Delicate Delights BEST LOVED classical mandolin and lute music Delicate Delights Best loved classical mandolin and lute music 1 Johann Sebastian BACH (1675–1750) 6 Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860–1909) Concerto in the Italian Style, 4:10 Suite española No. 1, Op. 47 – 6:23 BWV 971 ‘Italian Concerto’ – No. 5. Asturias (arr. for mandolin I. Allegro (arr. for mandolin and guitar) and guitar) Dorina Frati, Mandolin Jacob Reuven, Mandolin Piera Dadomo, Guitar (CDS514) Eyal Leber, Guitar (8.573566) 2 Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741) 7 Tom G. FEBONIO (b. 1950) Mandolin Concerto in C major, 2:52 Water Ballads, Op. 47 – II. Sprite 2:29 RV 425 – I. Allegro Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin Paul O'Dette, Mandolin Birgit Schwab, Guitar (8.559686) The Parley of Instruments • Peter Holman (8.552101-02) 8 Johann HOFFMANN Mandolin Concerto in D major – 4:24 3 Johann HOFFMANN (1770–1814) III. Rondo Mandolin Sonata in D minor – 3:24 Elfriede Kunschak, Mandolin III. Allegro Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin Vinzenz Hladky (CD3X-3022) Birgit Schwab, Archlute (8.557716) 9 Silvius Leopold WEISS (1686–1750) 4 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) Lute Sonata No. 14 in G minor – 4:07 Mandolin Sonatina in C major, 3:02 VI. Chaconne WoO 44 Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin Elfriede Kunschak, Mandolin Birgit Schwab, Baroque lute (8.557716) Maria Hinterleitner, Harpsichord (CD3X-3022) 10 Antonio VIVALDI Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G major, 3:12 5 Johann Sebastian BACH RV 532 – II. Andante Lute Suite in G minor, BWV 995 – 3:57 Silvia Tenchini and Dorina Frati, Mandolin III. Courante Mauro and Claudio Terroni Mandolin Orchestra Konrad Ragossnig, Lute (CD3X-3022) Dorina Frati, Conductor (CDS7787) 8.578183 2 11 Johann Sebastian BACH 16 Ermenegildo CAROSIO (1886–1928) Lute Partita in E major, BWV 1006a – 3:29 Flirtation Rag 4:18 III. Gavotte en Rondeau Center Boys’ Rag Band (8.557999) Yasunori Imamura, Lute (8.573936-37) 17 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN 12 Johann Friedrich FASCH (1688–1758) Mandolin Sonatina in C minor, 3:48 Lute Concerto in D minor 6:38 WoO 43a (performed on mandolin (arr. R. Chiesa) – I. (Allegretto moderato) and fortepiano) Konrad Ragossnig, Lute Alon Sariel, Mandolin South West German Chamber Orchestra Michael Tsalka, Fortepiano (9.70289) Paul Angerer (CD3X-3022) 18 Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778–1837) 13 Raffaele CALACE (1863–1934) Mandolin Concerto in G major, S28 – 5:03 Mandolin Concerto No. 1, 6:24 II. Andante con Variazioni Op. 113 – III. Rondo Edith Bauer-Slais, Mandolin Alison Stephens, Mandolin Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra Steven Devine, Piano (8.570434) Vinzenz Hladky (3037100102) 14 Johann Sebastian BACH 19 Johann Sebastian BACH Lute Partita in E minor, BWV 996 – 1:33 Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, 3:49 V. Bourrée BWV 1043 – I. Vivace Yasunori Imamura, Lute (8.573936-37) (arr. for 2 mandolins and mandolin orchestra) Dorina Frati and Silvia Tenchini, Mandolins 15 Johann HOFFMANN Mauro and Claudio Terroni Mandolin Orchestra Mandolin Sonata in G major – 4:15 Dorina Frati, Conductor (CDS7787) III. Rondo Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin Birgit Schwab, Archlute (8.557716) Total Timing: 78:47 3 8.578183 Delicate Delights Best loved classical mandolin and lute music The mandolin and the lute are both plucked mandolin a significant part in hisSerenade and chordophones, stringed instruments of great Stravinsky brought it into Agon. antiquity. Each is distinctive in its characteristic The mandolin has become popular shape, the body having a flat soundboard and a worldwide in the realm of folk music from Éire to vaulted symmetrical shell as the main components. the US (where it is played in blue grass, country, The name ‘mandolin’ refers to an and other styles) and from South America to instrument which historically has been known Japan, as well as throughout Europe. by various names in different countries (such as Whereas the mandolin is still an instrument the German mandore, the French mandoline, in active use in many present day musical settings, the Italian mandolino, the Spanish bandolín, the European lute has come to be regarded as etc.). In terms of tuning, following evolution over a historical instrument whose general popularity centuries, the mandolin settled on four courses expired in the late 18th century. The lute’s (i.e. four sets of two strings, the ‘courses’ being origins extend far back into antiquity being tuned in pairs), the instrument becoming known of Arabic origin under its name of oud or d, as the ‘Neapolitan’ mandolin. It is tuned to an instrument which in contemporary Arabic, the same pitch and intervals as the violin and Turkish, Persian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani ultimately players favoured steel strings always culture is still a principal musical element. The d played with a plectrum. is believed to have evolved to become a five Though for many, the contemporary course instrument in the 8th–9th century, and mandolin represents images of romanticism this still remains the customary stringing among and the light music of Mediterranean cafés, today’s leading performers. As an instrument the instrument can claim a distinguished without frets it is ideal for the microtonal nature heritage with many great composers adding of Middle Eastern music. to its repertoire. Mozart, for example, The European or western lute has passed used the mandolin for the accompaniment through various evolutions since the instrument of the serenade in Don Giovanni (1787), was introduced by the Moors and the Crusaders Beethoven wrote some pieces for it with piano into Europe during medieval times. At first it was accompaniment, while Verdi included it in played with a plectrum, favouring a melodic Otello (1887). Mahler featured the instrument style. But during the second half of the 15th in his Seventh and Eighth Symphonies and Das century players began to pluck with the fingertips Lied von der Erde, while Schoenberg gave the of the right hand which encouraged the creation 8.578183 4 of a contrapuntal approach to its music. revived the glories of both the Elizabethan lute In the 16th century, the development of and the Baroque lute and made Early Music the printing press enabled lute music (written in enjoyable and relevant worldwide. tablature) and instruction books to be published. The early printed books stemmed from various 1 J.S. Bach: Concerto in the Italian Style, countries including France, Italy, Germany BWV 971 ‘Italian Concerto’ – I. Allegro and England, most of them catering for the six The Italian Concerto was published as part course lute. The highest art of the Elizabethan of the second volume of Bach’s Clavierübung lute in England was the music of John Dowland in 1735. Bach had previously arranged a (1563–1626) and his contemporaries in number of Italian orchestral concertos by publications which became popular throughout Vivaldi and others for keyboard though this European courts. remains his only original concerto for solo In the 17th and 18th centuries, further keyboard. The Italian Concerto is in three courses were added to the lute’s basses and by movements and in this work Bach simulates the time of J.S. Bach the instrument had become orchestral playing divided between the a formidable array of complex stringing and tutti (full orchestra) and the solo instrument tunings, some critics complaining that the performing with the orchestra. Baroque lute cost more to keep than a horse and practitioners spent most of their life tuning. 2 Vivaldi: Mandolin Concerto in C major, Despite this, much superb music was produced, RV 425 – I. Allegro the pinnacle being the lute works of Sylvius Antonio Vivaldi, composer, violinist Leopold Weiss (1686–1750) and J.S. Bach. and priest, born in Venice, was the The advent of the harpsichord, and the most influential Italian composer of his existence of the lute-harpsichord (a keyboard generation. His music was neglected instrument strung with gut which sounded like for many decades after his death but re- a lute), steadily displaced the lute as the most discovered in the 20th century and works popular means of music making. In the early such as The Four Seasons now rank 20th century the lute became the subject of great worldwide among the most frequently research and pioneers such as Arnold Dolmetsch performed and recorded Baroque music. (1858–1940) built lutes and searched for the Vivaldi’s prolific output comprised compositions of the past to perform. The coming over 500 concertos. Furthermore Vivaldi of virtuoso lute players such as Julian Bream, contributed a huge quantity of vocal music Nigel North, Paul O’Dette, Lutz Kirchhof, with Masses, psalms, motets, solo cantatas, Hopkinson Smith, Christopher Wilson, etc., and over 20 operas. Mandolin Concerto 5 8.578183 in C major is brimming over with vitality 5 J.S. Bach: Lute Suite in G minor, and melodic inventiveness while allowing BWV 995 – III. Courante the mandolinist scope for expressiveness In April 1723, following the death of and virtuosity. Johann Kuhnau (1660–1722), Kantor at the Thomasschule in Leipzig, Bach was 3 Hoffmann: Mandolin Sonata in D minor – appointed as his successor. During this III. Allegro time, Bach is believed to have been in Little is known of Hoffmann’s life, except contact with two esteemed lute players, that he resided in Vienna, and his various Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1687–1750) and compositions were entirely for mandolin Johann Kropffgans (1708–c. 1770). combined with other instruments in various Of all Bach’s compositions only seven ensemble figurations from duets to concertos. works (BWV 995–1000 and 1006a) are In this final movement of theSonata listed as being for lute. Out of these it is in D minor the mandolin is accompanied not certain that each composition was by the archlute. Beginning with a intended for the lute.