We are inclined to look at music history as a straight line. One period is
followed by another which has its own features and differs from the
previous. In fact it is not that simple. The style of composition and
performance which was presented as entirely new by Giulio Caccini had its
predecessors in the previous century. The
stile nuovo was not the
end of traditional polyphony, and in the time of the
Empfindsamkeit
and
Sturm und Drang many compositions still had traces which were
reminiscent of the baroque era. If one listens to the music which Concerto
Melante has recorded without knowing the time it was written one would think
that the featured composer lived at the end of the 17th century.
Little is known about Domenico Gallo. According to the 19th-century
musicologist François-Joseph Fétis he was born around 1730 in Venice. His
German colleague Robert Eitner refers to an oratorio from his pen the
libretto of which was published in 1750. Otherwise only some trio sonatas
are known. Among them is the set of twelve which was published in 1780 in
London and which was attributed to Pergolesi. Igor Stravinsky used some of
them for his ballet
Pulcinella. However, although it is generally
thought that Pergolesi is not the author, the attribution to Gallo is not
established.
Reinhard Goebel, in his programme notes, suggests Gallo may have lived in
a religious community, especially because of the character of these
Suonate a quattro which are dominated by counterpoint. Here
"his bizarre instrumental style surely drew fewer reproaches from
learned friars than from the carnivalized audiences of Venice". Goebel
emphasizes the contrast between these concertos and the style which was
dominant in Venice since the 1730s. He refers to the German violinist Johann
Georg Pisendel, one of the greatest promoters of Vivaldi's music in
Germany, who criticized later developments in his compositional style using
words like "frivolity" and "impudence". Whatever one
thinks about that, Gallo's concertos are certainly very different
from the late works of Vivaldi or from his own contemporary Baldassare
Galuppi.
All the sonatas are in four movements, in the basic sequence of slow -
fast - slow - fast. In that respect they are modelled after the
sonate
da chiesa by Corelli. Another reminiscence of Corelli is the
Sonata
No. 12 in g minor which is a set of variations on
La Follia;
Corelli's set of sonatas op. 5 also ends with such a piece. Only in
some sonatas Gallo derives from the Corellian model: the
Sonata No.
3 has three fast movements, and opens with an allegretto. Also notable
is the fact that in several sonatas the third (slow) movement follows
attacca the previous (fast) movement. This creates a strong
contrast which in many cases has a quite dramatic effect. Various movements
include theatrical elements, for instance the opening adagios from the
Sonatas No. 6 and
No. 9. Some slow movements are quite
expressive, such as the largo which opens the
Sonata No. 8 and the
third movement (adagio) from the
Sonata No. 10. There are no strong
dissonances, but here and there Gallo creates notable harmonic tension, for
instance in the opening largo e staccato from the
Sonata No. 4 and
the adagio from the
Sonata No. 7.
These sonatas are scored for two violins, viola and basso continuo. As the
score includes indications of
solo and
tutti they are
performed here with more than one instrument per part. The solo episodes are
for the two violins and the viola, and are mostly rather short. In the
concluding sonata two variations are allocated to the cello and the violone
respectively, both in the last movement.
The manuscript of these sonatas was in the possession of Reinhard Goebel.
He could not perform them as his ensemble Musica antiqua Köln was dissolved
so he handed it over to Concerto Melante with which he is (informally)
associated - two members play violins which he once owned. This is a major
discovery and one can understand that Goebel wanted these sonatas to be
played and that the ensemble's leader Raimar Orlovsky became
"impressed, enthusiastic and inspired" while studying them. They
are different from anything we know. They are not spectacular as many
concertos from Vivaldi's pen, but rather are characterised by a
certain modesty. They are 'old-fashioned' for their time which
is often - unjustly - considered a shortcoming. These sonatas link with the
rich tradition of the late 17th century which speaks in their favour rather
than against them.
This is very fine music, and I had no problems whatsoever in listening to
these two discs at a single stretch. There are no returning patterns; one
never has the feeling that a sonata offers more of the same. There are
really no dull moments which is not only due to the music but also to the
playing of Concerto Melante. These are engaging performances; the players
produce a beautiful tone with much of the intensity we know from the former
Musica antiqua Köln. The tempi are always well chosen, and I noted with
satisfaction that the andantes are clearly different from the adagios - this
difference is often neglected in recordings. It is also notable that the
dramatic moments in various movements are given full weight.
If you are willing to discover new ground, don't miss this
disc.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
