Music on Thursdays - Online
Thursday 15th April 2021
Albinoni 350
Available: from Thursday 15th April
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Programme
Albinoni 350
celebrating the birth of
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671-1751)
in Venice, 8th June 1671
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni
from Sonata a Violino Solo composta per il Signor Pisendel, So 32 (c1717)
Sonata for solo violin in Bb major composed for Signor Pisendel
II Allegro
from 12 Trattenimenti armonici per camera Op 6 (Amsterdam c1711)
12 Chamber harmonisations for violin and bass continuo
No 6 in A minor
from 6 Sinfonie & 6 Concerti a cinque Op 2, (Venice 1700)
6 Sinfonias & 6 Concertos in five parts (for solo violin in the Concertos), 2 violins, 2 violas, and bass continuo
No 6 Sinfonia in G Minor
1 Adagio
2 Allegro
3Grave
4 Allegro
from 12 Concerti a cinque Op 10 (Amsterdam 1722)
12 5-part concertos for solo violin, 1 or 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, cello and basso continuo
No 2 in D minor
1 Allegro e non presto
2 Adagio
3 Allegro
No 9 in C major for two oboes
1 Allegro
2 Adagio
3 Presto
Remo Giazotto (1910-1998)
after Tomaso Albinoni
Adagio in Sol minore per archi e organo su due spunti tematici e su un basso numerato di Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26)
Adagio in G minor for strings and organ on two thematic ideas and on a figured bass of Tomaso Albinoni
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni
Concerto Saint Marc in B flat major for trumpet and organ
Grave
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Albinoni Extra
from Cantatas completas, Op 4 (Venice 1702)
Complete cantatas
Cantata Nº 1
1 Recitativo: Amor, Sorte, Destino! Love, fate, destiny
2 Largo: M'e piú caro It is dearer to me
3 Recit: Ma ohimè ch'invan sospiro But, O, how I sigh
4 Allegro: S'il mio penar If my suffering
Concert duration: 58 minutes + extra
from Sonata a Violino Solo composta per il Signor Pisendel, So 32 (c1717)
Sonata for solo violin in Bb major composed for Signor Pisendel
II Allegro
from 12 Trattenimenti armonici per camera Op 6 (Amsterdam c1711)
12 Chamber harmonisations for violin and bass continuo
No 6 in A minor
from 6 Sinfonie & 6 Concerti a cinque Op 2, (Venice 1700)
6 Sinfonias & 6 Concertos in five parts (for solo violin in the Concertos), 2 violins, 2 violas, and bass continuo
No 6 Sinfonia in G Minor
1 Adagio
2 Allegro
3Grave
4 Allegro
from 12 Concerti a cinque Op 10 (Amsterdam 1722)
12 5-part concertos for solo violin, 1 or 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, cello and basso continuo
No 2 in D minor
1 Allegro e non presto
2 Adagio
3 Allegro
No 9 in C major for two oboes
1 Allegro
2 Adagio
3 Presto
Remo Giazotto (1910-1998)
after Tomaso Albinoni
Adagio in Sol minore per archi e organo su due spunti tematici e su un basso numerato di Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26)
Adagio in G minor for strings and organ on two thematic ideas and on a figured bass of Tomaso Albinoni
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni
Concerto Saint Marc in B flat major for trumpet and organ
Grave
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Albinoni Extra
from Cantatas completas, Op 4 (Venice 1702)
Complete cantatas
Cantata Nº 1
1 Recitativo: Amor, Sorte, Destino! Love, fate, destiny
2 Largo: M'e piú caro It is dearer to me
3 Recit: Ma ohimè ch'invan sospiro But, O, how I sigh
4 Allegro: S'il mio penar If my suffering
Concert duration: 58 minutes + extra
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We need your help to fund our concerts recorded 'as live' by professional musicians |
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Albinoni 350
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni was born into a wealthy Venice paper merchanting family in 1671. He studied singing and violin. That wealthy start was important, for Albinoni never had to seek a court or church sponsor for his work.
Although we know of 55 operas only one survives intact, and 18 of the others have left only some of their arias. So these days, in contrast to his contemporary reputation, we know Albinoni mostly as an instrumental composer, especially as a composer of violin concertos. There are also three collections containing over 40 Cantatas.
We open with the short Allegro movement from a violin sonata, dedicated to the German composer, Johan Georg Pisendel, then in his late twenties.
Although we know of 55 operas only one survives intact, and 18 of the others have left only some of their arias. So these days, in contrast to his contemporary reputation, we know Albinoni mostly as an instrumental composer, especially as a composer of violin concertos. There are also three collections containing over 40 Cantatas.
We open with the short Allegro movement from a violin sonata, dedicated to the German composer, Johan Georg Pisendel, then in his late twenties.
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from Sonata a Violino Solo composta
per il Signor Pisendel (So 32) Sonata for solo violin in Bb major composed for Signor Pisendel (c1717) II Allegro 3m15 Adrian Chandler, violin • Gareth Deats, violoncello Robert Howarth, harpsichord La Serenissima • Adrian Chandler, conductor |
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Next comes the sixth in a set of little sonatas from the same decade.
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from 12 Trattenimenti armonici per camera Op 6
12 Chamber harmonisations for violin and bass continuo (Amsterdam c1711) No 6 in A minor 11m00 Ensemble La Fenice (of Auxerre, Burgundy) Amandine Beyer, violin Emilia Gliozzi, violoncello Laurent Stewart, cembalo (harpsichord) |
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Time to move on to larger forces, while remaining among the strings. I have chosen this sinfonia for 5 parts, in G minor.
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from 6 Sinfonie & 6 Concerti a cinque Op 2, (Venice 1700)
6 Sinfonias & 6 Concertos in five parts (for solo violin in the Concertos), 2 violins, 2 violas, and bass continuo No 6 Sinfonia in G Minor 7m50 Adagio Allegro Grave Allegro performed by Harmonia Nobile Chamber Orchestra Ivano-Frankivsk Philharmonic Art director: Natalia Mandryka (People's Artist of Ukraine) |
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Albinoni is generally thought to be the first composer to write for the oboe, one of those instruments one feels is frequently overlooked. When there is beautiful music around, like this concerto, there really is no excuse. The recording simply says 'St James' Church' so it took a little working out that this is not London, nor New York, but the Anglican church in Porto, Portugal.
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from 12 Concerti a cinque Op 10 (Amsterdam 1722)
12 5-part concertos for solo violin, 1 or 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, cello and basso continuo No 2 in D minor 13m25 1 Allegro e non presto 2 Adagio 3 Allegro Aldo Salvetti, solo oboe Richard Brunner, conductor St James' Anglican Church, Porto, Portugal, May.2016 |
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Have you been wondering whether I will ever shift out of the minor keys? You are in luck. This is where our concert switches to the major.
If you enjoyed one oboe there is every chance that you will enjoy the two oboes in this next beautiful Albinoni concerto. I am less certain about the choreography. See what you think.
If you enjoyed one oboe there is every chance that you will enjoy the two oboes in this next beautiful Albinoni concerto. I am less certain about the choreography. See what you think.
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from 12 Concerti a cinque Op 10 (Amsterdam 1722)
12 5-part concertos for solo violin, 1 or 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, cello and basso continuo (as above) No 9 in C major for two oboes 10m25 1 Allegro 2 Adagio 3 Presto performed by Emily Knaapen and Emily Tsai, oboe University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra |
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I have chosen to hide the next work well down the list, and for good reason. I hope you are ready for this story of musical discovery.
Albinoni's 20th century biographer was an Italian fellow called Remo Giazotto (1910-1998).
Giazotto discovered a fragment of Albinoni's music. He believed it to be the slow movement of an unknown trio sonata. This was soon after World War Two, and he found it in the Saxony State Library. Their collection had been kept intact despite the loss of their buildings in the Allied bombing raids of February and March 1945.
Giazotto claimed it was part of a sonata da chiesa (church sonata) from around 1708. After completing the movement, from this fragment, he published and copyrighted the work in 1958. The problem with all this is that first, the Saxony State Library has no record of any of this 'fragment' and, second, Giazotto never produced the fragment that would have ended any discussion of provenance.
So it is entirely possible that the piece we have known as Albinoni's Adagio is a hoax, a fake, a 1950s neo-Baroque fabrication. Sorry.
Did I let you down gently enough there? Shall we listen anyway? The Amadeus Chamber Orchestra keep it tripping along nicely.
Albinoni's 20th century biographer was an Italian fellow called Remo Giazotto (1910-1998).
Giazotto discovered a fragment of Albinoni's music. He believed it to be the slow movement of an unknown trio sonata. This was soon after World War Two, and he found it in the Saxony State Library. Their collection had been kept intact despite the loss of their buildings in the Allied bombing raids of February and March 1945.
Giazotto claimed it was part of a sonata da chiesa (church sonata) from around 1708. After completing the movement, from this fragment, he published and copyrighted the work in 1958. The problem with all this is that first, the Saxony State Library has no record of any of this 'fragment' and, second, Giazotto never produced the fragment that would have ended any discussion of provenance.
So it is entirely possible that the piece we have known as Albinoni's Adagio is a hoax, a fake, a 1950s neo-Baroque fabrication. Sorry.
Did I let you down gently enough there? Shall we listen anyway? The Amadeus Chamber Orchestra keep it tripping along nicely.
Remo Giazotto (1910-1998) 8m20
after Tomaso Albinoni
Adagio in Sol minore per archi e organo su due spunti tematici e su un basso numerato di Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26)
Adagio in G minor for strings and organ on two thematic ideas and on a figured bass of Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26)
Amadeus Chamber Orchestra
recorded in September 2019
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I have been looking for a work to finish the concert, and keep it under the hour in length. So you must promise only to listen to the first three movements of this concert in Bb major. There is no real sanction that can be applied if you accidentally listen to all four movements. The fourth is quite a fast and bright movement and you will probably want more of it than there is.
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Albinoni Extra
In the main concert selection I have chosen no vocal items. So for those who feel the lack and would like to hear one of the composer's cantatas, here is a short solo cantata in four movements.
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from Cantatas completas, Op 4
Complete cantatas (Venice 1702) Cantata Nº 1 7m55 1 Recitativo: Amor, Sorte, Destino! Love, fate, destiny 2 Largo: M'e piú caro It is dearer to me 3 Recit: Ma ohimè ch'invan sospiro But, O, how I sigh 4 Allegro: S'il mio penar If my suffering Bárbara Schlick, soprano Roderick Shaw, clave/harpsichord • Nicolas Selo, violoncello |
I kept seeing my name on the list, apparently volunteering to put together a selection for Albinoni's 350th year, after Richard Miller's pre-Season researches had revealed this anniversary. (Richard is our Trustee responsible for Anniversaries.)
Did I volunteer? I must have. It's me that keeps the list. I don't actually recall stepping forward though. However, in the end, I have enjoyed reading up on Tomaso, and on his modern imposter, then putting together this selection for you.
I hope you have enjoyed the journey as well.
Your host next week will be Lynda Chang. Lynda will be choosing music to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of violin supremo Yehudi Menuhin.
Peter Steadman
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We hope you have enjoyed Peter Steadman's
Albinoni 350 Selection Concert for Music on Thursdays
Watch your email and this website
for news of next Thursday's Yehudi Menuhin 105th Selection
We continue with weekly video selection concerts until the end of June, with hopes of going live at Leatherhead Methodist Church from July 1st.
The first Thursdays in May and June will be
special 'as live' recordings for
Music on Thursdays
6th May: Buck Brass Trio ♦ 3rd June: Iñigo Mikeleiz Berrade, accordion
comments welcome: musiconthursdays@gmail.com
Albinoni 350 Selection Concert for Music on Thursdays
Watch your email and this website
for news of next Thursday's Yehudi Menuhin 105th Selection
We continue with weekly video selection concerts until the end of June, with hopes of going live at Leatherhead Methodist Church from July 1st.
The first Thursdays in May and June will be
special 'as live' recordings for
Music on Thursdays
6th May: Buck Brass Trio ♦ 3rd June: Iñigo Mikeleiz Berrade, accordion
comments welcome: musiconthursdays@gmail.com
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▼ next week's selection ▼
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We need your help to fund our concerts recorded 'as live' by professional musicians
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