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Giovanni Antonio GUIDO (1675? - 1729): Sonates à violon seul avec accompagnement de basse et de clavecin
Ensemble Hortensia Virtuosa
rec: Oct 2020, Alliste (LE), Chiesa di San Giuseppe
Da Vinci Classics - C00454 (© 2021) (53'28")
Liner-notes: E
Cover, track-list & liner-notes
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Sonata I;
Sonata II;
Sonata III;
Sonata IV;
Sonata V;
Sonata VI
N.B. Keys are not indicated
Giovanni Rota, violin;
Rebecca Ferri, cello;
Michele Carreca, theorbo, guitar;
Gilberto Scordari, harpsichord
For a long time music for violin written in France was little-known, except the sonatas by Jean-Marie Leclair and Jean-Fery Rebel. In the last few decades more and more attention is given to other composers who wrote for this instrument, which in the 17th century was mainly used in the orchestra and in dance music. It was only after the turn of the century that the violin grew in status, thanks to the growing popularity of the Italian style, of which it was a specimen. In the 17th century French violinists not only did not play Italian music, it may even have been beyond their capabilities.
The success of Italian violinists who settled in France attest to the growing acceptance of the violin and the Italian style. One of them was Michele Mascitti, who was born near Naples, received his musical education in one of the city's conservatories, and settled in 1704 in Paris, where he came under the patronage of the Duke of Orléans, who was a great lover of Italian music. The present disc is devoted to another composer, Giovanni Antonio Guido, who was born in Genoa and also studied violin, at the Conservatory of S. Maria della Pietà dei Turchini. It was no coincidence that two performers from Naples went to Paris, as Guido Olivieri explains in his liner-notes: "Between 1702 and 1707 the Kingdom of Naples came temporarily under the control of the French monarchy; the new dominion favored the contacts between the two capitals and opened up career opportunities to Neapolitan musicians."
In 1690 Guido entered the service of the Royal Chapel in Naples; in 1702 he was replaced, and from this we may conclude that in that year he moved to Paris. Like Mascitti, the Duke of Orléans took him under his wings. The Duke put together an Italian ensemble consisting of two soprano castratos, two violinists and some French musicians. The two violinists were Guido and Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Anet. Interestingly, the latter had been in Rome, where he studied with Corelli. With this ensemble Guido played during a visit of the Queen of England in 1703. In 1704 he performed in the presence of Louis XIV. The French writer on music, Jean Laurent Le Cerf de La Viéville, included Guido in his Comparaison de la musique italienne et de la musique françoise (1705) among the virtuosi de l'Italie, which proves that he had established himself as a leading performer. Guido also participated in the concerts organized by Pierre Crozat, with whom the above-mentioned Mascitti was also closely associated. At the Concert Spirituel he performed one of his concertos in 1728.
His oeuvre is not that large. The first printed edition dates from 1707: a collection of six motets. Only two other collections were published: the six sonatas which are the subject of the present disc, and Scherzi armonici sopra le quattro stagioni dell'anno, op. 3; the latter concertos have been recorded recently by Andrés Gabetta and the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal. Two sonatas for two violins and cello are included in an anthology printed around 1710 in Amsterdam. In addition, some works have been preserved in manuscript.
The Sonates à violon seul avec accompagnement de basse et clavecin were published in 1726 with the addition Livre I; another collection is not known. The set comprises six sonatas in the common form of four movements in the traditional order slow - fast - slow - fast. The exception is the Sonata I, which has five movements; the fourth movement is followed by a gavotta. This dance also appears in the Sonata VI, where it is preceded by a sarabanda. Notable is the Sonata V, which closes with an allegro with the title La caccia. In the Sonata IV the third movement is an adagio, which in the middle has an allegro section.
These sonatas are written in the Italian style. Guido Olivieri observes some elements of the French style, among them the dances. However, such dances also appear in sonatas by other Italian composers. He also points out that there are elements of the galant idiom; titles such as piacevole and gratioso attest to that. It also needs to be mentioned that in some movements the basso continuo gets involved in a dialogue with the violin. The sonatas attest to Guido's own skills in the use of multiple stopping and arpeggios being extended to the fifth position.
It is surprising that these sonatas have not been recorded before. This is the first time they appear on disc, and that is well deserved. These are very fine pieces, which contribute to our knowledge of violin playing in France and the dissemination of the Italian style. Giovanni Rota delivers excellent performances, with much pathos - in the true sense of the word - and effective dynamic contrasts. He receives energetic support from the basso continuo players.
Johan van Veen (© 2024)