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RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR Awards issue ‘Concerto Italiano navigate their way skilfully through the grandeur, intimacy, drama and textural subtlety of the music’ David Vickers listens to a reconstruction incorporating music from Monteverdi’s Selva morale Monteverdi Vespri solenni per la Festa di San Marco Includes music from Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610) and Selva morale e spirituale Concerto Italiano / Rinaldo Alessandrini Naïve B b (CD + ◊) OP30557 (80’ • DDD) DVD: ‘The Human and the Divine’: Alessandrini Conducts Monteverdi – a film by Claudio Rufa Appearances can be deceptive, so be advised that this is not yet another version of the 1610 Vespers. These proceedings commence with a stately performance of that collection’s famous opener, ‘Domine ad adiuvandum me festina’, but what follows is a broad range of the composer’s later Venetian church music composed during his three-decade tenure as maestro di cappella at St Mark’s Basilica. Monteverdi was unceremoniously sacked from his job at the Gonzaga court in Mantua in July 1612, but fortunately the most prestigious musical job in northern Italy became available when the maestro di cappella of St Mark’s died. On August 1, 1613, Monteverdi auditioned for the vacancy by rehearsing a Mass with about 50 musicians in the church of San Giorgio Maggiore; the procurators were so impressed that they hired him on the spot. Concerto Italiano’s welcome return to Monteverdi’s sacred music is apparently the first volume in a new series that will explore the composer’s monumental anthology Selva morale e spirituale, the ‘moral and spiritual forest’ of sacred music published in Venice in 1641, just two years before his death; Rinaldo Alessandrini and Naïve’s documentation both cite the title-page’s year of 1640, although Monteverdi’s dedication is dated May 1, 1641; the dedicatee was none other than Eleonora Gonzaga – the daughter of his first Mantuan employer Duke Vincenzo I and widow of Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. The publication contains 37 different pieces, including spiritual madrigals (essentially ‘vanitas’ texts), psalms (some of them in up to three different settings), music for the Mass, hymns and more. We do not know when or why these diverse works were originally created, nor can we be certain they were all necessarily for feast days, Masses, Vespers and other ceremonies at St Mark’s: we know Monteverdi provided sacred music for special occasions at plenty of other venerable Venetian institutions. Given the impossibility of connecting specific pieces with precise dates and places, any kind of liturgical reconstruction has to be considered as nothing other than an informed speculative context that enables us to experience these magnificent works beyond their secularised modern function as concert items. Alessandrini offers a digestibly programmed experience of a single plausible liturgical context of the festival of St Mark the Evangelist (which takes place on April 25). Accordingly, a selection of suitable psalms, motets and a large-scale Magnificat are placed within chants and responses that Alessandrini claims are drawn ‘from the liturgy in use at St Mark’s in Monteverdi’s time’ (he does not specify his sources for this – but the plainchant texts make for a fascinating change from the usual rite). In the event, half of the plainsong antiphons are substituted for assorted instrumental sonatas by various composers and Monteverdi’s motets Christe, adoramus te and Cantate Domino, both from a collection printed by Bianchi in 1620; these are 24 GRAMOPHONE RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR 2014 Click on a CD cover to buy/stream from gramophone.co.uk
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RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR often performed by a simple combination of choir and organ, but instead Concerto Italiano’s small consort of experienced voices are doubled by solemnly grand trombones. The recording, made at the Basilica Santa Barbara in Mantua, is probably the closest we will ever get to an authentic Monteverdian venue free from crowds of noisy tourists. It has been used as a venue for memorable recordings before, such as Jordi Savall’s 1610 Vespers (Alia Vox, 2/92) and, more recently, Odhecaton’s sublime recording of the Missa In illo tempore (Ricercar). The resonant yet exquisitely transparent acoustic weaves its spellbinding magic on the single voices and accomplished instrumentalists of Concerto Italiano, who navigate their way skilfully through the grandeur, intimacy, rhetorical drama and textural subtlety that the music demands at the drop of a hat. Much of the music-making has perfect conversational qualities, especially in the interplay between the concertante solo voices and the blossoming textures of the ripieno groups (the climax to the Magnificat is thrilling stuff). Those wanting to hear only Monteverdi’s masterpieces without plainchants and liturgical considerations are already well served by versions such as the recently completed series by The Sixteen (not quite complete and spread across three separate volumes – Coro) and Cantus Cölln (the only totally comprehensive version that’s safely recommendable – Harmonia Mundi). However, La Venexiana (Glossa) and Akadêmia (Zig-Zag) both place the majority of Selva morale within different liturgical programmes (neither excellent set included the five moral madrigals – a real pity). It remains to be seen how Alessandrini’s project might differ from other surveys of this wonderful repertoire: he has never been a mere copier of formulas and his healthy approach to pickand-mix repertoire promises to construct a valuable new framework for these oftrecorded pieces. The bonus DVD entitled ‘The Human and the Divine’ is nothing to write home about; it might be better to avoid watching the fly-on-a-wall footage of Alessandrini and his hosts after dinner rambling on about Monteverdi’s Neoplatonism, and some speculations presented as hard fact will cause scholars to raise their eyebrows. Nevertheless, there is some engaging footage of the Ducal Palace in Mantua and a film of the performers at work in S Barbara. The recording itself is really the focus of attention, and Concerto Italiano’s distinguished performances constitute their most essential Monteverdian work in donkey’s years. Awards issue Editor’s Choices BEETHOVEN ‘Beethoven Journey, Vol 3’ Mahler CO / Leif Ove Andsnes pf Sony Classical F 88843 05886-2 Journey’s end – but what a journey! Andsnes and the Mahler CO here bring to a close this wonderfully engaging and often very beautiful Beethoven concerto cycle. DVOŘÁK Symphony No 8 Pittsburgh SO / Manfred Honeck Reference Recordings F Í FR710SACD Strauss from the same forces earned an Editor’s Choice in March and the superlatives which applied then apply now: the playing is gloriously rich and dramatic. MOZART String Quartets Nos 14, 16 & 19 Casals Quartet Harmonia Mundi F HMC90 2186 After their powerful Seven Last Words (Editor’s Choice in June), the Casals Quartet give superb performances of Mozart’s music dedicated to Haydn. VIVALDI Cello Sonatas Marco Ceccato vc Accademia Ottoboni Zig-Zag Territoires F ZZT338 So confidently does Ceccato inhabit this music that he’s able to deliver wonderfully lively, delightfully engaging and entirely personal performances throughout this set. LEIGHTON ‘Organ Works, Vol 1’ Stephen Farr org Resonus M D RES10134 A recording that really reveals the wonderfully imaginative and clever music Leighton left organists, both in the fascinating Fantasies and the massive drama of the Martyrs. SCHARWENKA. TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Sonatas Joseph Moog pf Onyx M ONYX4126 A young pianist with no fear of boldly pitting himself against the most demanding repertoire, and one whose individuality and voice are never lost among its virtuoso demands. BYRD. PHILIPS ‘Adoramus te’ Clare Wilkinson mez Rose Consort of Viols Deux-Elles F DXL1155 Music from artistically rich but troubled times – something these two English Catholic composers would have felt only too keenly – wonderfully performed throughout. SCHUBERT ‘Nachtviolen’ Christian Gerhaher bar Gerold Huber pf Sony F 88883 71217-2 Poignancy, pathos, humanity – Gerhaher, one of today’s most impressive Lieder singers, lends these lesser-known Schubert songs a moving poetic beauty. SCHOENBERG Moses und Aron Soloists; SWR SO / Sylvain Cambreling Hänssler Classic F b Í CD93 314 Cambreling brings impressive (and necessary) control and vision to this richly textured, musically complex opera, a strong dramatic intensity building throughout. gramophone.co.uk Click on a CD cover to buy/stream from GRAMOPHONE RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR 2014 25

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RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR

Awards issue

‘Concerto Italiano navigate their way skilfully through the grandeur, intimacy, drama and textural subtlety of the music’

David Vickers listens to a reconstruction incorporating music from Monteverdi’s Selva morale

Monteverdi Vespri solenni per la Festa di San Marco Includes music from Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610) and Selva morale e spirituale Concerto Italiano / Rinaldo Alessandrini Naïve B b (CD + ◊) OP30557 (80’ • DDD) DVD: ‘The Human and the Divine’: Alessandrini Conducts Monteverdi – a film by Claudio Rufa

Appearances can be deceptive, so be advised that this is not yet another version of the 1610 Vespers. These proceedings commence with a stately performance of that collection’s famous opener, ‘Domine ad adiuvandum me festina’, but what follows is a broad range of the composer’s later Venetian church music composed during his three-decade tenure as maestro di cappella at St Mark’s Basilica. Monteverdi was unceremoniously sacked from his job at the Gonzaga court in Mantua in July 1612, but fortunately the most prestigious musical job in northern Italy became available when the maestro di cappella of St Mark’s died. On August 1, 1613, Monteverdi auditioned for the vacancy by rehearsing a Mass with about 50 musicians in the church of San

Giorgio Maggiore; the procurators were so impressed that they hired him on the spot.

Concerto Italiano’s welcome return to Monteverdi’s sacred music is apparently the first volume in a new series that will explore the composer’s monumental anthology Selva morale e spirituale, the ‘moral and spiritual forest’ of sacred music published in Venice in 1641, just two years before his death; Rinaldo Alessandrini and Naïve’s documentation both cite the title-page’s year of 1640, although Monteverdi’s dedication is dated May 1, 1641; the dedicatee was none other than Eleonora Gonzaga – the daughter of his first Mantuan employer Duke Vincenzo I and widow of Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. The publication contains 37 different pieces, including spiritual madrigals (essentially ‘vanitas’ texts), psalms (some of them in up to three different settings), music for the Mass, hymns and more. We do not know when or why these diverse works were originally created, nor can we be certain they were all necessarily for feast days, Masses, Vespers and other ceremonies at St Mark’s: we know Monteverdi provided sacred music for special occasions at plenty of other venerable Venetian institutions. Given the impossibility of connecting specific pieces with precise dates and places, any kind of liturgical reconstruction has to be considered as nothing other than an informed speculative context that enables us to experience these magnificent works beyond their secularised modern function as concert items.

Alessandrini offers a digestibly programmed experience of a single plausible liturgical context of the festival of St Mark the Evangelist (which takes place on April 25). Accordingly, a selection of suitable psalms, motets and a large-scale Magnificat are placed within chants and responses that Alessandrini claims are drawn ‘from the liturgy in use at St Mark’s in Monteverdi’s time’ (he does not specify his sources for this – but the plainchant texts make for a fascinating change from the usual rite). In the event, half of the plainsong antiphons are substituted for assorted instrumental sonatas by various composers and Monteverdi’s motets Christe, adoramus te and Cantate Domino, both from a collection printed by Bianchi in 1620; these are

24 GRAMOPHONE RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR 2014

Click on a CD cover to buy/stream from gramophone.co.uk

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