Portrait of a Woman Composer Sitting at the Harpsichord, Holding a Music Roll in Her Hand, Around 1780

G010003221164U Portrait of a woman composer sitting at the harpsichord, holding a music roll in her hand, around 1780. Private collection. Porträt einer Komponistin am Cembalo sitzend mit einer Musikrolle in der Hand, um 1780. Privatsammlung. Cantata „Il nido degli amori“ (1783) * MARIANNA MARTINES La for mezzo-soprano, wind instruments, strings & b.c. (1744–1812) 14 Aria: Se ti basta ch’io t’ammiri 4.15 15 Recitativo: S’io non accetto il loco 4.06 Scena „Orgoglioso fiumicello“ (1786) * Tempesta 16 Aria: Sarà più dolce assai 3.17 for mezzo-soprano, wind instruments, strings & b.c. * World première recordings 1 Aria: Orgoglioso fiumicello 4.41 2 Recitativo: Ma tu cresci frattanto 2.28 ANNA BONITATIBUS mezzo-soprano 3 Aria: Ma tornerai fra poco 4.00 LA FLORIDIANA Concerto per Cembalo in G major (1772) * Stefano Barneschi, concert master · Nicholas A. Robinson, violin · Gianni de Rosa, viola for harpsichord solo, wind instruments & strings Marco Testori, violoncello · Marco Lo Cicero, violone 4 Allegro 6.34 Liane Ehlich & Renate Sudhaus, flutes · Thomas Meraner & Philipp Wagner, oboes 5 Adagio 6.19 Silvia Centomo & Daniel Lienhard, horns · Anna Flumiani, bassoon 6 Allegro 5.33 NICOLETA PARASCHIVESCU Cantata „La Tempesta“ (1778) harpsichord & musical direction for mezzo-soprano, wind instruments, strings & b.c. 7 Recitativo: No, non turbarti, o Nice! 1.51 P & g 2015 Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH Recorded: February 12–14, 2014, Reformierte Kirche Arlesheim (CH) 8 Ma tu tremi, o mio tesoro 3.40 Aria: Recording producer & editing: Andreas Werner, Silencium Musikproduktion 9 Recitativo: Siedi, sicura sei 2.39 Producer SRF: Valerio Benz 10 Aria: Alfin fra le tempeste 4.21 Totel time: 66.26 · Cover painting: anonymous 18th Century, private collection Artwork: Christine Schweitzer Sonata per Cembalo in G major (1769) www.annabonitatibus.com · www.lafloridiana.com · www.sonyclassical.de for harpsichord solo A co-production with 11 Allegro brillante 4.45 Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen 12 Adagio 3.51 13 Allegro assai 4.06 2 3 “ was born in the year 1744 on the 4th day of May. Martini in December 1773. The occasion was an several encounters with her. While staying in put on such academies for many years: these I In my seventh year they began to introduce me honour bestowed upon her a few months earlier, Vienna in September 1772 Burney paid a visit to events were akin to the French salons where the to the study of music, for which they believed me in May of that year, when she became the first the famous librettist Metastasio, who lived in the nobility, politicians and the upper echelons of inclined by nature. Its rudiments were taught me woman to be admitted to the prestigious Accadem same building as the Martines family. Burney the bourgeoisie met, with music playing a cen- by Signor Giuseppe Haydn, currently Maestro di ia Filarmonica di Bologna. The teachers she mentions wrote the following account of this visit and his tral role. On these occasions, Martines’ own works Cappella to Prince Esterházy, and a man of much in the letter place Martines in a direct line with the first meeting with Marianna Martines: “She truly were also performed, with the composer her- reputation in Vienna, particularly with regard to Neapolitan musical tradition, which played a cen- surpassed the expectations I had come to have self singing or playing the harpsichord. instrumental music. In counterpoint, to which tral role in 18th century music. Martines made use on her. She sang two arias of her own composing Marianna Martines’ œuvre covers a variety of they assigned me quite early, I have had no other of this ‘visiting card’ to position herself clearly as a to words by Metastasio, where she accompanied genres: church music such as cantatas, oratorios master than Signor Giuseppe Bonno, a most ele- composer. Her teachers Giuseppe Bonno and Jo- herself at the keyboard in a sensitive and master- and motets as well as instrumental pieces, mainly gant composer of the imperial court, who, sent by hann Adolph Hasse had both studied in Naples ly manner, and from the way she played the for harpsichord. Unfortunately, many of her works Emperor Charles VI to Naples, stayed there many before they started work in Vienna, while Porpora ritornelli, I concluded that she had very nimbled have been lost. Notwithstanding, her develop- years and acquired excellence in music under the had been a sought-after singing teacher at the fingers.” He also refers to her as “the most per- ment as a composer can still be traced by compar- celebrated masters Durante and Leo. My exercise Conservatorio di Sant’Onofrio in Naples. Joseph fect singer [...] I have ever heard”. ing her early compositions with later works from has been, and still is, to combine the continual Haydn, it’s true, never visited Naples, but he al- The Martines family had close connections her pen. The first album, “Il primo amore” with daily practice of composing with the study and ways declared that Nicola Porpora had been the to the Vienna court, so that the young Marianna Nuria Rial und La Floridiana, was devoted mainly scrutiny of that which has been written by the only person who instructed him in composition. grew up in a highly inspiring environment. Her to her early cantatas, and the great success of this most celebrated masters such as Hasse, Jommelli, The city of Naples with its total of four conserva- father, a native of Naples, was master of cere- production prompted us to release a follow-up Galluppi [sic] and the others [...] But in all my stud- toires was one of Europe’s leading music centres monies to the Apostolic Nuncio in Vienna, and a album focusing primarily on the composer’s ies, the chief planner and director was always, and in the 18th century. The conservatoires were par- close friend of the court poet Pietro Metastasio. late cantatas and her harpsichord pieces. still is, Signor Abbate Metastasio, who with the ticularly renowned for the custom of teaching Her brothers also occupied important positions Of the three cantatas recorded here, “La Tem- paternal care he takes of me and of all my numer- composition, improvisation and accompaniment at court. All the cantatas and oratorios written pesta” is the earliest, dating from 1778. It is laid out ous family, renders an exemplary return for the in- using partimenti. Even though she probably never by Marianna set texts from Metastasio’s pen. in the form recitative – aria – recitative – aria, a con- corruptible friendship and tireless support which left her native Vienna, Marianna Martines was Unlike in London and Paris, where the first trast to the two other cantatas, which have the my good father lent him up until the very last days trained in this practice and was highly esteemed public concert series were already being put three-part form aria – recitative – aria. The lively of his life.” there. on, musical life in Vienna at the time was still interaction between the music and the text in the With these words, Marianna Martines outlined In his Present State of Music in France and Italy, the confined to the Imperial court and to private recitatives displays much imagination, with the her musical career in a letter she wrote to Padre English music scholar Charles Burney mentions settings, so-called ‘academies’. Martines herself “pesky twittering” of the birds (pigolar noioso), 4 5 the mutability of the river (“Ma tu cresci frattanto”) charms the ear with its Alberti basses, typical and other scenes from nature being vividly re- of their time, and a lively recitative that leads flected in the music. The protagonists are often into an aria (rondo). shepherds, e.g. in the cantatas “La Tempesta” and According to Anton Schmid, no fewer than “Orgoglioso fiumicello” (“L’Inciampo”). The 31 harpsichord sonatas by Marianna Martines formal development between the early cantatas, were still extant in 1846. Sadly, most of these as heard on the album “Il primo amore”, and the have vanished in the intervening years, and later works is interesting: the early pieces are only three of them now survive. One of the so- mostly set in four parts, whereas later on Mar- natas was published in 1765 as part of Johann tines makes use of the three-part layout that Ulrich Haffner’s anthology “Raccolta musicale had since come into vogue. Martines also uses a contenente VI. sonate per il cembalo” in lower vocal register in the later cantatas, while the Nuremberg, together with sonatas by Galuppi, earlier ones are set in a higher compass. Sammartini, Rutini and Scarlatti. Marianna Martines dedicated the latest of The Sonata in G major has survived in a man- her surviving cantatas, “Orgoglioso fiumicello” uscript dating from 1769 that belongs to the (1786), to her pupil “Mlle. Victoire c[om]tesse de Saxon State Library in Dresden. The gallant Fries”. The De Frieses were a very musical family, and playful language of the first movement of- and among other things they gave Beethoven fers plenty of opportunity for variation and or- financial support during his early career in namentation, while the closing movement is Vienna. In the cantata, the shepherd waits im- all brilliant virtuosity. Martines has the cour- patiently for the waters from the swollen river age to indulge in bold harmonies: after a sec- to finally abate and allow him to cross to his tion ending in B major, she inserts a short land again. The last movement, Ma tornerai fra pause and then carries on in C sharp without poco, is particularly unusual; it opens at a lei- any modulation. The two outer movements surely speed (Andante comodo), before leading form a marked contrast to the andante in G mi- Title page of the cantata/Titelblatt der Kantate “Orgoglioso fiumicello” with dedication to/mit Widmung “Mlle.

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