BRUNETTI’S SYMPHONIES
NEW YORK 2015
The Camerata Antonio Soler has successfully completed the first phase of an ambitious project to recover the complete orchestral works by Gaetano Brunetti (1744- 1798). The Camerata approaches this music with an interpretation based on historical criteria and the use of original instruments. The aim is to reproduce with absolute fidelity sounds of the Spanish Court in the last third of the eighteenth century.
Teresa Berganza has stated that:
“Brunetti is rescued from oblivion by the Camerata Antonio Soler. A group of young musicians that sets a great composer in its proper place. Let us support all this wonderful project”
Why Brunetti in the US?
It should be noted that it was an American, Newell Jenkins (New Haven, 1915-New York, 1996), who rediscovered this genius in the 50s1. In addition, there are several current American musicologists who dedicate and devote their efforts to study and analyze the life and work of this composer2. So now comes the opportunity to re-listen to his work so we can all enjoy the sounds of this unknown marvelous genius!
In order to celebrate the launch of this first recording, The Camerata is planning a series of concerts in New York in February 2015 (between 11th and 16th) as well as other cities on the East Coast.
This initial recording is mainly composed by 39 symphonies (including 3 concertos, two violin solos), along with some variations for orchestra and a series of 18 Minuets and 12 Contradanzas, along with 9 Marches and Contradanzas for wind ensemble. This first phase consists in recording a CD with 3 symphonies written around 1783: Symphony No. 9 in D major (L. 298), Symphony No. 21 in E flat major (L. 310) and Symphony No. 29 in C major (L. 318).
1 See: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/24/arts/newell-jenkins-81-conductor-who-found-gems-in- archives.html 2 Among other we mention Sion M.Honea and René Ramos, We have the privilege of having their support and interest in this project.
THE COMPOSER
Gaetano Brunetti (1744-1798) was an Italian violinist and composer who spent most of his life in the Madrid court at the service of King Charles III and Charles IV. Born in Fano, Italy (on the Adriatic coast), and after studying violin with Carlo Tessarini and Pietro Nardini, in 1760 he moved with his family to Madrid. After being appointed as a violinist in the Royal Chapel in 1767, he began work as a teacher of the Prince of Asturias (son of the King-future heir) and later as a musician of the Royal House of Carlos IV. Brunetti usually accompanied the Royal entourage on their "days" or leisure venues at the Royal sites of Aranjuez, San Ildefonso and El Escorial. These journeys undoubtedly gave him the opportunity to contact with musicians from the Hieronymite Monastery, including Fray Antonio Soler- important composer and musician at the Monastery of the Escorial.
Gaetano Brunetti certainly occupied a prominent position in Madrid's musical world of the second half of the eighteenth century. There are two main reasons: because of his position in the Royal court and also due to the fruitful relationship he had with the two major aristocratic houses of the time: the Duke of Alba and Count-Duke of Benavente-Osuna. He also was in contact with the Infante Don Luis, Luigi Boccherini’s patron. However, the impact that he had in Europe was very scarce, he released three youth albums in Paris (1775-1776), one of his symphonies was interpreted in Concert Spirituel of the French capital on April 13, 1784. He also sent some fifty works to the kings of Etruria in 1805, shortly after his death.
La escuadra del Tajo, cerca del Palacio Real de Aranjuez, painted by Antonio Joli, ca. 1753. The Palace of Aranjuez was, along with those of San Ildefonso, El Escorial, El Pardo and, of course, the Palace of Madrid, one of the habitual residences of the court, which were in continuous displacement, according to the seasons
THE SYMPHONIES
According to the catalog of Germán Labrador, we have today 39 symphonies by Gaetano Brunetti that have remained. In addition, there are two others, No. 11 (L. 300) in F major and Symphony Concertante No. 1, which are only reported through the catalog of Louis Labitte, and until today still missing. Of the 39 conserved symphonies, three belong to the category of Sinfonia Concertante in which the author makes use of two solo violins with the orchestra.
The majority of the symphonies (35 of the 41 he wrote) were composed at the service of the Prince of Asturias, between 1771 and 1788. The instrumental group commonly used is: string section in four parts (first violins, second violins, violas and cellos / basses) and wind quintet, consisting of two oboes, two horns and bassoon, but rarely uses a bassoon and even less seldom two trumpets or timpani.
Autographed score. First page of Symphony No. 29 in C major (L. 318) by Gaetano Brunetti, conserved in the Sibley Music Library (Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, EE.UU.)
The Royal Palace of Madrid preserved and collected works by Brunetti among other important composers: Boccherini, Dittersdorf, Galuppi, Gossec, Haydn, Mozart, Paisiello and Stamitz. All works were acquired in the second half of the eighteenth century and the fact that they were present indicate, that the Madrid court was fully up to date with what was happening musically in Europe. Some authors have noted a special influence of Haydn's symphonies Brunetti and, indeed, the Italian musician lived up to the Austrian master. As indicated by Newell Jenkins, “Brunetti’s symphonies are remarkable for their compact symphonic character, their clarity and originality of form, terseness of thematic material, careful working-out of the development sections, independence of part writing, idiomatic use of instruments, and exceptional feeling for harmonic color”3.
PERFORMERS: CAMERATA ANTONIO SOLER AND GUSTAVO SÁNCHEZ
The Camerata Antonio Soler was born in late 2011 with the purpose of addressing a diverse list of works of all styles, emphasizing the Spanish classical and romantic repertoire. The core of the group consists of fourteen wind and string musicians from the area of San Lorenzo del Escorial (Madrid – Spain). All professionals with proven artistic worth. Since 2011 the Camerata is the Resident orchestra of the International Conductors Masterclass "El Escorial" by the eminent Finnish Professor Jorma Panula . The Camerata Antonio Soler recently performed at the International Congress of Musicology APARM in Lisbon and has been invited in 2015 to Finland and the Netherlands. Gustavo Sánchez is the founding conductor. The group just released their first CD, with three unpublished symphonies by Gaetano Brunetti.
3 Nine symphonies. Gaetano Brunetti, Newell Jenkins (ed.), Garland, New York–London, 1979, pp. XII-XIII. COMPONENTS OF CAMERATA ANTONIO SOLER Ignacio Ramal Viejo, violin (concertmaster) Edelweiss Tinoco Rodríguez, violin José Néstor Tomás Loba, violin Roldán Bernabé Carrión, violin Lidia Patricia García Rojas, violin Elena Nuño Berges, violin Alaia Ferrán Abaigar, viola Ester Domingo Sancho, cello Agustín Orcha Mata, contrabass Daniel Ramírez Escudero, oboe Tatjana Zimre, oboe Josep Casadellà, bassoon Juan Pavia Font, horn Jairo Gimeno Veses, horn
Gustavo Sanchez is a native of Alicante, where he studied Flute and Composition. Between 1991 and 1996 he studied orchestral conducting at the Vienna Conservatory under Professors Mark Reinhard Schwarz and Georg. Since 1997 he has conducted several orchestras, notably the Symphony Orchestra of Murcia, Wiener Akademische Philharmonie and Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Recently he was invited by the Miami Dade College Film Orchestra to give a workshop and a concert. He is the director and founder of the Camerata Antonio Soler resident orchestra of the International Conducting Course "El Escorial" by the eminent Finnish Professor Jorma Panula.
Since 2002 he is head of the Escolanía del Monasterio del Escorial, with which he has conducted numerous performances in and outside Spain (Germany, Italy, Panama...), both in concert and on radio and television, and has recorded a total of six albums.
Gustavo Sanchez is extremely active in the field of music research and has published numerous articles and books. In 2009 he obtained his doctorate with European mention (cum laude) at the Universidad Autonóma de Madrid, with the thesis The music in the Escorial monastery during the period of the Hieronymite Order: Children of the Seminary (1567-1837) under the direction of Dr. Begoña Lolo. Recently it recived the Prize for outstanding PhD Thesis. Since 2008 he has been an associate in the Department of Music at the the Universidad Autonóma de Madrid, where he teaches and participates in several research projects.
PROGRAM
Gaetano Brunetti (1744-1798)
Symphony Nº 29 in C major (L. 318)
Allegro spiritoso Larghetto con un poco di moto Quintetto – Minore Allegro non Molto
Symphony Nº 9 in D major (L. 298)
Allegro con spirito Larghetto con moto Quintetto – Minore Allegro non Molto
Symphony Nº 21 en E flat major (L. 310)
Largo sostenuto – Allegro vivace Andantino grazioso Quintetto – Minore
Allegretto
Scores transcribed and revised by René Ramos and Gustavo Sánchez
CONTACT INFORMATION
Gustavo Sánchez, Conductor (Tl.: + 34 650 218503)
Cinta de Navascués, Secretary and Comunication (Tl.: +34 691 816 590)
www.camerataantoniosoler.com