Legrenzi在1626年出生於小鎮Clusone，父親Giovanni Maria Legrenzi是小提琴家，也是個小作曲家。Legrenzi和他爸爸不一樣，專攻的是風琴。1645，他來到了北義大利的Bergamo，成為Santa Maria Maggiore大教堂的風琴師，並於1651也成為其中一位附屬教堂牧師(chaplain)。他試圖爭取當第一風琴師不成，1655年決定離開Bergamo。巧合的是，Legrenzi離開的同時，正好也是Bergamo的音樂文化開始凋零的開始。Bergamo在十七世紀初，它的Santa Maria Maggiore大教堂在北義大利的音樂發展所佔的地方，僅次於威尼斯的聖馬可。1630的瘟疫，重創北義大利(包括威尼斯)，Santa Maria Maggiore的音樂指揮Grandi也因此而喪命。多謝Legrenzi和Cazzati這些新一代的作曲家，使得Bergamo的宗教音樂再度回到昔日的光輝。
Legrenzi和Cazzati並沒有繼續待在Bergamo。Cazzati選擇到Bologna(波隆那)發展，而Legrenzi則是先到Frescobaldi的故鄉Ferrara接受Accademia dello Spirito Santo(聖靈學院)音樂指揮一職 。這個學院的成員並不是音樂學者，而是音樂同好，目的只為提供Ferrara社區各宗教儀式用的音樂。他這段日子的主要作品仍然為宗教音樂，但閒暇之餘，仍寫了一些歌劇和其他器樂曲。Legrenzi和學院的成員建立了良好的關係，其中幾位是貴族，對日後Legrenzi的事業發展，都有一定的幫助。
Legrenzi似乎於1665離開Ferrara，並有幾年的時間，今天沒有任何的文獻記載。確定的是1670開始，Legrenzi已在北義音樂之都威尼斯定居。1676年，他以一票之差落選聖馬可大教堂的音樂指揮(capellmeister)，但於1682年的時候，成為副指揮。在1685年，他終於順利成為聖馬可的音樂指揮。他在任命副指揮以及總指揮的時候，教堂的庶務員們顯然對他的表現相當滿意，因為他的薪水是當時史上最高的，是「對人不對職」。
Legrenzi的主要作品為宗教音樂和器樂曲。這張CD所收錄的作品二奏鳴曲，是他最早出版的器樂曲，是他在Bergamo最後一年時所寫的。同時期的同事Cazzati所寫的作品十八奏鳴曲，算是當時最俱前瞻性的義大利奏鳴曲，樹立了日後晚期三重奏鳴曲形式以及更重要，晚期巴洛克音樂的語法。
Legrenzi作品二有十八首奏鳴曲，其中十七首是他出自他親手，而其中有一首是他爸爸Giovanni Maria Legrenzi之作。Legrenzi的作品二雖然是在Bergamo完成的，但這一冊是在威尼斯出版的。每一首奏鳴曲都有標題，大部份為威尼斯重要的家族，不過也有一些是相鄰Habsburg領土的貴族名。可以看出，Legrenzi很早就在為自己的事業鋪路，希望可以藉此舉動讓他討好這些貴族，日後申請職位的時候得到他們的支持。Legrenzi雖沒到奧地利發展，但也如願到了威尼斯。
Legrenzi的這十七首奏鳴曲，分二聲部和三聲部。前六首是給兩支小提琴和數字低音的「兩聲部」奏鳴曲，但性質上是最靠近日後所謂的三重奏鳴曲。第七首到第九首是給小提琴，低音提琴(或低音管)和數字低音的兩聲部奏鳴曲，而第十首到第十七首則是給兩支小提琴，低音提琴，和數字低音的三聲部奏鳴曲。低音提琴和數字低音有時相同，有時又是獨立分開的，算是較老式的編制，來自先前的canzona形式。
Legrenzi的這些早期奏鳴曲，開始有顯著的調性和主題。在聲部的對位的部份，也有別於之前作曲家，有較完整的發展部份，呈現出晚期巴洛克成熟的賦格。Legrenzi的這些早期奏鳴曲還沒有正式樂章分割，是快和慢的段落相間。許多奏鳴曲開頭速度輕快，旋律簡單明了，節奏活潑，以及和聲大膽，是我比較喜愛的類型。有許多開場或是整首氣氛比較緩慢的，感覺起來有時過於沉悶。Legrenzi的奏鳴曲的風格，還未到晚期巴洛克時的義大利奏鳴曲如此甜美滑順。有時候，主題仍然有點生硬，並不是那樣如歌般。和同時期德式的奏鳴曲比較起來，這些作品並不是第一次就會引起我注意的音樂，而是要經過多次的反覆才能慢慢欣賞出它的味道。再者，Legrenzi的這些奏鳴曲長度偏短，意猶未盡時，已經換下一首了~~
Parnassi Musici室內樂團，之前已介紹過他們Domenico Gallo和Dietrich Becker的專輯。他們專門挑德國和義大利罕見到的曲子下手，讓我這種古樂迷是會特別開心。這張CD，也似乎是市面上唯一完整的Legrenzi作品二。這是Parnassi Musici比較新的錄音，整體錄音效果好，演奏風格比較犀利，伴奏群加了theorbo，能夠適時撥強而有力的和弦，使音樂更有生命力。給低音提琴的聲部，Legrenzi有指名可用低音管替代，因此他們找了Sergio Azzolini在七首奏鳴曲裡一塊站台，提供了不同的音色。Parnassi在比較輕快的段落中的處理最佳，而在慢的部份有時張力略顯不夠，像是純粹在照譜表演。說不定也很Legrenzi的音樂本身有關，但像開頭是緩慢的奏鳴曲如La Valvasona還有La Querini，Parnassi的處理真有點無趣。最後，Parnassi在這張CD上刻意沒錄Legrenzi老爸的那首奏鳴曲，但CD上還剩的時間明明就很夠，不知道他們為何做出只錄兒子Legrenzi的決定。難道是一種奇怪的堅持嗎？
雖有些個人的小意見，但Parnassi Musici的整體演奏堅強，這張Legrenzi的專輯我越聽越喜愛。光是Legrenzi的「完整」作品二，就有足夠的收藏價值了。
Giovanni Legrenzi has cemented himself in history as one of the composers of the middle Baroque era that was pivotal in developing the music style of the late Baroque, especially in the genre of instrument sonatas. Later settling in Venice, he represents one of those in the long line of composers that established and kept Venice as one of the greatest music centers of the Baroque music. When he served as the capellmeister of the San Marco basilica, he also acted sa mentor to the younger composers, one of them almost certainly to have been Vivaldi.
Legrenzi was born in 1626 in the small town of Clusone. His dad was a violinist and also small-time composer, but Legrenzi took up the organ instead. He came to Bergamo in 1645, earlier considered one of the leading musical centers of northern Italy, and served as one of the organists of the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, one of the churches that could rival Venice's San Marco as centers of sacred music. At the time of Legrenzi's arrival, the plague swept through northern Italy, and Bergamo took a big hit as their San Marco's capellmeister also succumbed to it. Thanks to the younger composers Legrenzi and Cazzati, they were able to restore Bergamo to its glorious past as the great cities to produce sacred music.
Legrenzi tried to apply for the first organist position but was declined. Both Legrenzi and Cazzati decided to leave Bergamo, and this marked the beginning of the end of Bergamo as a great music center. Cazzati went on to Bologna, and Legrenzi wandered around for a few years before settling in Venice. Interestingly, during their partnership in Bergamo, they both managed to produce a set of forward-looking trio sonatas (Cazzati's Op.18 and Legrenzi's Op.2).
Legrenzi spent some time in Ferrara as capellmeister to this Academy of Holy Spirit, an academy not of scholars but of laymen getting together to just write sacred music for liturgical texts, to be used by members of the community for their religious services. Legrenzi apparently enjoyed his time in Ferrara, and made some important friends, as many members of the academy belonged to prominent families. This would serve him well later when Legrenzi was to find employment elsewhere. Legrenzi also had enough spare time that he started to try out writing opera, which was met with some success.
There is a period of several years where his whereabouts are unaccountable. What is certain is that in 1670 he had settled in Venice. In 1676, he lost by one vote to become the capellmeister of the coveted San Marco. In 1682, he did become the vice capellmeister, and finally in 1685 the true capellmeister. His services as both vice capellmeister and capellmeister were so well-received that his paid salary was highest to date, "paid to the person and not the office," as they say.
Legrenzi is mainly known as composer of sacred music and chamber music. The Op.2 sonatas recorded on this disc are his earliest published sonatas, written in Bergamo but published in Venice. They represent a step towards establishing the late Baroque idiom. They contain 18 sonatas, 17 by Legrenzi himself and one by the older Giovanni Maria Legrenzi. Like the French harpsichord pieces which bear titles of famous people of the time, Legrenzi's Op.2 sonatas are all named after some aristocrat family, mostly from Venice. Paying them respect, this also seemed like a gimmick to rally support for a job application. Either way, it all worked out in the end.
Of the 17 sonatas, the first 9 are written as "sonata a due", for two violins and continuo (Nos. 1-6) or violin, violone/bassoon, and continuo (Nos. 7-9), and the latter 8 are "sonate a tre" for two violins, violone/bassoon, and continuo. However the sonata a due are in fact closer to the later trio sonata, where the bass continuo is considered as an equal part. The sonate a tre has a violone line that sometimes is identical to the bass continuo but at other times breaks away as an independent voice. This kind of arrangement is closer to earlier canzona form, which Purcell modeled in his sonatas for 3 and 4 parts.
Legrenzi's sonatas show a clearer tonality and more concise theme. His greatest contribution perhaps then, is of counterpoint. Compared to his predecessors, Legrenzi's works show more extended development that point towards the later more mature fugue. These early sonatas do not have distinct separate movements but have contrasting sections like the early Italian models. Many sonatas that open with a faster section have clear and concise themes, catchy and energetic rhythms, and good harmony. These are the ones that I tend to favor.
Then there are the ones that lead off more pacifying that aren't quite so interesting to me. Legrenzi's music is at a crossroads between the earlier Italian models and the later ones. It doesn't have the beautiful singing lines of the later sonatas but retains some of the irregularities of the earlier Italian sonatas. This can be interesting upon first encounter but ultimately proves unsustainable for me. There is something about the smoothness of the German sonatas of the same period that even in the quieter moments can still pull through for me. The last thing about these sonatas are that they are a tad too short, and the music ideas are underdeveloped. Often times, I was expecting something to keep building, only to be met with an abrupt ending.
The ensemble Parnassi Musici needs no special introduction from me, as I've already reviewed two of their previous recordings on Domenico Gallo and Dietrich Becker. My opinion of their performances vary, usually less enthusiastic towards their earlier recordings. This recording was recorded in 2003, and they have a bit more zest in their playing. In the faster sections, they have stronger accents and the music is well articulated. They also have a theorbo player that supports them really nice powerful chords at the right moments, livening the music considerably. They are also joined by bassoonist Sergio Azzolini in many sonatas, replacing the violone/violoncello part with the bassoon to add an interesting sound texture, and Azzolini does not disappoint.
While Parnassi does well with the more vibrant sections, my main criticism remains their treatment of the slower sections. Maybe they wanted to contrast them with a calmer mood, but the slow openings of the sonatas, say La Valvasona and La Querini just sound a bit bland. This could well be the nature of Legrenzi's music, but I also felt that they were just playing through the notes and sounded just as uninterested as me. Lastly, even though there was a lot of time left on the disc, they omitted the sonata written by the dad on purpose, and only included the 17 sonatas by the younger Legrenzi. I mean, how much more does it really take to record that extra sonata? It's a good service to completeness, and may even showcase how superior the younger Legrenzi was.
That being said, I'm still happy with what I believe is the first complete recording of younger Legrenzi's Op.2 sonatas. Parnassi turns in strong performances for many of the sonatas, and the music itself is worth collecting. This was not memorable music to me at first, but I have since warmed up to them and have a much better appreciation for Legrenzi's instrumental music. I also consider this disc as one of the best recordings of Parnassi Musici that I personally own.
No comments:
Post a Comment