Naxos have released
a recording of six cello scores mainly
from the classical era. They are by
Boccherini, two of his close contemporaries
and a late-baroque composer. The works
are all inspired by or composed for
the Spanish court and wealthy Spanish
patrons. Fascinatingly four of the six
works are world première recordings.
Italian-born Boccherini
was one of the most prolific classical
composers of his time, a true cosmopolitan,
having lived in many of Europe’s major
cities: Milan, Madrid, London, Berlin
and Amsterdam. In his day he was principally
celebrated as a virtuoso cellist although
he enjoyed a reputation for his facility
as a prolific composer, leaving some
460 or so compositions. His artistic
gifts and pioneering talent are often
overlooked as a throwback to the late-baroque
period of the Italian school. In fact
his style is completely characteristic
of the period in which he lived, the
period, that is, of Haydn, rather than
that of Mozart or Beethoven. As a direct
contemporary of Haydn and Mozart the
creative claims of Boccherini have undoubtedly
been overshadowed by their enduring
fame.
As a cellist of considerable
repute a great deal of his music is
designed to exploit the technical resources
of the cello. It was his favoured solo
instrument in twelve concertos, thirty-two
sonatas, and, particularly, in chamber
music, including a remarkable series
of works for string quintet with two
cellos, the first of which is given
a concertante part.
Boccherini is at his
most descriptive in the extended central
movement Allegro alla Militaire
of his G major Cello Sonata,
with its eighteenth-century battle,
its ordered battalions, drum-rolls and
the battlefield itself. The work is
a remarkable achievement and is performed
with expression and exuberance by Bassal
and Lehner. The contrasting moods of
the C major Cello Sonata are
also impressive, although the opening
movement seems a touch overlong for
its material. A splendid performance
here, especially in the meditative largo
and the waltz-like rhythms of the
concluding movement allegro.
The recently discovered Cello Sonata
in C minor shows the influence of
Spain, with a final movement allegretto
suggesting a Spanish dance. I could
detect tuning problems in the playing
and the interpretation was not a success,
with the opening movement largo
somewhat lacking in vigour, the adagio
taken too tentatively and the lively
allegretto needed more spirited
playing.
Giacomo Facco, the
late-baroque composer, keyboard-player,
violinist and cellist was one of the
many Italian musicians working in the
eighteenth century at the Spanish court.
He served as a member of the Capilla
Real and taught the children of Don
Luis and Don Carlos, the future King
Luis I and King Carlos III. The Balletto
for two cellos are the first works
for cello that are known to have been
written in Spain and unusually the two
cellos are treated as one voice. The
performances by Bassal and Lehner, seem
rather laboured in the preludio and
gloomy in the sarabanda. However,
their allemande and the gavotta
shows an distinct improvement.
Domenico Porretti was
the father of Joaquina, Boccherini’s
second wife. A cellist in the Capilla
Real between 1734 and 1783, Porretti
enjoyed a considerable reputation as
a player and was much admired by Farinelli,
the legendary castrato. He seems to
have written as many as 24 cello concertos
and a work for four cellos mentioned
by Padre Antonio Soler, the whereabouts
of all of which are unknown. The substantial
D major Sonata included here
was published very recently and was
found in the collection of scores at
the castle of Schönborn-Wiesentheit
in Germany. The soloist is in fine form
throughout the D major Sonata, dextrous
in the richly lyrical opening allegro
and admirably vivacious in the concluding
allegro.
Pablo Vidal was first
cellist at the Convent of the Incarnation
and of the Duke of Osuna, serving in
the Casa de Osuna orchestra directed
by Boccherini and living in Madrid.
There is relatively little information
about him although it is known that
in September 1798 he announced in the
Gaceta a short work called Arpegio
Armónico de violonchelo y bajo
(Harmonic Arpeggio for Cello
and Bass), the source of the present
work Andante Gracioso.
The Andante Gracioso is
a tuneful and attractive little score
but in truth the performance here is
rather dismal.
It is a shame that
we are not informed which of the two
cellists of Arpegio Armonico is playing
on which score. The Naxos engineers
have done a decent job on the sound
quality and the booklet notes are interesting
and reasonably informative.
This is a fine release
of rare and interesting repertoire that
will appeal to lovers of the cello.
Michael Cookson
see also review
by Tim Perry
