From the great man to the Galanti

Abstract

Under review here is a large collection of Italian vocal and instrumental music from the whole Baroque spectrum: from Frescobaldi at the turn of the 17th century to Giuseppe Sammartini in the mid-1750s. The gamba consort Ensemble Braccio present a varied introduction to this pillar of 17th-century music in their Frescobaldi: Arie e Canzone (Aliud ACD HD 024–2, rec 2006, 60′). Canzonas from the 1628 Rome print are interspersed with arie musicali from the two 1630 Florence prints. One of the most difficult aspects of playing Frescobaldi's toccatas, canzonas and passacaglias is the characterization and grouping together of the many short sections of which these work consist. Because of not-entirely-understood ratios, metres and notational individualities, it is easy to contrast these pieces by exaggerating (presumed) differences in tempo and metre. This way, though, one loses Frescobaldi's ideal of a continuous narrative, of a story unfolding across the short sections. Instead, one should use articulation and characterization to create contrast while keeping tempos within a fluid fluctuation rather than by sharp difference. This is generally achieved here, but not always. Some of the semiquaver sections are taken too fast (e.g. the last section of the canzona La Lucchesina), rather than giving them a lively, dancing character without too strong a change of tempo. Other sections taken too fast include those in 3/2 and 12/8 in La Trombocina, as well as some dotted rhythms played rather ‘strong’ and angular (triple-time dotted rhythms should have a certain lilt). These are in essence creative, poetic pieces that require plasticity in the handling by changing the character of the music. Although they are difficult to play there is no virtuosity in the later sense of the word. The players get it right in La Bernardina with restrained tempos and well-captured transitions between the contemplative and dancing sections. Ensemble Braccio also do very well the freer endings to slower sections by adding imaginative cadential elaborations.