Bernardo PASQUINI (1637-1710)
Sonate per gravecembalo
Aria seconda in C (Cekm 47/2) [0:59]
Toccata 'Per Francia' in a minor (Cekm 99) [3:03]
Suite in D 'Per lo Scozzese' (Cekm 23)
Toccata in g minor (Cekm 103) [1:38]
Passagagli in g minor (Cekm 69) [2:53]
Toccata in c minor 'Per lo Scozzese' [1:54]
Toccata in C (Cekm 104) [2:18]
Passagagli in C 'Per Petronilla' (Cekm 67) [1:55]
Variazioni in C 'Per la medesima' (Cekm 60) [6:24]
Fantasia 'la mi fa fa' in d minor (Cekm 1) [5:50]
Partite diverse di follia in d minor (Cekm 61) [6:11]
Ricercare 'in D. sol re' in d minor (Cekm 4) [4:09]
Suite in e minor 'Per l'Inglese di Scozia' (Cekm 22)
Toccata 'Con Lo Scherzo Del Cucco' in A (Cekm 81) [3:49]
Pastorale in G (Cekm 138)* [5:00]
Luca Guglielmi (harpsichord, organ*)
rec. 27-28 April 2003, Santuario delle Beata Vergine Addolorata, Cuceglio (Turin); 5 July 2008, Chiesa di San Genesio Martire, Corio (Turin)*, Italy. DDD
STRADIVARIUS STR33959 [54:55]
Bernardo Pasquini was one of the most celebrated keyboard virtuosos of
his time. He can be considered the successor of Girolamo Frescobaldi who
- like Pasquini - worked in Rome for most of his career. Pasquini is an
important link between the music of the renaissance and early baroque
periods and that of the first half of the 18th century.
He was born in Massa Valdinievole in Pistoia and moved to Rome at the
age of 13. Here he worked as organist in various churches. He played a
crucial role in musical life in Rome, and often collaborated with Arcangelo
Corelli in performances of his own vocal works. Today he is best known
for his keyboard music, but he also composed operas, oratorios, cantatas
and motets. It is interesting to note that not only was he influenced
by Frescobaldi but also studied the oeuvre of Palestrina extensively.
Although he mostly worked in Rome, he twice travelled abroad: once to
the imperial court in Vienna, and in 1664 he played to Louis XIV in Paris.
His high status is reflected by his title of 'organist of the Senate
and Roman people' and his inclusion in the Arcadian Academy, alongside
such masters as Corelli and Alessandro Scarlatti.
Very few of his keyboard works were printed during his lifetime. The largest
part has come down to us in two manuscripts which are preserved in Berlin
and London respectively. They show a great variety in forms, and Luca
Guglielmi has recorded a programme which includes specimens of the different
genres.
It is especially in the toccatas that the influence of Frescobaldi comes
to the fore. These are pieces in improvisatory style, often beginning
in a slow tempo and then speeding up, following the instructions Frescobaldi
added to his compositions in this genre. One of the toccatas is based
on the imitation of the cuckoo, which was very popular in the 17th century.
The same goes for pieces on a basso ostinato; Guglielmi plays
two passagagli. A third genre which we also find in Frescobaldi's
oeuvre is that of the variation. Guglielmi plays Variazioni in C
and Partite diverse di follia. The latter is on a pattern which
frequently returns in the baroque period, for instance in the last of
Corelli's violin sonatas op. 5 and in Vivaldi's trio sonatas
op. 1. There is also a 'modern' element in Pasquini's
oeuvre: the suite. Pasquini introduced this French form to Italy, although
he didn't strictly follow the texture as had become common in France
and Germany. The two suites in the present programme have no sarabanda.
They begin with an alemanda, which is followed by a corrente and a giga.
The suites close with a bizzarria. These suites are pretty short;
the last two movements take less than a minute each.
Guglielmi plays a Pastorale as a bonus track. It is the only
piece which is played on the organ. This reflects Pasquini's activities
as an organist. The Pastorale is a genre which was also popular in Italy,
often associated with Christmastide and imitating the flutes of the shepherds.
This is a nice disc whose programme is largely different from that which
was recorded by Roberto Loreggian for Chandos and reviewed here (review
~ review).
Luca Guglielmi is a busy man who has produced several discs lately. This
programme was largely recorded in 2003 and as far as I know has not been
released before. That is rather odd, as Pasquini's music is not
that well represented in the catalogue. His oeuvre is versatile and compelling,
and so is Guglielmi's interpretation. He uses a copy of a beautiful
late 17th-century Italian harpsichord, whereas the organ dates from 1752.
I only regret that this disc is so short; I would have liked to have heard
more.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
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