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CD reviews
Jean-Marie LECLAIR (1697 - 1764): The violin concertos Op. 7 & Op. 10
[I] "Concerti per violino Opp. 7 & 10 - Nos. 2 & 6"
Leila Schayegh, violin
La Cetra Barockorchester Basel
rec: March 19 - 21, 2018, Basel, Martinskirche
Globe - GCD 924202 (© 2018) (68'23")
Liner-notes: E/D/F
Cover, track-list & booklet
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Concerto in D, op. 7,2;
Concerto in A, op. 7,6;
Concerto in A, op. 10,2;
Concerto in g minor, op. 10,6
[II] "Concerti per violino Opp. 7 & 10 - Nos. 1 & 3"
Leila Schayegh, violin
La Cetra Barockorchester Basel
rec: May 13 - 15, 2019, Basel, Martinskirche
Globe - GCD 924204 (© 2019) (58'53")
Liner-notes: E/D/F
Cover, track-list & booklet
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Concerto in d minor, op. 7,1;
Concerto in C, op. 7,3;
Concerto in B flat, op. 10,1;
Concerto in D, op. 10,3
[III] "Concerti per violino Opp. 7 & 10 - Nos. 4 & 5"
Leila Schayegh, violin
La Cetra Barockorchester Basel
rec: June 19 - 21, 2020, Basel, Martinskirche
Globe - GCD 924206 (© 2022) (62'13")
Liner-notes: E/D/F
Cover & track-list
Spotify
Concerto in F, op. 7,4;
Concerto in a minor, op. 7,5;
Concerto in F, op. 10,4;
Concerto in e minor, op. 10,5
Eva Saladin, Sonoko Asabuki, Christoph Rudolf, Coline Ormond, Petra Csaplarova, Cecile Valtrova, violin;
German Etcheverri, Johannes Frisch, viola;
Jonathan Pesek, Nicola Paoli (I,III), Bernadette Köbele (II), cello;
Fred Uhlig, violone;
Johannes Keller (I,II), Sebastian Wienand (III), harpsichord
Scores
If there is any music that attests to the increase of the influence of the Italian style in France in the course of the first half of the 18th century, it may well be the violin concerto. The genre of the solo concerto was new to France, as it was one of the most prominent exponents of the Italian style. Moreover, the violin was not held in high esteem: until the late 17th century it was part of the opera orchestra and employed in dance music and some chamber music. Only a few violinists in France had the skills to play technically demanding music. Among the first composers who wrote such music for violin were Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, Jean-Féry Rebel and Jean-Baptiste Senaillé. They composed and published sonatas for violin and basso continuo. It was only in 1734 that the first collection of violin concertos was printed: as set of six by Jacques Aubert (Op. 17). Three years later Jean-Marie Leclair published a set of six concertos as his Op. 7, followed in 1745 by another set of six as the Op. 10. These concertos are almost the only specimens of the genre that are part of the standard repertoire of modern violinists. Even so, the number of complete recordings is limited.
Leclair was educated as a dancing master, and only later decided to devote himself to the violin. He studied with Giovanni Battista Somis in Turin, which had a decisive influence on his development as a player and as a composer. After his return to France, he soon made a name for himself as one of the major exponents of the violin. The Italian influence comes clearly to the fore in his violin concertos. However, he did not entirely embrace what was typical of the Italian style. In several prefaces he warned against exaggeration with regard to tempo and ornamentation. In the preface to his fourth book of violin sonatas, he wrote: "All those who wish to succeed in playing these works according to the taste of the author must strive to find the character of each piece, as well as the right tempo and tone colour that suit the different pieces. An important point, which cannot be overemphasized, is to avoid the jumble of notes that are added to the melodic and expressive passages but which serve only to desfigure them." And in the preface to his Sonates en trio op. 12, he stated: “By an Allegro I do not mean a movement that is too fast, but a cheerful one. Those who hurry too much, especially in character pieces ... make the music banal instead of preserving its noblesse."
The complete recording by Leila Schayegh offers the opportunity to admire and enjoy the variety in character of these concertos, which all have an identity of their own. What the two collections have in common is their title: VI Concerto a tré violini, alto, e basso, per organo, e violoncello, composés par M. Le Clair L'Ainé. It is notable that the solo violin is not specifically mentioned. The title suggests that it is not more than the primus inter pares. Leila Schayegh, in her liner-notes, states that its role is more important than that. "In a certain way, the second violin leads the orchestra, since all the ensemble entrances are assigned to it, along with the additional solos emerging out of the orchestral texture. The third violin acts as the middle 'filling' part, doubling the solo violin in the tuttis, whilst taking on the bass part in those solo passages entrusted to the three single violins". There are several concertos in which the two tutti violins take an important part and manifest themselves as soloists. The second violin is the first's equal in the closing movement of the Concerto in D, op. 7,2. In the last movement of the Concerto in d minor, op. 7,1 and the two fast movements of the Concerto in D, op. 10,2, they all three play a role. Another interesting aspect concerns the scoring of the lower parts. The middle voice is given to the viola, which was a fixed part of the Italian (opera) orchestra, whereas in France, the orchestra in the Opéra consisted of violin, three instruments in the centre (haute-contre de violon, taille de violon and quinte de violon) and a basse de violon. The latter is also replaced here by the cello, another token of the Italian style of these concertos. Lastly, double stopping plays an important role in these concertos. Only one, the Concerto in C, op. 7,3, is devoid of it, as here Leclair mentions the transverse flute and the oboe as alternatives in the solo part.
A few points about these concertos need to be mentioned. In the Concerto in A, op. 7,6, the violin plays in two parts almost from start to finish in the second movement. The Concerto in D, op. 7,2 is notable for the slow introduction to the first movement (adagio - allegro ma non troppo); it is the only concerto of this kind. Something comparable happens in the Concerto in a minor, op. 7,5, where a short adagio is the bridge between the largo and the closing allegro assai. In several concertos Schayegh sees a connection with the theatre and with ballet, which should not surprise, given Leclair's background. The Concerto in B flat, op. 10,1 has a buffo character, in the Concerto in D, op. 10,2 "it feels as though one has almost been carried off into a pantomime from the commedia dell'arte". Something comparable is the Concerto in F, op. 10,5: "a commedia dell'arte full of proud characters, almost like wooden puppets". The closing movement reminds her of a ballet scene. Unusual is the 9/8 time in the closing allegro ma non troppo of the Concerto in D, op. 10,3. Rhythmic complexity is a feature of the opening movement of the Concerto in a minor, op. 7,5: where Leclair writes triplets over quavers in the tutti. The last movement of the Concerto in G, op. 10,6 includes written-out rubati. The Concerto in e minor, op. 10,5 brings us to the countryside: the second movement has a pastoral character, whereas the last movement is clearly inspired by folk music, very much like many pieces by Telemann.
The orchestra consists of six violins, two violas, two cellos, violone and harpsichord. Notable is that no plucked instrument participates in these performances. Today that is pretty rare, and too often its inclusion in the basso continuo group is taken for granted. However, historically there is probably little justification for it, so it seems the right decision to omit it. Whether the tutti parts should be played with one instrument per part or with a slightly larger ensemble as is the case here, is probably hard to decide. It may well depend on where Leclair's concertos were played. At the Concert Spirituel a larger ensemble may have been used. Here the balance between the solo and the tutti is pretty much ideal. Lastly, the pitch has been a matter of debate among the performers. Different pitches were used in France, from 390 Hz or lower in the Opéra to 440 Hz in some performances at the Concert Spirituel. "We would like to emphasize this historical flexibility, and have chosen to tune at 408 Hz, a pitch which, give or take a hertz or two, was in use in France throughout the eighteenth century (...)".
Leila Schayegh has made a name for herself as a brilliant performer, one of the finest players of the baroque violin. She abundantly demonstrates her qualities here, both technically and with regard to interpretation. Among the performances of Leclair's violin concertos that I have heard, these come out on top. If you want a complete recording of Leclair's twelve published concertos, look no further than these. It is a bit of a shame that Schayegh did not include the Concerto in E flat that has been preserved in manuscript. Fortunately that was recorded by Johannes Pramsohler who also performs other French violin concertos of Leclair's time. The recording by Schayegh and the excellent La Cetra Barockorchester Basel, with fine soloists in its ranks, deserves the strongest recommendation.
Johan van Veen (© 2022)
Relevant links:
Leila Schayegh
La Cetra Barockorchester Basel