musica Dei donum
CD reviews
Ercole Pasquini (late 16th - early 17th C): Keyboard works
James Johnstone, harpsichord, organa
rec: May 7 - 9, 2001, Chartres (Fr), Musée des Beaux-Arts & June 1, 2001,
Hampstead Garden Suburbs (UK), St Jude's Churcha
ASV Gaudeamus - CD GAU 336 (66'16")
Anchor che col partire (S 21);
B(allo?) (S 30);
(Canzona) (S 12)a;
C(anzone) (S 10);
C(anzon)e (S 9)a;
Canzon (S 14);
Canzon (S 15);
Canzona (S 18a);
Canzona francese (S 13)a;
Canzona francese (S 16);
Corrente (S 27);
Corrente (S 28a);
Corrente (S 28b);
Durrezza (S 8)a;
Durrezze e ligature (S 7)a;
Fuga (S 11)a;
Gagliarda (S 29);
I(ntrad)e (S 1);
Pass’e mezzo (S 23b);
Primo Tono (S 19);
Romanescha (S 25);
Romanesche (S 24);
Ru(ggier)i (S 22);
(Toccata) (S 2);
Toc(cata) (S 3)a;
Tocchata (S 4);
Tocchata (S 5);
Toccata (S 6)a;
? (S 26);
? (S 20)a
Of the many Italian composers of keyboard music around 1600, Ercole
Pasquini is one of the least known. Even the dates of his birth and
death are a mystery. By the middle of the 1580s Pasquini was active
in Ferrara, which was then one of the centres of musical activity in
Italy: Luzzasco Luzzaschi was organist and maestro di capella, and the
Concerto delle Donne was drawing wide attention, including
that of composers like Dowland, de Wert and Merulo. In 1594, Pasquini
contributed a poetical work, I fidi amanti, to the wedding of
the Duke of Ferrara's niece to Carlo Gesualdo, prince of Venosa, who
stayed there for two years. In 1597 Pasquini went to Rome where he
became organist to the Cappella Giulia at St Peter's. But after the
turn of the century he became insane and was therefore dismissed as
organist in 1608 and succeeded by Girolamo Frescobaldi.
During his period in Ferrara, Pasquini must have gotten to know the
musical language of Carlo Gesualdo, with its strong dissonances and
frequent chromaticism. But although Pasquini certainly comes up with
some harmonic surprises, he is rather restrained compared to younger
contemporaries. The strongest dissonances and harmonic adventures can
be found in the Toccatas and in the Durezze e ligature, which
were specifically meant to be played at the organ. In other works he
concentrates less on a display of virtuosity than most of his
colleagues. In the passaggi on De Rore's madrigal Anchor che col partire,
for instance, the melodic character of the original always holds the
upper hand.
It has to be said, though, that the harmonic surprises are sometimes
a little underplayed here, in particular in those pieces which are played
at the harpsichord. One of the reasons is the fact that chords are
frequently played as arpeggio. Since the sound of Italian harpsichords
dies down pretty quickly, the harmonic characteristics of the chords
aren't always fully revealed. But at the organ, arpeggios don't work;
the harmonic boldness is more strongly displayed here. I would also
have preferred a faster tempo now and then, and more dramatic pauses
occasionally.
But I am very thankful to James Johnstone, who had the great idea to
devote an entire disc to the works of this neglected composer. Having
heard his music I can only conclude that this neglect is unjustified.
And despite my criticisms, I thoroughly enjoyed the interpretation by
James Johnstone, who uses a fine Italian harpsichord of 1677 from the
collection of Kenneth Gilbert, and an organ built after a historical
positive organ from Lucca. The recording is pretty close, but after
some time one gets used to it.
I strongly recommend this recording which colours a white spot on the
map of Italian music history.
The "S" in the list of works is nowhere explained, but I gather it
refers to William R. Shindle's publication of Pasquini's 'Collected
Keyboard Works' from 1966. I also assume that the parts of the titles
between brackets don't appear in the manuscripts.
Johan van Veen (© 2003)