The name of Francesco Geminani is almost exclusively associated with
the violin. He was educated as a violinist, probably receiving the
first lessons from his father. He performed in this capacity, first
in Italy, then in England, where he settled in 1714. There he lived
and worked for 18 years. After that he travelled quite a bit, moving
between London, Dublin and Paris.
Geminiani's compositional output is dominated almost exclusively by
music for string instruments: sonatas for violin and for cello with
basso continuo, trio sonatas and concerti grossi. The latter category
includes arrangements of violin sonatas of his own and by Arcangelo
Corelli. The single work which includes parts for wind instruments
is the incidental music
La forêt enchantée which
was commissioned by the architect and theatre director Giovanni Niccolò
Servandoni in Paris. The composer was present at the performances
in 1754 which were not a great success. It was not his first visit
to Paris; he had been there twice before. His first visit lasted from
the end of 1732 until September 1733. This resulted in the
Pièces
de clavecin which were printed simultaneously in London and Paris
in 1743. This was followed by a sequence in 1762, the year of Geminiani's
death. These two discs include the pieces from the first collection
which are arrangements of sonatas from Geminiani’s opp. 1, 2
and 4.
I couldn't find any information about Geminiani's keyboard skills.
He must at least have had a basic understanding of the keyboard, and
was probably able to play it at a reasonable level. Keyboard transcriptions
of instrumental works were quite common at the time, but Geminiani's
arrangements are different in that they are idiomatic for the keyboard.
It is generally assumed that he was strongly influenced by the music
of the French harpsichord composers which he heard during his stay
in Paris. At that time there were many French composers who embraced
the Italian style. Geminiani was one of the few Italians who adopted
elements of the French taste. His sonatas op. 4 for violin and bc
bear witness to that. It can't be a coincidence that he took movements
from this collection for keyboard arrangements. The French influence
is already clear from the title, and the French language is used throughout
the collection in his indications for the interpreter.
Notable French elements are the frequent use of the form of the
rondeau
which was one of the most popular in France, and the writing of
doubles.
Andrew Woolley and Hank Knox, in their liner-notes to the respective
recordings, each see a parallel between Geminiani's
Pièces
de clavecin and the keyboard oeuvre of Jean-Philippe Rameau. Knox
also observes that these pieces in various ways are illustrations
of Geminiani's instructions in his treatises. During his career he
published no fewer than eight. In these he addressed, among other
subjects, 'good taste' and the art of accompaniment. These include
instructions about ornamentation. The often very extensive written-out
ornaments in the harpsichord pieces can be regarded as illustrations
of his instructions.
These harpsichord pieces seem to have been quite popular; the first
collection was reprinted as late as 1778. This could be used as an
argument for the harpsichord Hank Knox chose to play. It is signed
"Jacobus et Abraham Kirckmann Londini Fecerunt 1772". "It features
a distinctive English innovation, a pedal-operated 'machine-stop':
pressing on it allows for an instantaneous change of registration
and subsequent contrast in timbre. When the pedal is in the raised
position, all registers sound; when the pedal is depressed, only one
register remains." Historically speaking the use of this device in
this repertoire is questionable: it is highly unlikely Geminiani knew
such an instrument or would have had anything like that in mind. We
therefore should probably take this recording as an example of how
Geminiani's
Pièces could have been played in the 1770s.
The said device is used with moderation, though, showing that Hank
Knox is a very fine and considerate performer. These pieces are played
in a truly dance-like manner; their rhythms come off very well. It
is, in particular, in the slower pieces that he takes more time than
Francesca Lanfranco who certainly delivers good performances but lacks
Knox’s refinement and subtlety. Her playing - on a copy by Frank
Hubbard of a Taskin of c.1760 - sometimes seems a bit abrasive and
awkward. Knox also has the advantage of a better recording. The miking
in Lanfranco's recording is a little too close for comfort, and attention
to detail is at the cost of the whole picture.
Both the interpretation and the recording make me choose Knox as the
clear favourite in these fine pieces by Geminiani.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
