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Track(s) taken from CDA67685

Violin Concerto in A major 'No 3'

composer
Library of the Paganini Conservatoire, Genoa; MS C.3.1.28

Francesco D'Orazio (violin), Auser Musici
Recording details: June 2007
Oratorio di S Domenico, Pisa, Italy
Produced by Sigrid Lee
Engineered by Roberto Meo
Release date: June 2008
Total duration: 12 minutes 15 seconds

Cover artwork: A Neapolitan Musical Party (c1775) by David Allan (1744-1796)
Sotheby’s Picture Library
 

Reviews

‘The enchantingly radiant quality of D'Orazio's playing and Lidarti's music … D'Orazio possesses just the right kind of lithe, flexible and elegant and pure sound this music cries out for, and he directs Auser Musici (familiar from an enchanting disc of Boccherini Flute Quintets) with flair, imagination and in the slow movements a moving sensitivity to line, dynamic and harmonic pacing’ (International Record Review)

‘The three violin concertos … would happily stand comparison with Haydn's works in the genre. Soloists Francesco D'Orazio gives fine accounts of Lidarti's technically demanding music and his cadenzas are nicely in the style of the period … all four works reveal a composer with a keen sense of dramatic melody … these are all world premiere recordings, and violinists looking for new repertoire should certainly hear it’ (Early Music Today)

‘Tunefulness, energy and general amiability … a true Classical period sensibility … the violin concertos are directed with verve and grace by the virtuoso soloist, Francesco D'Orazio … he is a lithe, elegant and characterful performer and his elaborate cadenzas are delightfully playful’ (Goldberg)

‘Christian Joseph Lidarti (1730–95) is another new name to learn and not forget again. Re-discovered for these premiere recordings by a Pisan vocal and instrumental ensemble, this is another composer to scotch the 'canon' which dominates concerts and recordings. Some 400 works of his can be found in the British Library and in a collection in Tuscany. These here are undated, but this eighteenth-century Italian composer bridges the baroque and classical periods. They are superbly realised by the consummate artistry and virtuosity of Francesco D'Orazio … an excellent first for Hyperion’ (MusicalPointers.co.uk)
The first movement, Allegro moderato, of the Violin Concerto in A major recalls the structure of Haydn’s Concerto in G major, HobVIIa:4, using a melodic phrase—itself a common thematic idea in instrumental music since Vivaldi—characterized by a pointed dynamic rhythm, as an aria with variations. The solo part is, from the outset, technically demanding, with continuous leaps to the extreme points of the violin fingerboard alternating with full chords. The Adagio in D major (without viola and bass), is played sempre piano throughout, with music that sounds more suited to the theorbo than an orchestral accompaniment. The melody seems to be somewhat uncertain or incomplete, but the balance is restored in the cadenza. The ‘tutti’ of the third movement, Allegro in A major, exudes dynamic momentum in its alternation of quadruplets and sextuplets. The violin’s first solo is enriched with ornaments that are typical of the contemporary composer Nardini. The second solo, more archaic, evokes the bird-like sound of the recorder in typical Vivaldian fashion. These features all root the composition to the period of the galant style.

from notes by Dinko Fabris © 2008

Le premier temps qui est court (80 mesures) commence exactement comme le Concerto en sol majeur Hob.VIIa.4 de Haydn dont il rappelle la structure générale en utilisant toutefois une phrase mélodique très répandue dans la musique instrumentale à partir de Vivaldi et caractérisée par un rythme pointé très dynamique, comme une aria pour variations. Le solo du violon se présente immédiatement comme étant assez difficile avec des sauts continuels aux extrémités des touches alternés à des accords pleins. (ii) Adagio en ré majeur (sans viole ni basse): il se présente comme étant sempre piano avec des sonorités parfaitement adaptées à l’accompagnement avec le théorbe plutôt qu’avec l’orchestre au complet. La mélodie semble exposée de façon incertaine ou bien encore incomplète mais grâce à la cadence l’équilibre est rétabli. (iii) Allegro en la majeur: ce mouvement présente le tutti doté d’une grande force dynamique dans les quartolets alternés à des sextolets. Le premier solo du violon s’enrichit de notes d’agrément et d’extensions typiques du contemporain Nardini, alors que le deuxième solo, plus archaïque, évoque les sons de la flûte à bec-oiseau tout comme dans la tradition proprement typique de Vivaldi. Les effets dans leur ensemble lient cette composition à une dimension à la saveur archaïque, galante et certainement pas classique.

extrait des notes rédigées par Dinko Fabris © 2008
Français: Céline Mongason

Der erste Satz, Allegro moderato, des Violinkonzerts in A-Dur erinnert an die Struktur von Haydns Konzert in G-Dur, HobVIIa:4, indem es eine Melodiephrase—in sich eine übliche thematische Idee in Instrumentalmusik seit Vivaldi—, als Arie für Variationen verwendet, die sich durch einen charakteristisch dynamischen Rhythmus auszeichnet. Die Solostimme ist von Anfang an technisch anspruchsvoll, mit ständigen Sprüngen zu den extremen Enden des Griffbretts der Violine und mit vollen Akkorden abwechselnd. Das Adagio in D-Dur (ohne Viola und Bass) wird durchweg sempre piano gespielt, mit Musik, die eher für eine Theorbe angemessen scheint als eine Orchesterbegleitung. Die Melodie scheint etwas ungewiss oder unvollständig, aber in der Kadenz wird das Gleichgewicht weder hergestellt. Das Tutti des dritten Satzes, Allegro in A-Dur, strahlt mit seinem Wechsel von Quartolen und Sextolen dynamische Energie aus. Das erste Solo der Violine wird durch Verzierungen angereichert, wie sie für den zeitgenössischen Komponisten Nardini typisch sind. Das zweite Solo ist eher archaisch und beschwört den vogelhaften Klang einer Blockflöte in typisch Vivaldischer Manier herauf. Diese Merkmale verknüpfen die Komposition mit der Periode des galanten Stils.

aus dem Begleittext von Dinko Fabris © 2008
Deutsch: Renate Wendel

Concerto in la maggiore: (i) Allegro moderato: il breve primo tempo (80 battute) si apre esattamente come il Concerto in sol maggiore Hob.VIIa.4 di Haydn, di cui richiama la struttura generale ma utilizzando una frase melodica molto diffusa nella musica strumentale da Vivaldi in poi, caratterizzata da un ritmo puntato molto dinamico, come un’aria per variazioni. Il solo del violino si presenta subito come assai impegnativo con salti continui agli estremi della tastiera alternati ad accordi pieni. (ii) Adagio in re maggiore (senza viola e basso): si presenta «sempre piano» con sonorità perfettamente adatte all’accompagnamento con la tiorba, piuttosto che l’intera orchestra. La melodia sembra esposta in maniera incerta o incompleta ma con la cadenza si ricompone l’equilibrio. (iii) Allegro in la maggiore: questo movimento presenta il «tutti» dotato di una grande forza dinamica nelle quartine alternate alle sestine. Il primo solo del violino si arricchisce di abbellimenti ed estensioni tipiche del contemporaneo Nardini, mentre il secondo solo, più arcaico, evoca i suoni del flauto dolce-uccellino come nella più tipica tradizione vivaldiana. Gli effetti nel loro in sieme ancorano questa composizione in una dimensione dal sapore arcaico, galante e non certo classico.

Dinko Fabris © 2008

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