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Home , Antonio Vivaldi, Avison Ensemble, La cetra (Vivaldi), Rachel Podger

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CKD 365 Il Cimentodell’armoniaedell’inventione including ‘Le Quattro Stagioni’(‘TheFour Seasons’) THE Pavlo Beznosiuk director/ Opus 8 DISC 1 DISC 2 THE FOUR SEASONS Violin in D minor, Op.8, No.7, RV.242 in E Major, Op.8, No.1, RV.269, ‘La Primavera’ (Spring) q Allegro (3.11) w Largo (1.47) e Allegro (3.04) q Allegro (3.29) w Largo (2.39) e Allegro (4.04) Violin Concerto in , Op.8, No.8, RV.332 Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.8, No.2, RV.315, ‘L’Estate’ (Summer) r Allegro (3.30) t Largo (2.06) y Allegro (4.01) r Allegro non molto (5.14) t Adagio (2.11) y Presto (2.49) Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.8, No.9, RV.236 Violin Concerto in , Op.8, No.3, RV.293, ‘L’Autunno’ (Autumn) u Allegro (3.09) i Largo (1.59) o Allegro (2.49) u Allegro (4.53) i Adagio molto (2.05) o Allegro (3.10) Violin Concerto in B flat Major,Op.8, No.10, RV.362, ‘La Caccia’ Violin Concerto in F minor, Op.8, No.4, RV.297, ‘L’Inverno’ (Winter) a Allegro (3.37) s Adagio (2.11) d Allegro (2.36) a Allegro non molto (3.27) s Largo (1.42) d Allegro (3.05) Violin Concerto in , Op.8, No.11, RV.210 f Allegro (4.51) g Largo (2.24) h Allegro (5.03) Violin Concerto in E flat Major,Op.8, No.5, RV.253, ‘La Tempesta di Mare’ Violin Concerto in C Major, Op.8, No.12, RV.178 f Presto (3.00) g Largo (2.08) h Presto (3.56) j Allegro (3.13) k Largo (2.08) l Allegro (3.44) Violin Concerto in C Major, Op.8, No.6, RV.180, ‘Il Piacere’ TOTAL TIME : 56.16 j Allegro (3.24) k Largo e cantabile (2.34) l Allegro (3.11) Recorded at St George’s Chesterton, Cambridge, UK from 29th November to 5th December 2009 Produced and engineered by Philip Hobbs TOTAL TIME : 57.54 Executive producer Gordon Dixon Post-production by Julia Thomas, Finesplice, UK Cover image: The Frozen Lagoon (oil on canvas) by Battaglioli, Francesco (1725-96) Design by John Haxby (school of) Ca’ Rezzonico, Museo del Settecento, / Alinari / Photographs of The Avison Ensemble and Pavlo Beznosiuk by Joanne Green The Bridgeman Art Library Nationality Sonnet translations by Simon D. I. Fleming page 3 page 2 Despite his youthful musical promise, Vivaldi was directed towards the priesthood. Such a move was not without precedent, particularly for those of humble birth, as this career path would have offered a hope of social mobility and Antonio Vivaldi provided some financial security. However, Vivaldi was less than dedicated to his Il Cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione priestly duties and, soon after his ordination in 1703, he turned his back on the priesthood in favour of a career in . In the same year that Vivaldi became Twelve for Violin, Strings and Continuo Opus 8 a priest, he entered the employ of the Ospedale della Pietà (Devout Hospital of Mercy), a refuge for orphaned, illegitimate, destitute, or abandoned girls. Many of them would receive some musical training and Vivaldi, as their Maestro di Violino, oday the name Antonio Vivaldi is synonymous with Italian Music. would have provided this education. A select group of these girls were used to His most famous work, Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons), contains supply music for services at the Pietà, important social occasions in the calendar Tsome of the most instantly recognisable music ever composed and is of the Venetian nobility and an attraction for foreign visitors. The English traveller, today viewed as a pinnacle of musical art. Nevertheless, for almost two centuries Edward Wright, attended one of these performances; he recorded that the girls this work and others by Vivaldi were entirely forgotten, and it was not until the performed behind iron grills which obscured them from view. twentieth century that his dramatic rehabilitation secured him a place, alongside Handel and J. S. Bach, as one of the most influential and inventive Part of Vivaldi’s duties at the Pietà involved the composition of new music for the from the first half of the eighteenth century. girls to perform, and many of Vivaldi’s concertos were written for their use. Even in later years when his travels prevented him teaching at the Pietà, he continued Vivaldi had an inauspicious background. He was born on 4 March 1678, the first to compose concertos for them. From 1713 he was given the opportunity, by the of at least nine children produced by Giovanni Battista and Camilla. He was governors of the Pietà, to compose sacred vocal music and his success led to baptised at home on the day of his birth in fear that he might die abruptly. The his promotion to the post of Maestro di Concerti in 1716. The best known of his sickliness that resulted in his swift baptism may have been the first sign of the ill church music from this period is the magnificentGloria (RV. 589) from c1715. health, probably asthma, which plagued Vivaldi for the rest of his life. His father, Vivaldi was also a respected of and several were performed who had begun his career as a barber was, by the time of Vivaldi’s birth, working during his extended trips to and Rome. Furthermore, he made trips to as a professional musician. In 1685 Giovanni was admitted to the of Prague, , and ; in the latter place he died in abject poverty in St Mark’s Basilica. Although it was not Venice’s cathedral, the close proximity 1741 and was buried in a pauper’s grave. of the Basilica to the Doge’s Palace, coupled with its location on the principal square, facilitated its development into a central venue for the production of In his lifetime Vivaldi was more highly esteemed as a violinist than as a composer ceremonial sacred music. The young Antonio, who was trained in music by his of music. Nevertheless, he was prolific and wrote around five-hundred concertos father, may have acted as his deputy at St Mark’s; his earliest recorded public for a variety of forces. Most were written for a solo violin with orchestra, but a

appearance, as a ‘supernumerary’ violinist, was at the Basilica at Christmas 1696. substantial number were composed for soloists on instruments as diverse as the page 5 page 4 , , recorder, and ; a significant number of other concertos Such was the popularity of Vivaldi in France that, in 1739, a Paris edition of the were written for two or more soloists. Vivaldi boasted, rather fancifully, that he Opus 8 appeared. Even in , a country where Vivaldi’s fame rested more on his could compose a concerto faster than a copyist could write one out. His first ability as a performer, the Four Seasons were performed long after his death and published works, the Opus 1 trio sonatas from c1705, are in deference to those by in 1761 they were, according to , Vivaldi’s chief claim to fame. In . They were followed by a set of twelve violin sonatas four years Britain these works appear to have been less popular and were never published in later. By this time Vivaldi was actively composing concertos which circulated in London, even though John Walsh reissued other opi by Vivaldi. Nevertheless, the manuscript; his first published concertos, the Opus 3L’estro armonico (Harmonic fifth concerto from the Opus 8 is known to have received a London performance inspiration), appeared in 1711. This set was one of the most influential musical in 1724, presumably from a manuscript copy brought from Italy. John Hawkins, publications of the first half of the eighteenth century and they were particularly the British musicologist, knew these concertos; in 1776 he wrote that the ‘ popular in Germany where J. S. Bach transcribed several for keyboard. Other VIII is the most applauded of Vivaldi’s works.’ A copy of the Opus 8 also appears sonatas and concertos appeared in print over the subsequent years, but the best to have found its way to where , in his known of these are the twelve Opus 8 concertos, first published at Amsterdam in Essay on Musical Expression (1752), criticised the way the Four Seasons imitated the 1725. Vivaldi gave them the title of Il cimento dell’armonica e dell’inventione (The trial sound of nature, chiefly the barking of a dog. He also said that Vivaldi’s music between harmony and invention) and dedicated them to Count Wenzel von Morzin, was ‘only a fit Amusement for Children; nor indeed for these, if ever they are a cousin of Haydn’s patron at Dolni Lukavice. The first edition discloses that intended to be led to a just Taste in Music’. Yet, in his youth, Avison must have Vivaldi was Morzin’s Maestro di Musica in Italia and in this capacity it appears held Vivaldi in far higher esteem as several of his early concertos, particularly that he was commissioned, on an occasional basis, to send fresh compositions those for keyboard, have a marked deference to those by Vivaldi. to Morzin by post. Vivaldi had clearly been in his service for many years before the Opus 8’s publication, and manuscript copies of the Four Seasons had been Outside the collection that comprises of Four Seasons, which are obviously linked in Morzin’s possession for some time, probably since their composition in the together, the other concertos were not assembled as a single integrated collection. . Perhaps in order to make these four concertos seem fresher, and avoid Of the remaining eight, three were given names. These are No. 5 ‘La Tempesta any offence to his patron, Vivaldi included descriptive sonnets of the Seasons, di Mare’ (‘The Storm at Sea’), No. 6 ‘Il Piacere’ (‘Pleasure’), and No. 10 ‘La probably written by himself, and partly influenced by the poetry of John Milton. Caccia’ (‘The Hunt’). Unlike the Seasons, these concertos were not accompanied The text of the sonnets was linked to events within the concertos by a series of by descriptive texts. Instead, the titles imply a certain event or emotion and cue letters, with further illustrative quotes or paraphrases of the sonnets added some, if not all, appear to have been given their labels as an afterthought to to the music. describe existing music. For example, Concerto 6, ‘Pleasure’, demonstrates little difference between it and other un-named concertos; likewise ‘The Hunt’, in From an early date the Four Seasons were popular with audiences. In France they spite of its -like motivic ideas, has little else to identify it with an actual were particularly admired and ‘Spring’ was a favourite at the Concert Spiritual. A hunt. Of the unnamed concertos, No. 7 was originally dedicated to Johann Georg distinguished performance of this concerto took place in 1730 when it was played Pisendel, a pupil of Vivaldi in 1716-17, while No. 9 began life as an concerto. at the court of Louis XV by a band formed, in part, of members of the aristocracy. Concerto twelve also exists in an arrangement for solo oboe with orchestra. page 7 page 6 Within his concertos Vivaldi utilised a three-movement plan of fast-slow-fast, ivaldi was fond of giving engaging titles to both his individual pieces a layout that was reproduced by composers throughout Europe. In his fast and collections of concerti, some explicitly programmatic (‘La Tempesta movements he favoured an arrangement that has become known as ‘ Vdi Mare’, ‘L’Inquietudine’, ‘’), others more general (L’Estro form’, a structural plan that consists of several recapitulations of the main Armonico, , ). With his title for Opus 8 there is a slight thematic material, often varied and in closely related keys, played by the full semantic problem in how we interpret the word Cimento – is Vivaldi suggesting a orchestra. Between these ’ritornels’ are sandwiched episodes in which the contest between, an experiment in or a trial/assay of both Harmony and Invention? soloists are the chief protagonists. Although it is unknown if Vivaldi created Paul Everett in his engrossing volume on Opus 8 suggests the latter but also this form he certainly popularised it and it was widely imitated. The central slow prompts us to focus on the two objects of the title and acknowledge them as movements are frequently short and in closely related keys; they also place the aspects of the intuitive, unpredictable and imaginative (Inventione), and the emphasis on the soloists, who are expected to convey the intense emotional disciplined, structured and mathematical (Harmonia) sides of human nature. content of the music. Thus we can see Opus 8 as a happy union of right brain/left brain functions, a co-existence which is here so organic, natural and imperceptible that it is easy to All twelve concertos in this set are fine works, even if theFour Seasons have come forget just how original and daring these pieces are. to overshadow the others. First movements, such as those of concertos six and seven, are strong, vibrant, and reveal Vivaldi’s exceptional skill at composition. We live in a world where the ubiquity of recorded music can blind us to its Likewise the vivacious start of ‘La Tempesta di Mare’, with its driving descending content and with the use of Le Quattro Stagioni in film and TV advertising, lift scales, is dazzling in its virtuosity and a fine specimen of Vivaldi’s art. Some and restaurant muzak, and as the default setting in so many companies’ call- movements, such as opening of No.11, feature a fugal ritornello idea; others, for queuing systems the situation is acute. When we finally sit down in silence to a instance the central movement of concerto twelve, are in the form of performance it’s very easy to listen but much harder to really HEAR. a dance. The Four Seasons themselves, with their programmatic elements, were works of genius and highly progressive for their time. Even if they were not fully We have help in getting beneath the aural surface of the music and finding its appreciated by Vivaldi’s peers, they have developed into a worldwide phenomenon. deeper meaning in the shape of the four sonnets which accompany the first It is perhaps the Italian musician, , who best captured the four concerti of this set. Vivaldi makes mention of these and their handy guide- essence of Vivaldi’s Opus 8 when he wrote that the ‘Intention of Musick is not letters in the dedication (to Count Wenzel von Morzin of Bohemia) of the first only to please the Ear, but to express Sentiments, strike the Imagination, affect edition, explaining their inclusion to provide a detailed ‘road-map’ to music the Mind, and command the Passions.’ It is in these concertos that Vivaldi rose that was already in the Count’s possession, having been sent to him some years closest to this ideal aesthetic and, in doing so, produced an exceptional work before in manuscript form. Whether or not these sonnets were actually penned that has withstood the ravages of time and continues to maintain a prominent by Vivaldi, they are doubly useful, setting not only the visual scene for each place in twenty-first century culture. movement but also a strong physical sense and an emotional, inner subtext. We have, of course, the celebrated musical depictions of storms, a variety of flora

© Simon D. I. Fleming, 2011 and fauna, a plethora of different winds, thunder and lighting and a frozen page 9 page 8

page 10 page 11 page lagoon; all these are well-known, well-loved and great fun to play but we must Throughout the set, in the same way that the Venetians’ artistic heritage of also marvel at Vivaldi’s effortless evocations of human states: joy and faith in dynamic light, through Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese, pulses and vibrates, so the future (‘Spring’), dull lethargy and inertia, sobbing, fear and trepidation Vivaldi’s musical energy vibrates within us, connecting us to him in an irresistible, (‘Summer’), of drunken staggering, slurred speech, inebriated hiccoughs and celebratory collection. even the bewildered fear of a desperate tormented animal (‘Autumn’). In the last line of the sonnet accompanying ‘Winter’, despite biting wind, cracking ice © Pavlo Beznosiuk, 2011 and chattering teeth, Vivaldi shows that he has clearly focused on the joys rather I am indebted to Paul Everett whose book, Vivaldi: the Four Seasons and Other than the hardships of that season. Above all, one feels that all his descriptions Concertos, Op.8 (Cambridge University Press 1996) was used in the preparation and evocations are suffused with love, depicting the essence of life in his beloved of this note. with the same heartfelt regard and attention to detail that we see in the canvases of Canaletto, the two Tiepolos or the less polished Pietro Longhi. Le Quattro Staggioni (The Four Seasons): The Sonnets The instantly recognizable opening theme of ‘Spring’ is re-used by Vivaldi in operatic contexts: once to accompany the appearance of a personification of Concerto No. 1 – ‘La Primavera’ (Spring) fortune and elsewhere to evoke the sense of a calm and prosperous voyage, uses which intrigue me and suggest that we should think of this familiar music not so Allegro much as a robust shout of welcome to the long-awaited season but representing Spring has arrived and the birds proclaim her return with joyful song a gentler, more profound sense of gratitude and relief at its arrival. Finer shades of and, at the breath of the Zephyrs, murmuring streams flow: meaning like this can be teased out of the whole Opus 8 set and make for a richer thunder and lightning, those harbingers of Spring, aural experience which is often lost in the kinetic frenzy (there are an awful lot of cover the sky with a dark mantle, notes in Vivaldi!) of much of the music, inducing a sort of ‘note-blindness’ which and then, when the storms fall silent, can obscure the subtle variety of energies bustling around these scores. Let us the birds resume their melodious song: not forget how richly characterful the other 8 concerti are also, ‘La Tempesta di Mare’ and ‘La Caccia’ are self-explanatory but there are many other delights: the Largo prosecco fizz of ‘Il Piacere’, the unsettled tension and anxiety of No. 7, sombre and, on the flower-strewn meadow, whimsy of No. 8 with its cadenza-like pedal points in the last movement, the to the welcome murmuring of branches and trees, angular, chromatic No. 9 and the charming No. 12, full of bonhomie (or should the goatherd sleeps, his dependable dog beside him. that be bonarietá?). For me the stand-out piece is No. 11, written in D Major, the key of many of Vivaldi’s larger-scale violin concerti; the violin and orchestra are Allegro Led by the festive sound of a shepherd’s bagpipe,

truly integrated and its Christmas-morning clamour is infectious. page 13 nymphs and shepherds dance at the joyful appearance of spring. page 12 to the pleasure of sweetest slumber, Concerto No. 2 – ‘L’Estate’ (Summer) causes many to abandon dance and song. Allegro non molto Allegro Beneath the harsh sun’s heat At dawn the hunters emerge men and flocks languish and the pine tree burns; with horns, guns and dogs. the cuckoo’s unleashes its voice and, as soon as it is heard, The wild animal takes flight while they give chase; the turtle dove and goldfinch join the chorus. terrified and tired by the noise of the guns and dogs, wounded, Sweet Zephyrus blows, but Boreas quarrels with his neighbour; the prey struggles on but, overwhelmed, dies. and the shepherd weeps, fearful of the violent storm, and what may lie ahead; Adagio Concerto No. 4 – ‘L’Inverno’ (Winter) the fear of the lightning and the thunder’s roar, Allegro non molto and the gnats and flies that buzz furiously, Shivering, frozen, amid icy snow, deprive his fatigued limbs of rest. at the harsh wind’s chilling breath; Presto to run, stamping one’s icy feet, Alas, his worst fears were warranted. teeth chattering in the bitter chill; The thunder roars, the sky flares, and hailstones Largo sever the heads of the proudly standing corn. to rest contentedly by the fireside while the rain outside drenches a hundred others; Concerto No. 3 – ‘L’Autunno’ (Autumn) Allegro Allegro to tread on ice, with slow steps, The peasant celebrates with dance and song moving cautiously in fear of falling; the sweet pleasure of a rich harvest to go fast, slip, and fall to the ground, and, ablaze with Bacchus’ liquor, to hasten onwards across the ice and run fast many conclude their pleasure with slumber. until the ice cracks and breaks open; Adagio molto to hear, as they go through the iron-clad gates, The fresh air provides satisfaction, Sirocco, Boreas, and all the winds at war. and the season, which invites so many This is winter, but of a kind that brings delight. page 15 page 14 THE AVISON ENSEMBLE he Avison Ensemble is one of England’s foremost exponents of music on period instruments. It is named after Charles Avison (1709-1770), Gordon Dixon, Executive Director the Newcastle-born composer, conductor and organist, ‘the most important Frances Benton, Development Director T th English concerto composer of the 18 Century’ (New Grove). 3 Bentinck Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6XN, UK tel: +44 (0)191 226 0799 In addition to playing other works from the Baroque and early Classical periods, The Avison Ensemble is also a training ground for young up and coming Pavlo Beznosiuk ...... violin Matthys Hofmans, Antwerp, 1676 musicians to gain experience at period performance practice and styles, affording them the opportunity to work with outstanding directors and soloists. The Caroline Balding ...... violin Stainer School, c.1690 Ensemble has an active outreach programme involving thousands of children Joanne Green ...... violin Michiel de Hoog, 1988 each year in music education projects throughout the North East. Sara DeCorso ...... violin Soquet, Paris, 1784 Katarina Bengtson ...... violin Richard Duke, Holborn, London, 1750 The Avison Ensemble’s recording of the complete works of Charles Avison on Simon Kodurand ...... violin Christopher Rowe, Isle of Wight, 1993 both the Naxos and Divine Art labels has been exceptionally well received. Their Ewa Chmielewska-Zorzano ...... violin Jan Pawlikowski, Kraków, 2007 recording of Six Cello Concertos by John Garth has been a sensational success, – copy of Groblicz I, Poland ca 1600 having been reprinted several times during the first year of its release and is Rachel Byrt ...... violin Nicholas Woodward, Bristol, 1993 regularly played on Classic FM. In 2009, The Avison Ensemble released their – copy of Andrea Guarneri, 1664, acclaimed first recording on Linn Records: Handel’s Concerti Grossi Opus 6 (Linn Rachel Rowntree ...... violin Paul Collins, 2000 CKD 362). This work is widely regarded as the composer’s greatest contribution Thomas Kirby ...... Bernd Hiller, Markneukirchen, 2006 to the Baroque period and the recording received critical acclaim: Richard Tunnicliffe ...... cello attrib. Leonhard Mausiell, Nuremberg, c.1720 Orchestral Choice: ‘I shall certainly return frequently to this splendid set.’ Deborah Thorne ...... cello English, circa 1770 BBC Music Magazine Tim Amherst ...... bass Made in Venice, c.1700. Maker is unknown Paula Chateauneuf ...... Archlute by Martin Haycock in 1990 after ‘The Avison’s accounts under Pavlo Beznosiuk have a natural, Magno Tieffenbrucker, Venice, c.1620 and easy virtuosity that will endear them to purists…’ 5-course guitar by Martin Haycock in 2001 The Sunday Times after Sellas, c.1640 ‘Where The Avison Ensemble really triumphs… Roger Hamilton ...... Harpsichord by Morton Gould, 1991, after is in conveying a sense of occasion and musical opulence… & organ Carlo Grimaldi and Box Organ after Loosemore (1655) Magnificent!’

by William Drake of Buckfastleigh, 2001 page 17 International Record Review page 16 In addition to numerous appearances in the English regions, The Avison Ensemble has also appeared to critical acclaim at St. John’s, Smith Square in London and at the Hallé Handel Festival in Germany. Recently, the Ensemble has performed at St. James’ Palace in London with the choir of Her Majesty the Queen’s Chapel Royal and were the largest orchestra in the opening concert series at the new London concert hall, Kings Place, performing Beethoven’s as part of an all Beethoven programme on period instruments.

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Pavlo Beznosiuk director/violin avlo Beznosiuk has secured his reputation as one of Europe’s most respected Baroque violinists over the last 25 years with a busy international Pcareer as soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster and increasingly as a director. In the mid 80s he was involved in pioneering work in the use of Renaissance with The Parley of Instruments and was a key member of the groundbreaking Medieval ensemble The playing Vielles, Rebec and Lira da Braccio. He is a frequent soloist/director with the and recent recital work has included performances of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas and concerts combining solo violin music of Bach with that of Berio and Bartók. As musical director of The Avison Ensemble he has completed an exhaustive recorded survey of the music of Charles Avison and in 2010 released a recording of Handel’s Concerti Grossi Opus 6 (Linn CKD 362) which has been received enthusiastically in the music press. Other recordings include Biber’s Rosary Sonatas, Vivaldi’s Opus 12 Violin Concerti with The Academy of Ancient Music and , J.S. Bach’s Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin (Linn CKD 366) and two recordings of Mozart’s Concertante with Monica Huggett and and works by Walther and Westhoff. Pavlo Beznosiuk teaches at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The in London. page 19 page 18