Una follia di Napoli 1725
Steger and the grinding stylistic gears of 1725 Naples
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Francesco Barbella, (Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) Scarlatti, Domenico Natale Sarro, Domenico Scarlatti, Leonardo Leo, Francesco Mancini, Niccolò Fiorenza
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: Harmonia Mundi USA
Magazine Review Date: 12/2012
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 72
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: HMC90 2135
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Sonata for Recorder No. 3 |
Francesco Barbella, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Francesco Barbella, Composer Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
Symphony for Flute, 2 Violins and Bass |
Niccolò Fiorenza, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Niccolò Fiorenza, Composer Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
Concero for Flute No. 1 |
Leonardo Leo, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Leonardo Leo, Composer Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
(12) Solos (Sonatas) for Violin/Recorder and Conti |
Francesco Mancini, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Francesco Mancini, Composer Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
Concerto No.11 |
Domenico Natale Sarro, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Domenico Natale Sarro, Composer Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
Improvisation upon the Partite 'Follia di Spagna' |
(Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) Scarlatti, Composer
(Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) Scarlatti, Composer Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
(17) Sinfonias, Movement: A (strings and continuo) |
Domenico Scarlatti, Composer
Anais Chen, Musician, Violin Andrea Rognoni, Musician, Violin Brigitte Gasser, Musician, Viola da gamba Daniele Caminiti, Musician, Theorbo Domenico Scarlatti, Composer Fiorenza de Donatis, Musician, Violin Margit Übellacker, Musician, Psaltery Maurice Steger, Musician, Recorder Mauro Valli, Musician, Cello Naoki Kitaya, Musician, Harpsichord Stefano Marcocchi, Musician, Viola Vanni Moretto, Musician, Double bass |
Author: David Patrick Stearns
a musical crossroads, when the specific Neapolitan style cultivated over many years (and represented here by seldom-heard composers such as Francesco Barbella and Domenico Sarro) was challenged by the touring transverse flute virtuoso Johann Joachim Quantz. With his mastery of the instrument also came a lighter, less emotionally intense manner of composition, represented on this disc by Leonardo Leo.
The difference is meaningful: the specifically Neapolitan works show a strong operatic influence. In contrast to the monothematic sprints of Vivaldi’s concertos, these works are more eventful both in content in meaning. Barbella’s Concerto III in C major has a marvellous slow aria from which Steger teases out great expressive content. Domenico Scarlatti’s Sinfonia I in A major has racing violin lines that coalesce into a distinctive texture. Mancini’s Sonata II in G minor has the recorder making dramatic, rhythmic stabbing gestures in the Largo movement. Leo’s concerto didn’t take Quantz on board completely, exploring traditionally Neapolitan sentiment in his concerto’s slow movement.
Much of the success of the pieces has to do with the instrumentation, though how much of that came from the manuscripts or Steger’s imagination is hard to say. Certainly the choice of continuo instruments is his, favouring folksy lutes and Baroque guitar. Most distinctively, he uses the ethereal-sounding dulcimer. As for Steger’s own playing, he has rare solidity and precision, plus almost any shade of colour that he can imagine.
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