁽⁶⁾

- String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 79 (1888): 1. Allegro grazioso, 2. Lento - Con moto quasi allegretto, 3. Gavotte, and 4. Allegro con fuoco.

The second movement opens with a Lento introduction which is a dramatic recitative for the first violin. The main section, Con moto quasi allegretto is a pleasant but subdued march.⁽⁷⁾

- String Quartet No. 5 in C minor, Op. 80 (1891): 1. Allegro appassionato, 2. Andante, 3. Intermezzo: Allegretto con moto, and 4. Allegro agitato - Vivace con fuoco. It was the last published quartet during Bazzini's lifetime.

It is well-crafted with outstanding quartet style and above all good to play. The first movement, Allegro appassionato is unusual in that the second theme is of greater interest than the opening subject. The lovely second movement, Andante, is a beautiful song without words complete with a gorgeous second theme. The very Italian Intermezzo which follows has considerable charm whilst the finale, Allegro agitato, is quite effective. - Wilhelm Altmann ⁽⁸⁾

- String Quartet No. 6 in F major, Op. 82 (1892): 1. Allegro, 2. Andante espressivo, 3. Saltarello: Vivacissimo, and 4. Allegro energico. The quartet remained unpublished until 2012. The manuscript was held at Milan Conservatory.

The lyricism of the first two movements is contrasted with a 'take-no-prisoners (but mostly lighter-than-air) saltarello.' The last movement proceeds in a steady, happy pace. Quite a work for a near octogenarian. ⁽⁹⁾

- To conclude, the very short Feuillet d'Album in F major (1868), here performed in an arrangement for clarinet quartet.

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⁽¹⁾"Antonio Bazzini." Wikipedia entry. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Bazzini (03/26/2018))
⁽²⁾"Antonio Bazzini." Composer entry, Naxos. (https://www.naxos.com/person/Antonio_Bazzini/17267.htm (03/25/2018))
⁽³⁾ By Carlodell (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
⁽⁴⁾ Six are numbered. The String Quartet in F major WoO (1865) is not.
⁽⁵⁾"String Quartet No. 2 in d minor, Op. 75." Edition Silvertrust presents Antonio Bazzini, sheetmusic. (http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/bazzini-string-quartet-2.htm (03/26/2018))
⁽⁶⁾"String Quartet No. 3 in E flat Major, Op. 76." Edition Silvertrust presents Antonio Bazzini, sheetmusic. (http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/bazzini-string-quartet-3.htm (03/27/2018))
⁽⁷⁾"String Quartet No. 4 in G Major, Op. 79." Edition Silvertrust presents Antonio Bazzini, sheetmusic. (http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/bazzini-string-quartet-4.htm (03/26/2018))
⁽⁸⁾Wilhelm Altmann (1862-1951), Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler (Handbook for String Quartet Players), quoted in "String Quartet No. 5 in c minor, Op. 80." Edition Silvertrust presents Antonio Bazzini, sheetmusic. (http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/bazzini-string-quartet-5.htm (03/27/2018))
⁽⁹⁾ Charles Small, "Antonio Bazzini’s Sixth String Quartet." The Chamber Music Journal, Vol. 23 No. 1, Spring 2012, p. 2 and pp. 6-7. (http://chambermusicjournal.org/pdf/Vol23-no1.pdf (03/26/2018))

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