JOAN and JOSEP PLA
Trios Sonatas (7)
Barcelona Consort.
la mà de guido LMG
2036 (DDD) [72 .25]
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I wish that I could summons some enthusiasm for this disc of seven trio sonatas
by two Spanish brothers of the 18th century.
I feel that this music has limited appeal. One feels, not knowing much about
the Pla brothers that one has heard this music before. It is so much like
other early composers. For those who like delicate, pastel, unadventurous
elegant music, which this is, you may love this disc. But 72 minutes of charming
music which is rather dull was difficult to endure.
It has to be said that the performers are magnificent. There are various
flutes and a oboe used with the continuo of a viola da gamba and a keyboard.
But the music has no get up and go. Nothing happens. Rather like a Jane Austen
novel even though it may have charm and remind us of good manners.
This disc also reminds us of the many problems of early music.
Incidentally, Joan Pla is a man.. if you had not gathered that already.
There seems to be no indication of which brother wrote which sonata or whether
all of them were equally joint efforts. The sleeve note tells us that early
copies were unscrupulously changed and varied and so we do not know who wrote
what and whether what we have is original.
What my students find so irritating about this type of music is that they
are called Trio Sonata and yet they all employ four instruments. Of course
it was the custom of the time that a low string instrument copy the bass
line of the continuo on the keyboard. Students also find that examining bodies
are so keen to deal with figured basses and yet will not have within their
examinations other disciplines such as serialism. The most annoying feature
of early music is another shorthand, that of ornaments Wouldn't life be easier
if the composers wrote them out in full and so we did not have all this
unnecessary academic nonsense about authenticity.
As I have said these works are exquisitely played and may well be important
in the history of early music particularly as regards Spain. The very gentleness
of the music seems to belie the red-bloodedness of the delightful people
we associate with this country.
But the works do have merit. No less a great composer than Roberto Gerhard
was vastly interested in them and enthused them about to me in Oxford once.
And I don't think that was exclusively due to his Spanish origins either.
David Wright
Performances
Recording
