Frescobaldi, who was taught by Luzzasco Luzzaschi (c.1545-1607)
the court organist, seems to have been something of a prodigy as an organist himself.
Frescobaldi was influenced by Gesualdo who visited Ferrara in 1594. After Duke
Alfonso’s death Frescobaldi stayed in Ferrara and, around 1597, became organist
at the Accademia della Morte de Ferrara at the age of only 14. By 1604 Frescobaldi
was working in Rome with Guido Bentivoglio, the son from an important Ferrara
family, as his patron. In 1607, when Bentivoglio was made archbishop and papal nuncio
in Flanders, he took Frescobaldi with him to Brussels where he may have met
Peter Philips (1560-1628) and Pieter Cornet (c.1570-80-1633).
As his relationship with Bentivoglio declined, Frescobaldi
found a new patron in Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, nephew of Pope Clement
VIII. In 1613 he married Orsola del Pino, having already fathered a child by
her. In February 1615 Frescobaldi took up a post in Mantua but this seems to
have been unsuccessful and by May he was back in Rome, having continually been
paid by St Peter’s. The dedications on some of his works indicate that he moved
amongst illustrious people, some of the most powerful in Rome. In 1628 Frescobaldi
was given leave of absence to travel to the Florentine Court where documents
describe him as court organist or maestro di cappella. By 1634 he had resumed
his post as organist at St.Peter’s. By now Frescobaldi had a widespread
reputation. Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667) received leave of absence from
the Viennese Court to travel to Rome to study with him.
Frescobaldi died in Rome on 1st March 1643 and was
buried in the church of SS Apostoli.
Nimbus Alliance www.wyastone.co.uk/all-labels/nimbus/nimbus-alliance.html have
just released the fifth and final volume of Richard Lester’s Frescobaldi series
http://www.richardlester.org.uk/index.htm that summarises works written towards the end of the composer’s life. Lester plays a copy of an early 17th
century Italian harpsichord by Colin Booth and the 1588 Costanzo Antegnati
organ in the church of San Nicola, Almenno San Salvatore, north east of Milan,
an instrument that Frescobaldi could
have played when he visited Milan in 1608.
The other artists on
this recording are Elizabeth Lester, who plays a copy of a 16th
century recorder and Polly Armitage, who plays a copy of a 16th
century flute, as well as Londa Ntotila (soprano) and Judith Dolosso (baroque
cello).
NI 5887 |
The combination of recorder and organ in Canzona I works extremely well, particularly
in the way Richard Lester manages to balance the organ so well with the recorder.
This is a lovely performance.
Fescobaldi’s Six
Corrente for harpsichord receive some lovely phrasing in what are
attractive little pieces. There is a lively first corrente, a rhythmically flowing second, a beautifully layered
third, a fourth with changing rhythms, a light and sparkling fifth and a nicely
sprung sixth.
The lovely timbres of the renaissance flute bring a lovely
atmosphere to Canzone V (la Donatina)
with a melancholy central section whilst there is tremendous agility from Polly
Armitage in Canzona II (la Bonuisa)
perfectly partnered by Richard Lester. These two canzonas are an absolute delight.
Soprano Londa Ntotila joins Richard Lester for two arias, Se l’aura spira and O moi cor. Ntotila is a little unsteady a times but can bring a richness
to her lower range in these lovely arias. She is set rather back in the
acoustic which doesn’t help the sound. Ntotila is sensitively accompanied by
Richard Lester (harpsichord).
The Capriccio sopra
Bataglia is for solo harpsichord and is a terrific piece, full of energy and
brilliance, fabulously played by Lester. Cappricio
sopra Pastorale features the lovely 1588 Antegnati organ in a lovely
flowing piece that shows so much of the timbres of the instrument, especially
in the hands of a master such as Richard Lester. It is remarkable that this
organ has survived in such fine condition.
The next track on this disc has the bells of Almenno San
Salvatore complete with bird song. It seems that, when the recordings were
being made in the church of San Nicola, the bells were heard to sound out, thereby
tempting the recording engineer to record this atmospheric sound.
The Schola Gregoriana
del Duomodi Bergamo join for the remaining works bringing an authentic
monastic sound with a fine vocal security. Dating back to 973, the Schola at
the Cathedral of St. Vincenzo was founded by Bishop Ambrose I. The Choir of the
Cathedral of Bergamo was re-established in November 1996 by the master Don
Gilberto Sessantini and Mario Valsecchi. Part of this choir is the Gregorian
Schola of the Cathedral of Bergamo, under the direction of Don Gilberto
Sessantini, who undertake the study of medieval monodic chant.
The plainchant settings of the Magnificat and Hinno (hymns or
anthems) for the various occasions of the liturgical year are interspersed with
Frescobaldi’s ‘improvisations’ for organ. It would have been the practice at
St. Peter’s in Rome, for such organ versets to be improvised on a daily basis.
With such a characterful old organ and these fine singers
the Magnificat comes alive whilst taking us back to the 17th
century. Richard Lester plays the Antegnati organ with lovely directness. The
Magnificat is opens by a firm voiced solo member of the Schola before the organ
plays the ‘improvisation’ between each of the verses of the plainchant.
Richard Lester plays an opening verso for the four Hinno
that are sung here, again contributing a verso between each verse of the
plainchant. The two remaining Magnificat are performed in the same way as the
first with the solo member of the Schola singing the word ‘Magnificat’ before
the ‘Primo verso’ on the organ.
Richard Lester’s playing, combined with the Schola
Gregoriana lovely singing, brings a real authenticity that ensures that the
settings are never dull or earthbound in any way.
This makes a suitably attractive conclusion to this much
praised series of recordings, with some first rate music making. The booklet
notes are very informative and have full texts and translations.
However, for an even greater insight into these performances
it is recommended that listeners go to www.frescobaldi.org.uk/home.htm
in order to view two excellent twenty minute videos by Richard Lester. In the
first he demonstrates his split keyed harpsichord, explaining its use, given
the mean tone tuning, and in the second, filmed in Almenno San Salvatore, he
shows us the Antegnati organ and demonstrates the various registrations.
See also:
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