The Ensemble of the Fourteenth Century
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THE ENSEMBLE OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY directed by John Griffiths and John Stinson Sopranos: Margo Adelson, Cathy Cameron Alto: Margaret Arnold Countertenors: Hartley Newnham, Ian McDonald Tenors: Lloyd Fleming, Geoffrey Cox Vielle: Ruth Wilkinson Lute: John Griffiths 1-12 Jacopo da Bologna 13-22 Giovanni da Firenze The Music of the Fourteenth Century is produced by the Fourteenth Century Recording Project, a performance research project funded by the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and the Australian Research Grants Scheme. The project involves the collaboration of musicologists, literary scholars and performers under the direction of John Stinson and John Griffiths. The recordings resulting from this collaboration aim at being well-researched readings from the original sources, interpreted according to current scholarship. The Ensemble of the Fourteenth Century is a collective of specialist singers and instrumentalists brought together for the Fourteenth Century Recording Project. The ensemble was initially formed around the leading Australian medieval ensemble La Romanesca, which was expanded to provide the varied instrumental and vocal combinations required by the repertoire. Jacopo da Bologna Bologna. He tells us that they worked under could be associated with Florence in some the patronage of Mastino II della Scala, the way were also included. The performances 1 Sì come al canto (3 part version) 2’52” tyrant of Verona; and that they competed with on this record follow the readings of the 2 Sì come al canto (2 part version) 2’56” each other in the composition of “madrigals Panciatichiano manuscript wherever possible. 3 Fenice fu’ 2’17” and other songs of wonderful sweetness and When a work appears in a significantly 4 In su bei fiori 2’21” melodies of subtle intricacy”. different version in other sources, e.g. the 5 Giunge ‘l bel tempo de la primavera London manuscript, these versions are 3’26” Johannes de Cascia cum Mastini della Scala included. 6 Aquila altera — Creatura gentile — Uccel tiranni veronensis atria, questus gratia, di dio 2’37” frequentaret et cum magistro Jacopo bononiensi The music of northern Italy in the first half 7 O in Italia felice Liguria 2’23” artis musice peritissimo de artis excellentia of the fourteenth century frequently reflects 8 Osselletto silvagio (3 part caccia) 2’52” contenderet, tiranno eos muneribus irritante, the interests of the patron for whom it was 9 Osselletto silvagio (2 part madrigal) 4’04” mandrialia plura sonosque multos et ballatas written. There are several poems alluding to 10 Lux purpurata — Diligite iustitiam — intonuit mire dulcedinis et artificiosissime melodie, Anna, and a particular tree, the perlaro, both Tenor 2’27” in quibus quam magna et quanta doctrina fuerit typical of texts associated with the della Scala 11 O cieco mondo 3’22” in arte manifestavit. Rome, Bibl. Apostolica family. Others contain direct references to 12 Sotto l’imperio del possente prince 3’29” Vaticana, Barberino Latino 2610, fol.70v. a Margherita and indirect references to the Visconti family by way of heraldic devices Giovanni da Firenze This collection of the works of Giovanni and (Fenice fu, Aquila altera). Some references Jacopo reflects the context of their music, are quite specific: O in Italia spells out the 13 Più no mi curo 3’52” written under the patronage of the della Scala birthday of the twin sons of Luchino Visconti; 14 O perlaro gentil 3’02” family in Verona and the Visconti family in Lux purpurata spells out his name in a latin 15 Per larghi prati 2’55” Milan, and exemplifies the “sweetness and acrostic. 16 Nascoso el viso (Rossi 215) 3’36” intricacy” of their melodies. 17 Nascoso el viso (Panciatichi 26) 2’57” Apart from this internal evidence and the 18 Agnel son bianco 3’00” Nothing is known of Italian secular passage in Villani, the most important 19 O tu cara scienza 5’51” polyphony before this time. The earliest source which helps us establish the context 20 Fra mille corvi 2’24” manuscript source of this repertoire, the Rossi of this music is a cycle of sonnets by Simone 21 La bella stella 5’35” codex, now divided between the Vatican Prudenzani called Il Saporetto. The poet gives 22 De’ come dolcemente 2’29” library and Ostiglia, contains music for the us an idealized portrait of a Renaissance court of Mastino’s elder brother Alberto. Most gentleman (Il Solazzo) with truly remarkable of the works in this collection are anonymous. musical talents: he can sing and play the Giovanni’s Nascoso el viso and La bella stella harp with great virtuosity, as well as dance TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA appear in this early collection. The next and fence. These skills are displayed during manuscript in which the music survives is the evening entertainments before a cultivated When Filippo Villani wrote his account of the Codex Panciatichiano. This is a Florentine audience in Orvieto. In Sonnet 25, set in the origins of the city of Florence and its famous collection, written in the last decades of the Christmas season, Il Saporetto entertains his citizens (Liber de origini civitatis Florentiae et fourteenth century. The manuscript was audience by performing on a harp. On this eiusdem famosis civibus) amongst the musicians designed as a collection of the works of occasion, two of the works on this recording mentioned were Giovanni da Cascia (also the famous Florentine composer Francesco are mentioned: Aquila altera and Agnel son known as Giovanni da Firenze) and Jacopo da Landini; works of other composers who bianco. The currency of these works over fifty years after their original composition is some principles they suggest are not always clear (Florence: 1847); and S. Debenedetti (ed.), Il measure of the esteem in which Jacopo da in practice: there are often many possible ‘Sollazzo’. Contributi alla Storia della Novella, Bologna and Giovanni da Firenze continued ways of interpreting a particular passage. The della Poesia Musicale e del Costume del Trecento to be held long after their original patrons had performances on this recording often differ (Turin: Bocca, 1922). died. from the suggestions in the available modern editions. The readings presented make no THE MUSIC The selection of the works of the two pretence at being definitive, but do reflect composers has been based on two principles: decisions made from a range of possible valid Jacopo da Bologna and Giovanni da Firenze the works chosen should be representative options. are the most prolific representatives of the of the composers’ total output, and the first known generation of Italian polyphonic selection as a whole should complement SOURCES AND EDITIONS composition. Rather than merely reflecting existing recordings and avoid unnecessary a tradition in its infancy, the elegance and duplication. It has been policy to perform the The principal source used in the preparation sophistication of their music exudes the works as they appear in one single manuscript of this recording has been the manuscript confidence of already accomplished maturity. source, and to include any idiosyncrasies of Panciatichi 26 from the Biblioteca Nazionale The starting point for the appreciation of their that manuscript when these are musically in Florence (facsimile reprint ed. F. Alberto music is the poetry they set. Not only are the significant. Scribal errors have been corrected. Gallo, Florence: Leo S. Olschki Editore, 1981.) musical structures determined by poetic form, Where the manuscript is clear about the Readings are based from this source unless but the individuality of each work is directly relation of text to music, then the manuscript otherwise indicated in the commentary. related to the poetic imagery and content. has been followed in preference to modern Other sources used are: Rome, Vatican To ignore the texts is to deny an essential editions; where the manuscript is unclear, then Library, Rossi 215 (facs. reprint ed. Giuseppe part of the music; the senses are dulled by clarity of musical declamation and phrasing Vecchi, Monumenta Lyrica Medii Aevi Italica listening without participating in the literary has determined the placing of syllables. For III: Mensurabilia, Bologna: Università degli dimension. the most part the works are performed as Studi,1966) and London, British Museum, the manuscript suggests: i.e., when a part is Add. 29987 (facs. reprint ed. Gilbert Reaney, For this first generation, the madrigale was the texted, it has been sung. When a part has Musicological Studies and Documents 13, [n.p.]: most preferred poetic form set to music. It no text and this has been considered to be of American Institute of Musicology, 1965.) served as a vehicle for diverse literary themes. musical significance, the untexted part has Transcriptions of the works recorded are Twenty-nine of Jacopo’s thirty-four surviving been played on an instrument chosen from found in Italian Secular Music by Magister Piero, works are madrigals, as are sixteen of the documented instrumentarium of the day Giovanni da Firenze and Jacopo daBologna, ed. Giovanni’s nineteen. Two-, sometimes three- -- usually vielle, psaltery or lute. W. Thomas Marrocco, Polyphonic Music of tercet stanzas and a concluding couplet, or the Fourteenth Century, Vol. VI (Monaco: ritornello, constitute its form. Musical settings Musica ficta, the unwritten code of pitch Editions de L’Oiseau-Lyre, 1967), and The consisted of two corresponding sections, inflection so familiar to trained mediaeval Music of Fourteenth Century Italy, ed. Nino each repeated according to the number of singers and so elusive to the modern Pirrotta, Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae 8, tercets and the form of the ritornello. The most performer and editor, has been added ([n.p.]: American Institute of Musicology, common musical setting of the madrigal was according to written theory contemporary 1964). Text editions used are: G. Corsi for two voices, a florid cantus and supporting with the repertoire.