musica Dei donum
Concert reviews
Festival Early Music Utrecht 2024
At the end of my review of the Festival Early Music 2023 I wrote: "Next year the festival's theme will be "Sevilla". That means that we are going to hear much music from Spain, apparently also from the baroque period. That is especially important as this era in Spanish music history is still severely underexposed in concerts and recordings. This year's festival already offered some concerts with Spanish music, which were good introductions to what awaits us next year. Música Temprana will be one of the 'artists in residence'. That is something I am looking forward to."
I was right in assuming that we were going to hear music from the baroque period, but it was mostly from the 17th century. The 18th century was nearly absent from the programme. Most music was from the renaissance era, and that is understandable as that was the time that Seville took a particularly important place in Spain.
In the Middle Ages, Seville was a major economic hub, with a relatively large population. Its position was damaged due to the reconquista of the mid-13th century and the pogrom of 1391, which resulted in a strong reduction of the number of inhabitants. During the 15th century Seville regained its status as an international trade centre. From then on it grew in population and importance, and it became the gateway to the New World. However, in the mid-17th century it was hit by the plague, which reduced its population and resulted in the city's decline, from which it would never recover. This explains why the programme of the festival focused on music from the renaissance period, and special attention was given to the music scene in the New World. Probably more than in previous editions, most programmes were closely linked to the festival's main theme, although there were also concerts which included Spanish music that has no direct connection to Seville. That goes especially for the series of keyboard recitals. This review consists of a number of chapters, each of them devoted to a particular aspect of the festival's theme.
Middle Ages and early Renaissance
Not that much music from these periods was performed. Some attention was given to music from the time before the reconquista, when Christians, muslims and Jews were living together in Seville. The earliest music I heard was performed by Hana Blažíková and Barbora Kabátková [29], who had made a selection from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, which were written at the court of Alfonso el Sabio (1221-1284). According to a persistent legend, he was the composer of these songs, but that is highly unlikely, although he may have contributed to the collection in one way or another. Little is known about the way these songs have to be performed, and this explains the very different performances and recordings. In this concert at the Pieterskerk, the two singers either sang together or individually, accompanying themselves at the harp, or without any accompaniment. In some songs Margit Übellacker played the dulce melos and Martin Novák percussion. Some songs were performed instrumentally. The result was very different from performances with a battery of instruments, which for a long time were the standard. In this line-up the text takes a central place, and that is what these songs are about: the audience should be impressed by the miracles of the Virgin Mary they describe. The two singers had made an attractive selection, in which the most famous song, Rosa das rosas, could not be omitted. These ladies have such beautiful voices that it is not hard to appreciate their performances, whatever they are doing with them. But they are sincere interpreters, who don't aim to put themselves into the centre. The Cantigas are not meant as entertainment; it is serious stuff, and that came off perfectly. This was one of the most convincing performances of the Cantigas de Santa Maria that I can remember to have heard.
Keyboard instruments have played a major role throughout history. From the Middle Ages and early Renaissance not much music that was specifically written for such instruments has been preserved. One of the reasons is that keyboard players used to improvise. Guillermo Perez has specialized in playing one instrument that was particularly popular in those days: the clavisymbalum - a small instrument reminiscent of the harpsichord, but with a limited range. With his ensemble Tasto Solo [12] he explores the repertoire that was written for it, often in combination with other instruments, or that was played on it. The latter is an important addition, because keyboard players and ensembles of several instruments often played vocal music. In his concert Perez wanted to transport the audience to the mid-15th century. In his verbal explanation, he pointed out that people played and sung at home all kinds of music, depending on what was available: instrumental and vocal music, sacred and secular. He also believes there are good reasons to assume that instruments as the clavisymbalum, the harp and the vihuela were often played together. Therefore he presented a programme of music of various kinds, in which the three instruments played alone and in various combinations, and a soprano sang the vocal lines of some polyphonic pieces. In 1480 an anonymous author from Seville listed the most excellent composers, including masters from across Europe, indicating that the repertoire known and played in the city was truly international. So was the programme, in which figured music by, among others, Dunstaple, Binchois, Dufay and the little-known Flemish master Henricus Tik, and which included pieces from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch. The result was a highly compelling concert, thanks to the variety and quality of the repertoire and the excellent singing and playing by Anne-Kathryn Olsen (soprano), Josep Maria Martí Duran (vihuela), Angélique Mauillon (harp) and Perez.
Keyboard music
In the later Renaissance and the baroque period much more music was specifically written for keyboard and sometimes published. Keyboard recitals are a fixed part of any edition of the festival. In this case that was especially useful, as only a few composers of Spanish keyboard music are known. Basically, Antonio de Cabezón is the best-known from the 16th century, some may know Francisco Correa de Arauxo and Juan Cabanilles from the 17th century, and then Domenico Scarlatti and Antonio Soler from the 18th century. This leaves several composers to be discovered. It was especially the recitals devoted to the 18th century that had something to offer many visitors may not have known.
Cabezón was the subject of a recital by Yoann Moulin that I could not attend. The earliest music I heard was played by Menno van Delft [9] at the clavichord, known as monacordio in Spain. The starting point was the figure of Francisco Peraza, a clavichord virtuoso, of whom no music seems to have been preserved. Van Delft closed his recital with a piece that might be from his pen after all (Obra octavo tono). We heard mainly pieces by composers who in one way or another were influenced by him, among them composers from Naples, a city which was under Spanish rule since 1501. The renaissance clavichord is a little louder - but only a little - than its 18th-century counterpart. It was interesting to hear pieces on an instrument which allows for dynamic accents, which are impossible to create on the harpsichord and the organ, on which they are usually played. Van Delft is a specialist on the clavichord, and his sensitive playing revealed the qualities of the repertoire. Due to its intimacy, the Gertrudiskapel was the perfect venue.
One of the Spanish composers in the programme was Francisco Correa de Arauxo. His complete keyboard oeuvre has been recorded by the Belgian organist Bernard Foccroulle [24], who played a selection from it on the organ of the Tuindorpkerk. This instrument dates from the early 18th century, and that may cause some problems. However, in the 16th and early 17th centuries, Spanish organ building was dominated by Flemish organ makers, and the 'typical Spanish' organ, whose features are horizontal 'chamade' reeds and swell boxes containing echo cornets, is a later development. Many organ pieces require a split manual (Spanish organs usually had just one), as right and left hand need to be registered differently. This is no problem on an organ with two manuals and pedal. The main issue is the difference in tuning. Foccroulle managed to deliver convincing performances of Arauxo's pieces, and emphasized the Flemish connection by including pieces by the Flemish composer Peeter Cornet and by two English composers who had settled in the Spanish Netherlands: John Bull and Peter Philips.
Anna Radaelli [16] also played a piece by Correa de Arauxo. She replaced Marco Mencoboni, who could not play due to an injury. She started with two pieces by Cabezón: a tiento - the Spanish term for a ricercar - and variations (diferencias). The piece by Arauxo was also a tiento, which was followed by two pieces by Juan Cabanilles, the main keyboard composer from the second half of the 17th century. And then she turned to Alessandro Scarlatti. Why she did so I don't know. Maybe this was because of the connection between Spain and Naples, where Scarlatti worked for most of his life. The reason may also have been his son Domenico: Alessandro's music shows from whom his son got his talent at the keyboard. We heard the long and brilliant Toccata per cembalo d'ottava stesa by Alessandro, taking more than twenty minutes, with many twists and turns, and ending quite unexpectedly. It is a challenge for any player, not only technically but also to keep the listeners on their toes. Radaelli succeeded with flying colours.
Correa de Arauxo made another appearance in a recital by Diego Ares [25]: he played three pieces on the virginals, which was quite surprising. I have never heard Spanish music on this instrument, and its choice seems questionable. In New Grove I did not find any indication that the virginals were played in Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. He also concluded his recital with Correa de Arauxo, and one piece in the centre separated the two largest sections of his programme, with sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and Antonio Soler respectively. It was a bit unfortunate that he had mainly selected rather well-known sonatas by Scarlatti. Soler is a different case as most of his pieces may have been hardly-known. Ares played his programme very well, but there were hardly any breathing spaces. His sequences were a bit like a whirlwind; I had liked a more relaxed approach.
Scarlatti and Soler were also represented in a recital by Francesco Corti [2], but he mainly focused on a contemporary of Scarlatti, but of a later generation: Sebastian de Albero (1722-1756). Scarlatti is known for his unconventional, often capricious style, which has no real counterpart. The sonatas Corti had selected attest to that. However, he also included a very strict baroque fugue. Another fugue was performed, taken from the oeuvre of Albero, who was clearly influenced by Scarlatti, but also developed a style of his own, reflecting the galant idiom. It also included elements which reminded me of CPE Bach, such as unexpected pauses. The long and brilliant fugue was preceded by a recercata, which has marked improvisatory traces and makes one think of the French unmeasured preludes. This recital was an ear opener, as much of the music Corti played is not known and seldom performed or recorded. This recital confirmed the impressions that he is a virtuosic keyboard player, but does not forget to reveal what is under the surface. Albero is certainly a compose who deserves to be better-known.
Pieter-Jan Belder [5] focused on the same stage in the history of Spanish keyboard music. Or, rather, Iberian keyboard music, as he started with two sonatas by Carlos Seixas, the Portuguese master who was Scarlatti's junior and whom the latter was asked to teach, but who in fact taught Scarlatti something, according to the Italian master. That was the use of folk music in his keyboard works. As Seixas is not that well-known, it was nice that Belder started with two of his beautiful sonatas, followed by three from the pen of Scarlatti. Then he turned to Soler, of whom he played six sonatas put together in pairs. They show a clear influence of Scarlatti, but go a little further in contrasts within single sonatas. Rhythmically they link up with the tradition of Seixas and Scarlatti, and technically they are just as demanding. The recital ended with Soler's most famous piece, the Fandango, although its authenticity is not beyond doubt. It is a technically highly challenging piece, and never fails to make an impression. Here he is also at his most daring in his use of harmony. However, I think the sonatas are more interesting. Belder delivered a brilliant and engaging performance here, but I was especially impressed by his interpretation of the sonatas, where he effectively explored the contrasts between and within the sonatas. He found a perfect balance between the notes as they are written and the freedom expected from an interpreter. He didn't add too much, and that seems right. The rythmic patterns were carefully observed.
Javier Núñez [11] also had some unknown music to offer. In fact, most people in the audience may never have heard of any of the three composers whose music he played. The key figure was Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750-1784), who was from Seville and worked there for most of his life. He has left only 26 sonatas and six 'pastorelas', but these are highly interesting. Again, the influence of Domenico Scarlatti is clearly noticeable, but at the same time he is highly original. In the slow movements one notices the same unexpected pauses which figure in CPE Bach's keyboard works, as well as many surprises in the melodic development. If one would not know the composer, these movements could be taken for works by him. Most sonatas consist of two movements, and the second is in a fast tempo; these movements are more uplifting, but also include quite a number of unexpected moves. Two other composers were included: Josep Gallès (1758-1838), whose Sonata No. 9 has the hallmarks of the classical style, and Felix Máximo López (1742-1821), whose variations on Fandango Español is reminiscent of Soler's Fandango, but is more modest in proportions. Javier Nuñez is a virtuosic player, which he showed in this concert in abundance, but I was especially struck by the depth of his interpretations. The slow movements in Nebra's sonatas were played in such a manner that the expressive features came off to the full. Nebra's sonatas are little-known, and Nuñez was their best advocate, showing that they deserve a place in the keyboard repertoire of the late 18th century.
In the 16th century there was a close connection between the keyboard and plucked instruments. In fact, the largest source of Cabezón's keyboard works refers to the harp and the vihuela as alternatives to the keyboard. Xavier Díaz-Latorre [10] devoted an entire recital to music for the latter instrument. Two of the main exponents of the vihuela were represented: Luys de Narváez and Alonso Mudarra. The programme was divided into six 'portraits'; the other four subjects were Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero, Juan Vasquez and Pedro Guerrero (the brother of Francisco). They have written no music for the vihuela, but their music was often transcribed by contemporaries, such as Miguel de Fuenllana. This was common practice at the time, and inspired Díaz-Latorre to make his own transcriptions of vocal music by these masters. Another genre was the art of variation: diferencias on vocal music, either secular or sacred, or traditional tunes, such as Guárdame las vacas and Conde claros. Díaz-Latorre had put together the programme in a clever way, creating a maximum of variation between 'free' works and transcriptions of vocal music. His lively and passionate playing was great to listen to, and he ended his superb recital with a brilliant improvisation, where he once again showed his artistry and imagination.
Polyphony
Sevilla was at the height of its power in the 16th century - the age of polyphony. In this field Spain experienced a Golden Era (Siglo de Oro). Three names are connected with this era: Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero and Tomás Luis de Victoria. No wonder that their oeuvre was given much attention. However, there was also music by lesser-known masters of the 16th century, such as Juan Navarro and Alonso Lobo.
Morales can be considered the first representative of the Golden Era. He saw himself as the successor to Josquin Desprez - no mean ambition. This explains why he took Josquin's famous chanson Mille regretz as the foundation of a mass. Many years ago Paul McCreesh, directing the Gabrieli Consort & Players [14], recorded this mass, which he put into a liturgical context. In this festival we saw the revival of this project, which - as he told the audience before the performance - he had not performed since thirteen years. As McCreesh assumes that it could have been performed during Lent - taking into account the content of the chanson - the role of instruments was limited: they mainly played some instrumental pieces at the start and in the course of the performance, but the mass itself and the two motets (Guerrero: O doctor optime; Morales: Emendemus in melius) were performed a capella. The mass may have been performed on the feastday of a saint, and as the feastday of St Isidore was chosen, the plainchant was selected accordingly. It has been a long time ago that I have heard the Gabrieli Consort & Players in such early music, and so I was curious to hear how this performance was going to be. To my delight it was very good: the ensemble was excellent, all singers acting at the same wavelength, and no distortion due to inappropriate vibrato. The plainchant singing was impressive, and so was the playing of the winds. It was a memorable event, and it is nice to know that McCreesh has neither lost his interest in this early music nor his skills in performing it.
Although he considered himself the successor to Josquin Desprez, Morales moved away from several aspects of the Franco-Flemish school. His polyphony has a monumental and often dense character, but he still manages to keep the text intelligible. Giuseppe Maletto had put together a programme of motets, which he performed with his ensemble Cantica Symphonia [4] in the Sint-Catharinakathedraal. The performances attested to the observation of the intelligibility of the text, also thanks to the differentiation in the line-up; only in some of the pieces all twelve singers participated. Maletto also mentioned the omission of text expression, as we find them in compositions by contemporaries. That does not mean that Morales pays no attention to the text; an example is the emphasis on "conturbat me" ([fear of death] torments me; Peccantem me quotidie) through homophony. However, in Pastores dicite Morales ignores the fact that this text is a dialogue. The monumental and solemn nature of Morales's music was perfectly realized by the ensemble, with the help of the appropriate acoustic of the large church. The intensity which is a feature of Spanish polyphony, is rather modest in Morales's motets; that is much more prominent in later specimens, for instance those by Victoria.
There is no lack in intensity in what is arguably the greatest work of Morales's pen, his Missa pro defunctis, which he composed between 1535 and 1545, when he worked in Rome, where it was also published. It found a wide dissemination across Europe and was also known in the New World. In the performance by the ensemble Vox Luminis [31] the mass was preceded by the Officium defunctorum. I had no doubt that it would receive an excellent performance, but the large hall of TivoliVredenburg seemed to me hardly appropriate for this kind of music. I was wrong, and that was due to Vox Luminis. The singers entered the stage in almost complete darkness; they posted themselves in a circle, under dimmed lights allowing them to read their parts, this way creating a kind of liturgical space. First they sang the chants of the Officium, taking time between them. After the Officium they took seats at the back of the platform; after several minutes of complete silence they returned to sing the Requiem. In such situations audiences often get restless, start to make noises, cough, blow their noses, even talk. Nothing of that happened: the solemnity of the performance was transferred to the audience and one could have heard a pin drop. The music and the way Vox Luminis performed it were mesmerizing. They always seem to be able to get to the heart of the music they are performing. It is nothing short of a miracle. This was a performance that I will remember for a long time.
The Vespers take a central stage in the liturgy of the Christian church, since the Reformation the Catholic Church. Numerous composers have written music for it, whose core is a cycle of psalms and the Magnificat. It was common practice to put together what was needed from the oeuvre of different composers. This practice was applied by Marco Mencoboni: in the large hall of TivoliVredenburg he performed, with his ensemble Cantar Lontano [8], Vespers for the Virgin Mary with music by Spanish composers of the 16th century. The above-mentioned 'giants' of the Spanish 'Golden Era' were represented, but also a composer who is not known for his sacred music, but rather his instrumental pieces, especially for the viola da gamba: Diego Ortiz. It was good to notice that Mencoboni was consistent in his construction of Vespers: the Psalms and the Magnificat were preceded by an antiphon and mostly followed by an 'alternative', according to the rules, which are too often ignored. However, the programme notes did not say whether Mencoboni had a particular feast in mind. That would have been useful to know. There is no doubt about the use of instruments in Spanish polyphony, but exactly when, and how frequently they participated is a matter of debate. Mencoboni used them frequently, but not in each piece. The large hall of TivoliVredenburg offers the opportunity to allocate the performers at different balconies, which was effectively used in the closing piece, Alma redemptoris mater by Ortiz, but the acoustic is hardly appropriate, and I found it more problematic than in the two performances of music by Morales just discussed. Especially with a line-up of singers and players more space and reverberation is needed. That said, it was a marvellous event: the singers and players delivered a top-class performance. Mencoboni is an inspiring performer who brings out the best in his ensemble.
Last year the Spanish ensemble Cantoría [13], directed by Jorge Losana, made its debut in the festival, this year it was one of the artists in residence, and in the Pieterskerk it performed a programme of sacred music, focusing on the oeuvre of Juan Navarro 'Hispalensis'. The addition to his name refers to Sevilla. There is some confusion about the authenticity of some works attributed to him, which may be from the pen of another composer with the name of Navarro: Miguel. Therefore the list of items in the programme included some with a question mark added to the name of the composer. Juan Navarro was the mentor of the young Victoria, and therefore Navarro's compositions alternated with pieces by him. We heard several Vesper psalms (Dixit Dominus, Lauda Jerusalem) and the Magnificat as well as pieces reflecting the veneration of the Virgin Mary (Regina coeli laetare, Ave Maria, Alma redemptoris mater). A number of pieces were following the alternatim practice: verses were sung alternately in plainchant and in polyphony. Victoria was represented by some of his most famous works, such as the 8-part Ave Maria and Vidi speciosam. The ensemble performed under the name of Cantoría XL, because its line-up was larger than usual: eight voices (SSAATTBB) and organ. The latter did not participate in the vocal items, but rather played short interludes between the pieces, allowing the singers to regroup. The ensemble made again a great impression: all the singers have very beautiful voices, which are perfectly suited to this repertoire. The ensemble was immaculate, and individual singers could be heard in the plainchant. The music of Navarro is a real discovery; it is in the process of being sorted out, especially with regard to the authenticity of some pieces. Navarro is a very valuable addition to the repertoire of Iberian polyphony and Cantoría has established itself as one of the leading ensembles in the world of renaissance music.
One of the Spanish ensembles I have been following quite closely is La Grande Chapelle [27], directed by Albert Recasens. As far as I know, it has never before performed at the festival, and I was happy to see and hear it this year. The programme focused on the oeuvre of Alonso Lobo (1555-1617), one of the last representatives of the Golden Era. Although he is certainly not overlooked, he is a little overshadowed by his more famous contemporary Victoria. That is a shame, and therefore this concert was of great importance. The main work was his Missa Beata Dei genitrix, based on a motet by Guerrero, which opened the programme. The ensemble consisted of twelve singers and organ. The mass is a magnificent work, and its monumental character came perfectly off through the participation of the full ensemble. In addition we heard six motets; in some of them the number of singers was reduced. The last motet, Versa est in luctum, was particularly moving. The setting of Ave Maria was also special: it is scored for eight voices, and here Recasens allocated four singers at the pulpit just beneath the organ, and above the platform on which the ensemble was standing during the concert. It lent the performance a beautiful depth. One of the hallmarks of this ensemble is the quality of the voices and the coherence and perfect balance within the ensemble. The legato was perfect and the lines were shaped beautifully, with an effective and convincing use of dynamics. It was the perfect way to shed light on a composer who deserves its place alongside the giants Guerrero and Victoria.
Secular music
Although I now turn to the concerts with secular music, it should be noted that only a few were exclusively devoted to this genre. At the time there was no strict separation between the secular and the sacred. The first concert I mention here consisted of what one may call 'popular music'; however, that is not necessarily the music of 'the people'. The ensemble Micrologus [6], directed by Patrizia Bovi, presented a programme around the Chansonnier of Seville, which includes music that is more Italian than Spanish, reflecting the ties between Naples and Spain. The songs are so-called strambotti - an Italian genre especially popular in the south of Italy. As they often consist of just one stanza, they are a little short-winded. It was a good idea to perform them in sequences with little or no breathing spaces. Patrizia Bovi has a 'classical' early music voice, whereas the tenor Enea Sorini has a way of singing which is closer to that common in folk music. I am mostly not in favour of such voices, but here it was appropriate, and Sorini is a very fine singer. Many pieces were performed in a more or less theatrical manner, which seems just right. This repertoire needs to be performed with some liberty and fantasy, and that is how the ensemble approached it. It is musical entertainment of unmistakable musical quality, but - at least for me - not something that I want to hear often.
From the 15th and the early 16th centuries a few songbooks (cancioneros) have been preserved, which have gained almost cult status, even before the revival of early music had established itself. In the early days of historical performance practice the songs from these books were assumed to be something typically Spanish. The ensemble Da Tempera Velha [20], directed by Ariel Abramovich, aimed at revising that view, emphasizing that these songs are part of a tradition which developed across Europe, by comparing them with what was written elsewhere. The programme started with a song from the Cancionero de Palacio, Nunca fue pena mayor by the Flemish composer Juan (Johannes) de Urrede, which Pierre de La Rue took as the basis for one of his masses. From another Cancionero we heard Tandernaken; pieces with this title are mostly instrumental, but here we heard a vocal version by Alexander Agricola. One piece in the programme may have been familiar to older members of the audience: in the early days of the revival of early music Giacomo Fogliano's L'amor dona ch'io te porto was often performed, mostly in what was thought to be the Spanish style. How different was the performance by Da Tempera Velha: a few voices and vihuela. Last year at the Festival, Música Temprana performed this kind of repertoire in the same intimate style, arguing that such songs were intended for performance at the court. This means that a battery of instruments is not required. Most pieces were secular, but there were also a few sacred items, taken from the same kind of sources. The three singers - Florencia Menconi (soprano), Jonatan Alvarado (tenor) and Breno Quinderé (bass) - delivered wonderfully subtle performances, in which they perfectly caught the spirit of these songs; Abramovich added sensitive accompaniments. One can only hope that other ensembles and performers listen and draw conclusions. Arrangements and orchestrations of the songs from the cancioneros have nothing to do with historical performance practice.
One of the main genres of vocal music in Spain from the Middle Ages to well into the 18th century was the villancico. Originally it was a secular work, but with time the genre turned into a spiritual one, which could even be part of the liturgy (although the ecclesiastical authorities tried to banish it). The shift from the secular to the spiritual is exposed in a collection of such pieces which Francisco Guerrero published in Rome in 1589 as villanellas. It includes 61 pieces which he composed in the course of his career; in some cases they were settings of secular texts, but for this collection he adapted them. The Accademia del Piacere [7], directed by Fahmi Alqhai, performed a few of these pieces in the Sint-Augustinuskerk. They were alternated with instrumental pieces, most of them improvisations on themes known from arrangements by other composers, such as Conde Claras and Guárdame las vacas. The ensemble was not that big: four singers, three viole da gamba, vihuela, organ and percussion. However, the reverberation of the church was such, that the sound of the ensemble was pretty loud. That seems in conflict with how these pieces were intended to be performed. These villancicos are rather vocal chamber music; some are for just three voices. The ensemble Musica Ficta recorded the entire collection with voices, accompanied by only vihuela and harp. I find them much more convincing than what we heard in this concert. The improvisations were mostly overly long. The dominant role of the percussion was another aspect which I did not like. I was sceptical about this concert from the start, as I have never heard anything from this ensemble which I really liked. I decided to give it a chance, as I like this repertoire, but - despite the great qualities of the singers and players - I was rather disappointed about this concert.
How these pieces should be performed showed the ensemble Cantoría [17], which had selected sixteen villanellas for its concert in the Pieterskerk. The programme was divided into four sections, each devoted to a particular subject. The programme notes were interesting in that they pointed out how the secular texts had been turned into spiritual ones, without losing much of their character. The latter is not surprising: in the renaissance texts are sometimes multi-interpretational, and it is not always clear whether a text is secular or spiritual. Considering that these pieces require a rather intimate setting, the Pieterskerk was probably not the ideal venue, but the performances emphasized the intimacy through the modest line-up of five voices and vihuela and the way the villanellas were performed. The voices blended perfectly, and there were some nice solos as well. I was struck by the quality of the voices and the style of singing, but also the sincerity with which this repertoire was treated. These settings are pretty expressive, and that came perfectly off in the performances. The four sections were separated by solos on the vihuela, beautifully executed by Pablo FitzGerald. This was another top-class performance of Cantoría.
One of the most interesting genres of Spanish 17th-century music is the tono humano, a song for solo voice(s) and basso continuo. Such songs were often performed at the court; the ensemble Ars Atlántica recorded a complete collection of tonos humanos, the so-called Guerra Manuscript (dating from around 1680), for Naxos. Many songs are anonymous, but in the manuscript two composers figure prominently: Juan Hidalgo and José Marin. The former also turned up in the concert by the Ricercar Consort [3] under the direction of Philippe Pierlot. The singer was the soprano Yetzabel Arias Fernández, who also took part in the Naxos project. The concert focused on a later composer of tonos humanos, Sebastián Durón (1660-1716). Such songs were often part of music for the stage, and that goes especially for those by Hidalgo, one of the main composers of theatre music of the 17th century. Other songs were intended for separate performance, often at the court and in aristocratic circles, such as those of the Guerra Manuscript. Several songs in the programme had a clearly theatrical nature, and Yetzabel Arias Fernández performed them accordingly, showing a great feeling for the theatre. The character of the songs came off perfectly. There were also some beautiful lyrical and melancholic songs, such as Sosieguen, descansen, sung with wonderful subtlety. Giovanna Pessi (harp), Daniel Zapico (lute and guitar) and Philippe Pierlot (viola da gamba) were Ms Arias Fernandez's perfect partners, who also played three instrumental pieces by Antonio Martín y Coll with much fantasy and zest. It was a great concert, which revealed the qualities and unique features of a repertoire that is not that well-known, but deserves to be.
Another programme devoted to this genre was the one by the ensemble La Galanía [32], with the soprano Raquel Andueza. The songs in this concert were nearly all anonymous. Older members of the audience may have recognized Vuestros ojos, which Nigel Rogers included in one of his recordings. Raquel Andueza seems to have changed her way of singing some time ago; she produces a sound that is different from that on early recordings that I have in my collection. Some time ago I heard a recording of one of her concerts, and I found it not easy to appreciate her singing. That was different this time: I was pleased by the way she performed these songs, and the way she presented them, paying tribute to the theatrical traits without ever exaggerating. The performance as a whole had the intimacy of a living room. When I saw in the programme that a violinist would take part, I wondered what his role may be. As I expected he played some instrumental pieces, but to my surprise he also participated in a number of songs. He played embellished versions of a song between two stanzas, and in the last he sometimes played colla voce. I wonder whether this practice is documented from the time these songs were written. Anyway, Pablo Prieto played very well, both in the songs and the instrumental items, and I should not forget to mention Jesús Fernández Baena for his fine accompaniments on his theorbo.
The New World
As Sevilla was the gateway to the New World, the music written or performed there was given much attention. The importance of this part of the festival cannot be overstated: the repertoire is hardly known, except among experts, and many collections of music which are preserved in various archives, are not explored as yet. An example is a fifteen-part collection of music from the Huehuetenango district in northern Guatemala. It was the subject of a concert by the tenor Jonatan Alvarado [15], accompanied by Ariel Abramovich on the vihuela. It is remarkable that the collection contains sacred and secular music that originally came from Europe, such as French chansons and Italian madrigals. In addition there are motets and villancicos, and pieces in the vernacular. Alvarado and Abramovich had selected a number of sacred and secular works. It was a nice and interesting picture of the musical culture of that time as well as the way in which it can be performed. Considering the quality of the sacred music, one has to hope that a vocal ensemble will take care of it some time. Up until now, it seems to have been completely ignored (or overlooked?). The secular pieces will have remained somewhat closer to the original in this line-up. Alvarado has a very beautiful voice, which perfectly suited the sacred repertoire, which he sang with appropriate solemnity. He showed a different side of himself in the secular pieces, in which he was more extroverted. Abramovich was the perfect accompanist and also played a few transcriptions, as was customary at the time.
The ensemble Stile Antico [23] is a regular at the festival. Its discography shows that only once it has devoted a complete disc to Spanish music. In the Cathedral it performed a programme of music included in the Mexico Cathedral Library. Part of it is a collection of masses by Alonso Lobo; one of them, the Missa O Rex gloriae, based on a motet for Ascension Day by Palestrina, was the core of the programme. We also heard some pieces in the Nahuatl language, likely written by an anonymous composer, who was a pupil of Hernando Franco (who is named as the composer), and by Gaspar Fernandes. Stile Antico also sang two motets by Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, and Guerrero's famous motet Ave virgo sanctissima. The motets were performed with a reduced number of singers: Padilla's Circumdederunt me for five voices was performed with one voice per part, which allowed for an optimum transparency and a better intelligibility of the text. In the other motet by Padilla, Exultate justi, the joyful content came off perfectly by the lively singing of the ensemble. In the mass the full ensemble was involved, emphasizing its monumental character. Stile Antico was in superb form, as it always is at the festival, and the Cathedral was the perfect spot to make it and the music shine.
Música Temprana [1], directed by Adrián Rodríguez Van der Spoel, was one of the artists in residence, alongside Cantoría. It gave three concerts, two of which I heard, both in the Cathedral and both devoted to repertoire from sources in the New World. The first was the opening concert - or, rather, one of two opening concerts, the other being given by the ensemble Graindelavoix in the Jacobikerk. Música Temprana offered a fascinating portrait of the repertoire written for the church from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Musically speaking it was a true melting pot of European and indigenous styles. The ensemble mostly performs in a rather modest line-up of a few voices and instruments. This time Rodríguez Van der Spoel had brought together a larger group of singers and players, which allowed for the performance of pieces for double choir. He used the space of the Cathedral to good effect, by placing a group of singers, responsible for the performance of plainchant, at one of the balconies. On the programme were not only pieces one expects to be part of the liturgy, such as psalms and motets, but also villancicos, which have their roots in secular music, but in the course of time entered the liturgy. The ensemble delivered brilliant performances of both genres: the combination of voices and instruments in the polyphony worked wonders in the psalms and motets, taking advantage of the acoustic of the Cathedral. Several pieces were written in alternation of plainchant and polyphony. In some passages the singers of the painchant added parts in the way of a falsobordone. These pieces were performed in a solemn style, but the villancicos were given a more theatrical performance, and rightly so. Most of these pieces are homophonic, and relatively simple, but in their uncomplicated way they are quite moving.
In the second concert, Música Temprana [19] once again transported the audience to the New World, this time Cuzco in Peru. It was once the capital of an immense Inca empire which was conquered by the Spanish colonists. Cuzco became the centre of the spread of Christianity. The Cuzco seminary owns a colonial music archive, whose index shows a remarkably large number of settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah. Rodríguez Van der Spoel thinks it may well have something to do with the content of these Lamentations: "Jerusalem was plundered by the Babylonians, just as Cuzco was plundered by the Spanish". These texts have an expressive depth that has made them part of the repertoire for Passiontide, especially the last three days of Holy Week, the Triduum Sacrum. Many settings are known from the renaissance and baroque periods. In this concert we heard pieces from the 18th century performed in Cuzco. Most of the composers are anonymous, but they must have been true masters. Not often I have heard such expressive settings, with such emotional intensity. That was also due to the way these Lamentations were performed, which emphasized the strong feelings in the text. Another striking piece, also anonymous, was a setting of the Stabat mater, written in the indigenous language, from the Jesuit mission posts of Chiquitos. It is long and rather simple, as it is homophonic and written in the style of plainchant. Even so, it is a very moving piece, and again, that was also thanks to the way it was performed, in a rather slow tempo - entirely appropriate - and in a solemn manner. Not all settings of the Lamentations were anonymous: the second item was a setting in a rather curious scoring for two sopranos (magnificent: Lina López and Olalla Alemán) and two dulcians (excellent: François de Rudder and Wouter Verschuren) by Juan de Araujo. The concert ended with a setting for seven voices by Tomás Torrejón y Velasco, who from 1676 until his death in 1728 was maestro de capilla of Lima Cathedral. It was a fine close to an event which I will remember for a long time.
The festival always offers the opportunity to become acquainted with young performers and ensembles. One of the latter is Opera Omnia [30], directed by Isaac Pulet. The programme did not mention when it was founded, but I had never heard of it. The programme was entitled "Vaya de fiesta: Baroque from Spanish America". The pieces selected were all from the 17th century, mostly written by composers born there (among the exceptions was Sebastián Durón). The programme notes mentioned the name of Diego José de Salazar as one of the Spanish composers in the programme. In fact, the piece with the name Salazar was by Antonio, born in Pueblo. Maybe Diego José was the composer of the first item in the programme, which I did not find in the list of pieces. At least, I could not identify the text the ensemble was singing. But the texts were very hard to understand anyway. In almost each item percussion was used, and that was so loud that the singing was almost drowned out, an effect that was enlarged by the acoustic of the Jacobikerk, which was not the ideal venue. Because of that it was not easy to keep track with the course of the programme. Although I noticed that the ensemble consists of fine singers and players, I was rather unhappy with what I heard here.
'The New World' is the name given to the American continent. The festival focused on music from that part of the continent which was once under Spanish rule. However, there were other parts of the world where Spain set its foot. In 1565 the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from New Spain (whose capital was Mexico City) in the Philippines, and until the end of the 19th century these islands were a Spanish colony. In 1581 Domingo de Salazar became the first bishop, and a new church was built, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. This inspired the Cappella Pratensis [18] to perform a mass for this feast, whose core was the Missa Sancta et immaculata by Francisco Guerrero. It is not known exactly what music was performed in Manila, but the bishop wrote in a letter to Philip II that it was not different from what was performed in Spain. As always, the Cappella Pratensis sang from a choirbook, the singers standing close to each other around it. This time they were accompanied by the Ensemble La Danserye, playing loud wind instruments and recorders; the players were standing behind the singers and played from the same choirbook. It is known that in Manila the choir of boys and men was accompanied by winds, among them recorders and shawms. The plainchant was selected in accordance with the feast of the Immaculate Conception; in some cases polyphony was added. The performance was simply magnificent, worthy of the celebration of a major feast. That was thanks to the excellent singing and playing, and the fact that the mass was performed in a liturgical setting. The insertion of plainchant really helps to understand the spiritual meaning of a mass setting and as a result it has more impact than a 'concert performance'. The event closed with another fine work by Guerrero, his Ave Maria for eight voices.
Thursday was announced as America day, but I did not find much information about it. I had liked to know what the reason was, as it seemed in no way connected to the theme of the festival. On closer consideration, the connection may be that in the concerts devoted to it music from immigrants in North America was performed. The Camerata Trajectina presented a programme under the title of "New Amsterdam", with music which was part of the luggage of Dutch immigrants in the New World. I have not attended that concert, but heard Kathryn Cok [21], who played a programme of keyboard music which can be found in sources from the world of the Moravian brothers, which held music in high esteem. We heard several pieces by Christian Friedrich Gregor, who was a Moravian brother himself, but never left Germany. His arrangements of hymns found their way to the New World where they were given English titles. Ms Cok played some at a chamber organ, followed by corresponding pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach. An example was Father in heaven, followed by Bach's Vater unser im Himmelreich (BWV 683). In addition we heard pieces by Hasse, Johann Ernst Bach, William Boyce, Handel and the hardly-known Antonin Kimmel, played on the harpsichord. This recital was a captivating musical portrait of the musical world of the Moravian brothers. The sources which include this repertoire seem well worth being explored. Kathryn Cok is an outstanding performer, who I have seldom heard at the festival. This was a most pleasant experience. She closed with a magnificent performance of Handel's Suite No. 7 in g minor, ending with a brilliant passacaille.
Various
In this last chapter I review some concerts which are not specifically devoted to one of the subjects of the previous chapters. One of these is a performances by another ensemble that was new to me, Comet Musicke [22]. In the Pieterskerk it offered a musical biography of Francisco Guerrero. Music by him and contemporaries was performed by voices and instruments, with biographical details being read by members of the ensemble. In general I am not in favour of musicians or others talking during concerts. Often they are hard to understand, because they don't speak very clearly or due to the acoustic. However, this could have been interesting. There was little wrong with the singing and playing; this ensemble has undoubtedly good qualities. However, I was not happy with the way the music was performed. As some other ensembles mentioned above, the ensemble seriously suffered from what I use to call percussionitis: in many pieces percussion was used, where there is no need for it or it is simply out of place. The latter goes for the sacred works. Using percussion in the Kyrie of a mass is ridiculous, and the title of Guerrero's Missa de la Batalla escoutez is no justification for it. It was used in songs from cancioneros; as I have written, the ensemble Da Tempera Velha approaches this repertoire as chamber music, which undoubtedly is in accordance with its meaning. From that perspective the use of winds in a villanesca by Guerrero is simply wrong. The best parts came at the end: Alonso Lobo's motet Vivo ego, dicit Dominus and two of his songs were performed very nicely. However, it could not compensate for the fact that most pieces in the programme were spoiled by unconvincing decisions with regard to performance practice.
The programme of this year's festival did not include many concerts with instrumental music, apart from music for keyboard or plucked instruments. If music was played by an instrumental ensemble, it was mostly vocal or keyboard music. There is nothing wrong with that: instrumental performance of vocal music, for instance, was very common. An instrumental ensemble could consist of instruments of different families (the so-callecd broken consort) or of instruments of the same family, such as recorders, transverse flutes, violins or viols. A recorder consort of an unusual kind is The Royal Wind Music [26], which comprises nine to eleven players on recorders of different pitches, from sopranino to subcontrabass. The programme of the ensemble's concert at the Jacobikerk was constructed as a musical stroll through the Cathedral of Santa Maria. Apart from anonymous items, we heard pieces by various composers, among them Guerrero, Morales, Fuenllana, Escobar and Mudarra. Vocal music figured prominently. Among the sacred music were motets and mass sections, the secular part consisted of songs, and there were also some pieces for the vihuela. Only in some items the full ensemble took part; some vocal works were played with two instruments per part. In most pieces only a selection from the ensemble participated. One does not often hear so many different recorders, and therefore performances of this ensemble are something special. The concert was a pure delight: the music was well-chosen, with quite some variety, and brilliantly played, with great enthusiasm. It was clear to see and hear that the players enjoyed themselves. The Jacobikerk was the perfect venue: it has enough reverberation to make the recorders shine, but not too much, also thanks to the large audience. As I heard mainly vocal music in the festival, this concert brought some welcome variety.
Traditional music has always played a major role in history. For obvious reasons it is seldom performed, partly due to the fact that it was often not written down, let alone published. And it is not easy to perform it convincingly. It is nice if ensembles try to bring it to life, but the way Christina Pluhar did that with her ensemble L'Arpeggiata [28] is definitely the way not to do it. The programme was called "The Golden Tower", referring to the Torre del Oro at the banks of the river Guadalquivir, and considered the symbol of Seville. As in many concerts, this one aimed at connecting Spain and the New World. The programme consisted of compositions by Spanish composers and pieces from the New World, in particular traditional songs. A number of pieces had been arranged by Pluhar, and there were also improvisations. I had hesitated to include this event in my list of concerts, as I have had bad experiences with L'Arpeggiata several times in the past. However, I decided to give it a chance. That was a bad decision. One looks at the programme and thinks that Pluhar can't possibly ruin it. Wrong. She can ruin everything - it's a special gift. A look at the list of performers - which was not available when ordering tickets - was enough to get suspicious: one of the instruments was a double bass. What does such an instrument have to do with music of the 16th and 17th centuries from Spain and the New World? It was used as a plucked instrument: the player did not even have a bow with him. There were also several percussion instruments and a cornett; the latter is completely out of place in a programme in which traditional music takes a prominent place. The opening piece, Mudarra's Se me llaman, was promising, and nicely sung by Céline Scheen. In the second piece the ensemble went off the rails: we got an endless series of improvised variations on Guardame las vacas, which had little to do with Mudarra, who was mentioned in the programme as the composer. He would not have recognized it. This was an indication of what was to come. The whole concert of ninety minutes was little else than ninety minutes of self-exposure. Players got the chance to shine as soloists with improvisations and then to receive applause. In concerts of this ensemble the players come first, the music is reduced to a vehicle to make the players shine. And many members of the ensemble are showing off, probably thinking they are quite funny. It is unbearable; the concert was little more than a freak show and a demonstration of intolerable vanity. It was a waste of my time. Christina Pluhar and her ensemble should be banned for ever; populism has no place at a festival which claims to take music and its performance seriously.
I am sorry to have to close this review on a sour note, but it has to be said. However, on balance this was a highly interesting festival, with much music that is not commonly known, and some artists and ensembles from which we can expect great things in the future. As Seville's heydays were in the time we call Renaissance, lovers of music from that era were served especially well. Those who have a preference for earlier or later music may have felt a little left alone.
A festival is no competition. Even so, I don't hesitate to mark two events ex aequo as the highlights of this edition: the first is the concert with Lamentations from Cuzco by Música Temprana, the second Morales's Missa pro defunctis performed by Vox Luminis. The former ensemble lived entirely up to its status as artist in residence, and so did Cantoría. Both showed to be top-class ensembles, and they both impressed by their choice of repertoire and the sincerity of their music making.
The attention given to music from sources in the New World was especially interesting, and the concerts have convinced me that these urgently need a thorough examination and exploration. I am sure that it will result in many fine works which will be an enrichment of the repertoire of Renaissance and Baroque.
In the past I have regularly complained about the conflict between music and the space in which it was performed. That was better this year: I was happy that several concerts took place in a church, where they belong. Next year, one issue of the festival will be the question about the connection between space and musical experience. Maybe that will result in another critical look at the venues where music is performed. However, the ideal will never be realized, for the simple reason that the size of the audiences is too large for some venues. That is the dilemma of early music - but a happy one: the more people interested in our rich musical heritage, the better.
Johan van Veen (© 2024)
[1] Música Temprana/Adrián Rodríguez van der Spoel
"Grandiose Améfrica Ladina"
August 23, Cathedral
[2] Francesco Corti, harpsichord
"Música Ibérica I"
August 24, Lutheran Church
[3] Ricercar Consort/Philippe Pierlot
"Tonos humanos: The triumph of Sebastián Durón"
August 24, TivoliVredenburg (Hertz)
[4] Cantica Symphonia/Giuseppe Maletto
Morales: Motets
August 24, Sint-Catharinakathedraal
[5] Pieter-Jan Belder, harpsichord
"Música Ibérica III"
August 26, Lutheran Church
[6] Micrologus/Patrizia Bovi
"Strambotti from the Chansonnier of Seville"
August 26, Leeuwenbergh
[7] Accademia del Piacere/Fahmi Alqhai
"Hispalis Splendens"
August 26, Sint-Augustinuskerk
[8] Cantar Lontano/Marco Mencoboni
"Iberian Vespers for the Virgin Mary"
August 26, TivoliVredenburg (large hall)
[9] Menno van Delft, clavichord
"Peraza: maestro of the monacordio"
August 26, Gertrudiskapel
[10] Xavier Díaz-Latorre, vihuela
"Andalucia during the Siglo de Oro"
August 27, TivoliVredenburg (Cloud Nine)
[11] Javier Núñez, harpsichord
"Música Ibérica IV"
August 27, Lutheran Church
[12] Tasto Solo/Guillermo Pérez
"Henricus Me Fecit"
August 27, TivoliVredenburg (Cloud Nine)
[13] Cantoría XL/Jorge Losana
"Maestro Juan Navarro Hispalensis"
August 27, Pieterskerk
[14] Gabrieli Consort & Players/Paul McCreesh
"Feast of St Isidore of Seville"
August 27, TivoliVredenburg (large hall)
[15] Jonathan Alvarado, tenor; Ariel Abramovich, vihuela
"Polyphony for Guatemala: Huehuetenango"
August 27, TivoliVredenburg (Hertz)
[16] Arianna Radaelli, harpsichord
"Música Ibérica V"
August 28, Lutheran Church
[17] Cantoría/Jorge Losana
"Villanescas by Guerrero"
August 28, Pieterskerk
[18] Cappella Pratensis, Ensemble La Danserye/Tim Braithwaite
"Polyphony for Manila: Guerrero's Missa Sancta et immaculata"
August 28, Geertekerk
[19] Música Temprana/Adrián Rodríguez van der Spoel
"The lamentations from Cuzco"
August 28, Cathedral
[20] Da Tempera Velha/Ariel Abramovich
Cancionero de Palacio
August 29, TivoliVredenburg (Hertz)
[21] Kathryn Cok, harpsichord
"Chasing the Moravian Brethren"
August 29, Lutheran Church
[22] Comet Musicke
"Francisco Guerrero: soul of Seville"
August 29, Pieterskerk
[23] Stile Antico
"Puerto de Indias"
August 29, Cathedral
[24] Bernard Foccroulle, organ
"Correa de Arauxo and the organist-composers from Seville"
August 30, Tuindorpkerk
[25] Diego Ares, harpsichord
"Música Ibérica VI"
August 30, Lutheran Church
[26] The Royal Wind Music/Hester Groenleer, María Martínez Ayerza
"The Patio de los Naranjos"
August 30, Jacobikerk
[27] La Grande Chapelle/Albert Recasens
Alonso Lobo: Missa Beata del genetrix
August 30, Cathedral
[28] L'Arpeggiata/Christina Pluhar
"The Golden Tower"
August 30, TivoliVredenburg (large hall)
[29] Hana Blazíková, Barbora Kabátková, voice, harp; Margit Übellacker, dulce melos; Martin Novák, percussion
Cantigas de Santa Maria
August 31, Pieterskerk
[30] Opera Omnia/Isaac Pulet
"Vaya de fiesta: Baroque from Spanish America"
August 31, Jacobikerk
[31] Vox Luminis/Lionel Meunier
Morales: Officium defunctorum/Missa pro defunctis
August 31, TivoliVredenburg (large hall)
[32] La Galanía/Raquel Andueza
"Esta noche soñé un sueño"
August 31, Lutheran Church
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