Zefiro Spira - Italian Renaissance frottole & improvisations
Gabriel Jublin (alto)
Paul Kieffer (lute)
rec. 2016, Temple de l’Eglise Protestante Unie de France de Saint-Raphaël, Var, France
Texts and translations included
CLAVES 50-1803 [60:36]
Recently I reviewed a disc with frottolas performed by Kate Macoboy and Robert Meunier (review). The present disc focuses on the same kind of repertoire, but approaches it from a somewhat different angle.
New Grove defines the frottola as "[a] secular song of the Italian Renaissance embracing a variety of poetic forms. It flourished at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th and was the most important stylistic development leading to the madrigal." The two main composers of frottolas were Bartolomeo Tromboncino and Marchetto Cara. In the programme recorded by Gabriel Jublin and Paul Kieffer, only the former is represented. Instead of including pieces by Cara, they turned to the oeuvre of Philippe Verdelot. However, strictly speaking, he did not compose any frottolas. He was rather one of the first to write madrigals. That said, some scholars see the traces of the frottola in his oeuvre. In any case, the pieces included here fit well into this programme.
Frottolas were usually scored for four voices. Here they are performed with one voice and lute. There are good reasons for that. Frottolas were often written and performed by one and the same person who accompanied himself at the lute. Tromboncino and Cara were, at different times, connected to the court of the Este dynasty in Mantua. Isabella d'Este (1474–1539), wife of Francesco II, was an accomplished singer and lute player, and most of the frottolas they composed, were intended for her.
Paolo Da Col, in his liner notes, points out that the performance practice of secular polyphony was varied. In many pieces the cantus (soprano) line is the leading part, and often only that part was texted. This strongly suggests a performance by a solo voice, with the other parts being performed instrumentally. That goes not only for the frottola, but also the madrigal. It is interesting that in 1536 Adrian Willaert, maestro di cappella at St Mark's in Venice, published a collection of 28 pieces from Verdelot's first book of four-part madrigals in an intabulation for voice and lute. It must have been very popular as no fewer than 14 editions were printed in the 16th Century. This is a clear indication that such performances were widespread.
This justifies the approach of the two artists on this disc, and that of Kate Macoboy and Robert Meunier. However, as I already stated, the approaches are a bit different. First, Macoboy and Meunier opted for a very intimate way of performing, which not only concerns the manner of singing and playing, but also the acoustic. The latter is very intimate, suggesting that the artists are performing just for the listener at home. That is different here: the recording was made in a church, with the reverberation that goes along with that and it is something I am not happy with. It creates a kind of distance between the music and the listener, which seems at odds with the character of this repertoire. This is vocal chamber music and requires a more intimate surrounding than a church.
Second, about a third of the programme consists of improvisations of the two artists in a different style. Gabriel Jublin states: "These improvised creations spring from spontaneous moments, without any editing or cutting, keeping as close as possible to the emphases flowing from the poetic texts. The contemporary aspect of these improvisations is present not only in the continuity but also in the disruptions made in these madrigals composed for a single voice by Verdelot and Tromboncino." They are not overly modern, in fact rather traditional, but different from Verdelot and Tromboncino. The last piece is the most curious one, as here Jublin sings with his mouth closed.
Personally I don't like these additions to a programme of 16th Century music. Others, who are more open to modern sounds, may enjoy them. Jublin’s singing is certainly enjoyable. He has a nice voice, sings the frottolas and madrigals very well, in a fluent legato that fits these pieces. Paul Kieffer is a fine lute player who gives apt support. I would have liked some lute solos instead of the improvisations. Some pieces are performed incomplete. For instance, we hear just two of the four stanzas of Tromboncino's Non val aqua al mio gran foco. Considering the playing time of this disc I find this hard to understand.
On balance, I am a little in two minds about this recording. I like the frottolas and the way these two artists perform them. However, I don't like the acoustic and don't care for the improvisations. Listening to some samples on the internet may help you to decide whether this is your cup of tea.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
Contents
Philippe VERDELOT (c1480-c1532)
Benché'l misero cor [01:37]
Madonna, qual certezza [02:03]
Gabriel JUBLIN (*1983)/Paul KIEFFER (*1990)
Quanto di me più fortunate sete (improvisation) [02:02]
Philippe VERDELOT
Quand'amor i begli occhi [01:33]
Con lagrime e sospir [00:55]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Madonna, per voi ardo (improvisation) [01:51]
Philippe VERDELOT
Donna leggiadre e bella [00:57]
Fuggi, fuggi, cor moi [01:25]
Vita della mia vita [01:19]
Amor, se d'hor in hor [00:59]
Afflitti spirti miei [01:39]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Quel foco ch'io pensai (improvisation) [02:52]
Antonio CAPRIOLI (c1425-1475)
Quella bella e bianca mano [02:35]
Bartolomeo TROMBONCINO (1470-c1535)
Che debo far che mi consigli amore [02:31]
Philippe VERDELOT
Madonna, il tuo bel viso [02:26]
Con l'angelico riso [01:23]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Vita della mia vita (improvisation) [03:08]
Philippe VERDELOT
Divini occhi sereni [01:15]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Quanto sia liet'il giorno (improvisation) [02:16]
Bartolomeo TROMBONCINO
Dopoi longe fatiche e longi affanni [01:31]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Voi ch'ascoltate in rime sparse il suono [03:10]
Philippe VERDELOT
Madonna, per voi ardo [01:29]
Bartolomeo TROMBONCINO
Non val aqua al mio gran foco [02:25]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
S'il dissi mai ch'io venga (improvisation) [02:05]
P. Zanin BISÀN (c1473-c1515)
O despietato tempo [01:47]
Bartolomeo TROMBONCINO
Per dolor me bagno il viso [01:39]
Poi che volse la mia stella [03:44]
Philippe VERDELOT
Quanto sia liet'il giorno [01:41]
Gabriel JUBLIN/Paul KIEFFER
Zefiro spira (improvisation) [06:02]
