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Sammartini: The Late Symphonies Vol. 1 - Accademia d'Arcadia

Sammartini: The Late Symphonies Vol. 1 - Accademia d'Arcadia

Brilliant Classics  93610

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical


Sammartini: The Late Symphonies Vol. 1

Accademia d'Arcadia
Alessandra Rossi Lürig (conductor)

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Review by John Miller - March 12, 2008

The music of Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1700 or 1701-1775) pops up from time to time on Baroque compilation discs. He was certainly an important figure in his native Milan as composer, performer, philosopher and literary writer, but was forgotten rapidly after his death. Previously, I too quickly forgot his music after hearing it, but this present recording has made me re-evaluate it.

During the first French occupation of Milan, all Sammartini's autograph MSS were scattered around Europe, none being left in the city archives. It has been exceptionally difficult for scholars to track down his work, and little was published until 1976, with the isssue of a thematic catalogue compiled by Americans Jenkins & Churgin (item numbers prefaced by J-C). Churgin divided Sammartini's output into three phases, early, middle and late. Performance of Sammartini symphonies have so far been reduced to 32 early or middle period works, published between 1968-1973. The symphonies of his prime (after 1760) remain in autographs in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and these have been used for the première performances of the late symphonies which Brilliant Classics are setting down on 2 SACDs.

This first disc has 4 of the 3-movement sinfonias (J-C 63 in A, J-C 22 in D, J-C 31 in E and J-C 60 in A), together with the fifth Quintetto for 3 violins, viola and bass in E. The late works are written for strings with pairs of horns and oboes, and they have many concertante exchanges, reminiscent of early Haydn, with innovatory divisi passages for cellos and basses or violas. Structurally they are more complex than the earlier works, and melodically more distinctive. They also reveal their Classical development in many ways; two of them even include minuets as third movements. The links to sinfonias by JC Bach (a resident of Milan for many years) and to the so-called Mannheim School (Richter and Stamitz) are quite obvious. We may also bear in mind that early symphonies by Haydn and Mozart follow the Sammartini three movement plan.

Academia d'Arcadia are a relatively new period-instrument group from Milan. Their spirited and committed playing further illuminates these late works by Sammartini. They comprise 6 each of first and second violins, 2 or 3 violas and two each of 'cellos and basses, as well as the pairs of oboes and horns. The sinfonias are largely string-led, and the group's controlled vibrato string tone is burnished and incisive, as well as very sweet in quieter movements. The Academia play with sparkle, brilliance and wit, their small ensemble making for tight rhythmic precision and good tuning (at a slightly lower pitch than modern concert pitch).

This recording, of 2005 vintage and made in a small-sounding church in Eupilio, Italy, has beautifully atmospheric 5.1 surround, giving a wide left-right image with plenty of depth and detail. The band sounds much larger than it is.

The only slight blemishes on this production are the rather clumsy English-only translation from an Italian original of the notes, and the omission of a track list from the otherwise informative booklet. This is an inconvenience for those of us who store their discs in albums rather than shelve the bulky and fragile CD cases.

I enjoyed the infectious playing of this group enormously; their interplay in the Quintet is stunning, and the innovative nature of the newly-unearthed sinfonias (especially J-C 31 and J-C 60) was revelatory compared to earlier Sammartini. These late works are clearly well on the Classical line, and although the music is purely meant for light, elegant and witty entertainment, the disc easily bears repeated hearings. I look forward to the second disc in the series. In the meantime, the present one, at mid-price only, is a real bargain to be snapped up.

Copyright © 2008 John Miller and HRAudio.net

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