Gottfried FINGER (c.1655–1730)
A Bohemian in London: Violin Sonatas
Sonata in E, RI 132 (No.53) [6:16]
Sonata in A, RI 119 (No.7) [7:00]
Sonata in D, RI 129 (No.9) [6:05]
Sonata in B-flat, RI 125 (No.45) [8:02]
Sonata in B-flat, RI 124 (No.46) [5:06]
Sonata in F, RI 136 (No.47) [5:42]
Sonata in A, RI 120 (No.23) [5:37]
Sonata in b minor, RI 122a (No.14) [6:36]
Sonata in A, RI 118 (No.6) [5:51]
Sonata in F, RI 137 (No.54) [7:51]
Sonata in D, RI 113 (No.15) [3:08]
Sonata in E, RI 134 (No.51) [3:38]
Sonata in F, RI 135 (No.52) [6:36]
Duo Dorado
rec. 2016, St Martin’s Church, East Woodhay, UK
Pitch: A = 415Hz. Temperament: 1/6 comma meantone.
The numbers in brackets are from MS GB-Lbl Add. 31466.
Reviewed as 24/96 download with pdf booklet from
chandos.net
CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN0824
[78:00]
This is my first extended encounter with the music of the Moravian composer
Gottfried Finger. A sonata in C is included in an arrangement for trumpet
on an album of eighteenth-century chamber music from Ludwig Güttler and the
Leipzig Bach Collegium (Carus 83.415 –
review)
and a short Ground in C appears on the oddly named Mr Handel’s Dinner (Harmonia Mundi HMM902607 –
Spring 2019/3).
Most recently, his Ground in d minor for recorder, his Suite in d minor for
the same instrument and his Sonata seconda for viola da gamba (RI
146) appeared on a recording by La Rêveuse (London c.1700: Purcell and his Generation, volume 1, Mirare MIR368,
with Henry and Daniel Purcell, Blow, Draghi and Croft). We haven’t reviewed
that yet, but I very much enjoyed hearing it, a useful supplement to a
similarly named but different collection from the Parley of Instruments on
Chandos (CHAN0776 –
review).
Finger – strictly a Moravian rather than ‘Bohemian’ – came to London where
the Restoration had created openings for talented musicians at the courts
of Charles II and James II. The conflict between the English composers and
their foreign rivals which some has posited seems not to have happened, but
he left in something of a huff in 1701 at
having come fourth in a competition to set Congreve’s The Judgement of Paris, despite having been in the opinion of the
great Dr Burney the best candidate.
His twelve Op.1 sonatas, pro diversis instrumentis (for various
instruments, London and Amsterdam 1688) have been recorded by Echo du
Danube, works for one to three violins, viola, viola da gamba and
harpsichord (Accent ACC24264). We seem not to have reviewed that, though my
colleague Johan van Veen writes appreciatively about it on his own website
–
here
– and, having heard it, I think it the ideal introduction to this
little-known composer, with rather more variety in the scoring than on the
new Chandos album. Of contemporary composers, it seems not unreasonable to
compare the music with that of Buxtehude, Biber and, I would add, even
Corelli. Subscribers to Naxos Music Library will find the Accent recording
there,
to be joined shortly by the Chandos.
If the Accent recording would be my first choice, the new Chandos is hardly
far behind; though there is a little less variety with just two instruments
in play, the music deserves rather more than the description ‘pleasant
sonatas in the Italian style’ which it receives in the current edition of
the Oxford Companion to Music. To be fair, the joint authors of that
article can have had little opportunity to hear performances of Finger’s
work.
The Duo Dorado,
comprising Hazel Brooks (violin) and David Pollock (harpsichord, organ), made a recording for CRD of the music of William Croft,
released in 2011 (CRD3529) and they recorded music by Purcell’s cousin
Daniel for Chandos (The Unknown Purcell, CHAN0795). Johan van Veen
was only partly convinced by the latter –
review. William Kreindler also had reservations about Hazel Brooks’ violin tone
and thought the accompaniment rather tentative –
review. In reviewing the Resonus release of Daniel Purcell’s Judgement of Paris
(RES10128: Recording of the Month) in a
round-up of releases
on that label, however, I found myself enjoying the Duo’s Purcell more than
either of my colleagues, so I began with high expectations of the new
release.
As on the CRD recording of Croft and the earlier Chandos of Purcell, some
may find Brooks’ tone over-bright, but it’s an issue which she has
specifically addressed on the basis of her analysis of music of the
medieval and early-modern periods. It didn’t put me off the Croft recording
any more than the Purcell; it shows the composer in a different light from
his usual church music and it’s certainly worth at the very least streaming
from
Naxos Music Library
.
Even those slightly critical of the earlier releases may well find
themselves less so with the new recording. As before, perhaps the slow
movements could have been a little more meditative. It’s not a big issue
and the outer movements are as lively as one could wish. Brooks’
eighteenth-century violin, rigged in baroque style, with a copy of a bow
from 1686, seems just right for the music.
David Pollock provides skilful partnership. Switching between a
double-manual harpsichord and continuo organ adds a degree of variety to
the sound picture. I found the sonatas with organ accompaniment the more
interesting, but that’s a matter of taste.
I can’t claim the discovery of a neglected genius, but the music is all
very enjoyable. With performances that largely do it justice, it’s clear
why Dr Burney thought so highly of Finger’s music. It certainly helps that,
as she writes in the booklet, Brooks had something of a mission to discover
what the many unpublished sonatas sounded like when only three had been
published, a task facilitated by her work at the University of Leeds where
she is sponsored by the White Rose College in researching manuscript music
of the period.
The recording is clear and bright, with little of the resonance that one
might expect from the acoustic of the church where the recording was made.
There is no SACD, but the availability of the 24-bit download compensates,
albeit at a premium price: £13.99 when the CD can be obtained for £11.50
(reduced from £12.75) and the 16-bit download for £9.99. As usual, it pays
to shop around; I note an increasing disparity in prices, with one dealer
asking £17.22 for the CD.
Overall, though I recommend getting to know the Accent recording first, the
new release offers an attractive opportunity to get to know this neglected
composer.
Brian Wilson
