September 10, 2014

  • A Beautiful Scordatura Baroque Garden of Delights

     

    Music for 2 Scordatura Violins and basso continuo
    Der Musikalische Garten
    Ars 38 152
    Total Time:  71:37
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    This is one of those rarer recordings that often can get overlooked in a crowded field of options, especially when it comes to Baroque chamber music.  The performances are by the young critically-acclaimed, and award winning ensemble Der Musikalische Garten.  Focused on 17th Century German Music, the group is also known for using scordatura tunings whenever possible.  Scoradatura refers to changing the tension of the strings often resulting in combinations of fourths and fifths that allow for easier fingerings in rapid, more difficult, passage work.  It was a practice especially popular in German-speaking regions of Europe in the 1600s.  Such tunings were specifically chosen by the composer for each piece and thus can create a rather unique sound.  The practice comes from lute tuning in 16th Century Italian music but soon spread northward.  The present collection of pieces then explores this unique tuning device with a host of world premiere recordings of this early music.

    The recording is bookended with two sonatas for scoradtura violin by Telemann (1681-1767) both perhaps from 1710 and representing the last known examples of this compositional approach.  The music has already begun to blend the different national styles with delightful fast movements and exquisite slower movements.

    Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655) is the first known composer to apply this practice in his music which appeared in a collection of canzones, sonatas, and assorted chamber pieces in 1653.  Based in Nuremburg, Kindermann had studied in Italy with both Monteverdi and Cavalli.  Some may hear that influence in the Canzon settima and Canzon ottava that appear here with their somewhat Italian style.

    Often during this period new music was essentially acquired only by traveling about collecting manuscripts that were often no longer wanted.  One of these Baroque period collectors was Sebastian de Brossard who bought a collection of these piece from the heirs of Franz Rost, priest and choral master in Baden-Baden.  Known as the Codex Rost, the collection includes music from many composers active between 1675 and 1695, many of the pieces are anonymous.  The codex found its way to the Paris Bibliotheque nationale in 1726 and is the further source for the pieces on this release.  Of those with attributions include pieces by David Pohle (1624-1695) and J.I.F. Vojta (ca. 1660-ca. 1725).

    Pohle was actually a pupil of Heinrich Schutz and active in a number of towns, serving as Kapellmeister in Halle and Dresden.  His Sonata for 2 violins is his only known piece in scordatura.  There are some interesting techniques here that at one point imitate a tremulant organ stop.  Vojta resided in Prague where he was a violinist and physician.  Eight of his compositions survive.  The Partia amabilis is a fascinating work achieving notes that would otherwise be unplayable without the adjusted tunings.  The dance movements are interesting examples of period styles.

    Additionally, there are two works by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (ca.1620/23-1680).  Referred to at the time as one of the “most elegant violinists in all of Europe” by Johann Joachim Muller, Schmelzer served in Vienna for Emperor Leopold I.  Both pieces on this release are from 1673 and again are rare examples of scordatura.  The Balletae discordate consists of three dance movements.  The longer sonata is a more virtuosic work with different scordatura tunings for each violin, a rare occurrence.

    The album is further filled out with four additional “anonymous” works to provide further examples of this style from Kromerz, Moravia.  Again we can hear some crossover of Italian canozona style.

    This is a very delightful album of interesting chamber music.  The pieces are a wonderful blend of dance styles with more two-part forms of purer musical settings.  The album works quite well as it moves from these various combinations of violins, violin and viola, and accompanying cello with organ, theorbo, or cembalo.  The result is a pleasant hour or so of Baroque music.  Most interesting is hearing occasional standard Baroque gestures intermixed with slight harmonic shifts amidst these dance-like settings.  The program is well-thought out as well mixing the forms and styles spread across these differing pieces.  Truly this is a great window into music of the 17th Century and a must for Baroque music fans.

    The sound on the disc is simply superb.  This is one of those hybrid discs that can play on any equipment but is further enhanced by a multichannel system.  It lends a sense of a live concert in one’s living room.  Baroque chamber music tend to often focus on the big names of the period.  It is good that the ensemble includes some Telemann to help create a connection to at least one known composer in the program.  From there, one’s own musical enlightenment continues through these various works, twelve in all.  Simply a superb exploration of rare German music that can then shed light on that more familiar music already in most audiophile libraries.  Highly recommended.