Marco DALL’AQUILA (c.1480-1538)
Music for Lute
For track-listing see below
Sandro Volta (six-course lute by Ivo Magherini)
rec. April 2013, Santa Croce Museum, Umbertide, Perugia, Italy
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94805 [49.09]
Marco Dall’Aquila is a very shadowy figure and it's not
surprising if you have not heard of him or any of his output. Well done
to Sandro Volta and Brilliant Classics for giving us a chance to listen
to his voice. It's just a shame that the CD gives us less than
fifty minutes of music. All this despite its rarity and the fact that
the new critical edition by Arthur J. Ness of Dall’Aquila’s
complete works will amount to four volumes. The composer’s biography
- as far as we know it - adds up to his probably having spent much of
his life in Venice working for aristocratic families. His style is in
transition between the early and late renaissance.
The short Ricercar No. 6 shows
off one of his compositional methods. It begins homophonically with a
dance rhythm of long and two shorts. From this it gradually builds the
counterpoint in upper and lower voices adding ornaments and imitation.
There is a modulation at the midway point before a general repetition
with few alterations: a simple example.
The Ricercar No. 7 is in a minor mode and is
one of the longest. This is not just a result of a slower tempo but with
the longer phrase lengths and added ornamentation contributing to the
melancholic mood. The second section moves becomes more impassioned and
changes the mode. The third section - which could almost be a - Pavan
returns to its opening mode and uses more sequential patterning.
'Ricercar' means ‘to search out’; whereas these
are normally quite structured these are often striking and quite free.
The Fantasia (tr. 11) — sadly only two
have been recorded — tends to be just a constant development of
various melodies and cadences but utilizing the full instrumental range
in its two sections. Pieces like these indicate a quite sophisticated
level of compositional skill and also of the potential performer.
The first half of the CD is devoted to various popular dance forms beginning
with a rather mysterious Calvacha, a dance related,
one assumes, to riding and horses. Various repetitive percussive chords
between phrases pierce the simple melody.
The In te Domine speravi is a lute arrangement
of a melody of a prayer also used by Josquin and others. It illustrates
the idea of moving the accompanimental counterpoint between the voices,
or as one might say, between the fingers.
The dances called Burato are quite forceful
and rhythmic. The melody of La Traditora can
also be found throughout Europe in the first half of the sixteenth century
but is probably of Italian origin. Along with a piece like that and others
like Duna cosa spagnola or Pomo
these represent the more popular end of Dall’Aquila’s output.
They are often short and memorable, and all are from his single publication
‘Intabolatura di Liuto de diversi Autori’ of 1536. It seems
though that there had also been a publication of his work in 1505.
I can’t make a strong case out for this composer as an overlooked
master, other than adding that the music is pleasing and very much of
its time. The performances, in what is often quite technically challenging
music as explained by Sandro Volta in his interesting notes, are immaculate.
The recording is quite close but clear considering that it took place
in a spacious church museum. The instrument sometimes lacks a little finesse
but it also seems to be suitable for much of the music recorded.
Just a final note to add that when the disc is played in the computer
each title has a number after it - Cavalcha No. 46, Brangatin No. 47 -
but these are not offered on the CD box or in the booklet.
Gary Higginson
Track-listing
1. Cavalcha [1.37]
2. Ricercar [2.45]
3. Rivercar all frolla [0.52]
4. In te Domine speravi [1.36]
5. Burato [0.55]
6. Bragantin [2.03]
7. D’una cosa spagnola [1.11]
8. Pomo [1.36]
9. Burato [1.19]
10. La traditora [1.57]
11. Fantasia [3.12]
12. Ricercar No 2 [2.08]
13. Ricercar No 3 [2.45]
14. Ricercar No 4 [4.56]
15. Ricercar No 5.[2.35]
16. Ricercar No 6 [2.36]
17. Ricercar No 7 [4.14]
18. Ricercar No 8 [2.31]
19. Ricercar No 9 [1.03]
20. Ricercar No 10 [1.58]
21. Fantasia [4.04]
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