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Sammartini: Sonatas for Cello & Bass Continuo / Ensemble Dolci Accenti
Brilliant Classics

Sammartini: Sonatas for Cello & Bass Continuo / Ensemble Dolci Accenti

$13.99

Details

Composer
Giovanni Battista Sammartini
Artist
Daniele Cernuto, Anna Grendene, Calogero Sportato, Cipriana Smarandescu
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Mar 24, 2023
Catalog #
BRI96767
UPC
5028421967677

About

The essential contribution that Milan-born Giovanni Battista Sammartini (c. 1700–1775) made to the history of music is universally recognized. He laid the foundations for the Classical symphony: he helped establish the standard composition of the orchestra and promoted independence and individual timbres in his part-writing, while Baroque customs (most notably the basso continuo) gradually gave way to sonata form. In terms of repertoire and recordings, however, Sammartini is still a relative rarity; if you set aside his symphonies and start investigating his chamber music and works for solo instruments, for example, it is soon apparent that many enthralling compositions remain silently filed away in libraries and archives, waiting patiently for the recognition they deserve.

The program on this record ventures into this very partially unexplored terrain, showcasing a selection of sonatas for cello and basso continuo: the collection of six from his Op. 4, published in Paris in 1742, and two sonatas of uncertain date, one in G major and the other in G minor. Although more modest than the symphonies, the cello sonatas display a similar penchant for succinct and elegant writing. Often simple in form, their brilliance stems from the inventiveness of the melody and rhythm and moments of particularly intense and expressive lyricism that are not reliant on excessive ornamentation.

However, it is important to note the confusing history behind the authorship of the cello sonatas on this album. Op. 4 is almost certainly by Sammartini; the ‘almost’ is advisable only for Sonata No. 6, which some scholars believe to be of doubtful authorship. The two sonatas in G major and G minor are less certain. Despite these caveats, the cello sonatas presented here remain an excellent example of the transition from the Baroque to the Classical period and particularly of a singularly elegant compositional style that expertly applies cello technique to imaginative and spontaneous invention. Partly for this reason, the performers on this recording have chosen to further enhance the individual character and freshness of each sonata by using different instruments for the basso continuo line, chosen freely but with strong historical foundations: as well as the more predictable harpsichord, they also make use of the archlute, theorbo, and baroque guitar, in addition to melodic bass passages entrusted to a second cello.

The Cello Sonatas presented here mark the transition between Baroque and Classicism, music full of charm, gracefulness, cantabile melodies and instrumental flourish. Played by the Italian ensemble Dolci Accenti, with Daniele Cernuto (Baroque cello), Calogero Sportato (Baroque guitar, theorbo, archlute), Cipriana Smarandescu (harpsichord) and Anna Grendene (Baroque cello).

Tracklist 25 tracks

  1. 1 I. Largo 04:47
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Largo
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  2. 2 II. Allegro non troppo 03:46
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  3. 3 III. Canzonetta 01:49
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Canzonetta
    Duration
    01:49
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  4. 4 IV. Allegro grazioso 02:33
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro grazioso
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  5. 5 I. Allegro 02:36
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  6. 6 II. Allegro 02:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    02:29
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  7. 7 III. Allegro 01:34
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  8. 8 I. Allegro 02:51
    Track
    8
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  9. 9 II. Affettuoso 02:40
    Track
    9
    Title
    II. Affettuoso
    Duration
    02:40
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  10. 10 III. Allegro 02:19
    Track
    10
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  11. 11 I. Allegro 04:03
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:03
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  12. 12 II. Largo 02:12
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  13. 13 III. Spiritoso 03:03
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Spiritoso
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  14. 14 I. Allegro 03:33
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  15. 15 II. Largo 01:57
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    01:57
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  16. 16 III. Allegro 03:19
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  17. 17 I. Allegro 02:11
    Track
    17
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  18. 18 II. Largo 05:42
    Track
    18
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    05:42
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  19. 19 III. Vivace 01:49
    Track
    19
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    01:49
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  20. 20 I. Allegro 04:19
    Track
    20
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:19
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  21. 21 II. Adagio 02:29
    Track
    21
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    02:29
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  22. 22 III. Allegro 04:00
    Track
    22
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  23. 23 I. Allegro 03:47
    Track
    23
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  24. 24 II. Largo 04:19
    Track
    24
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    04:19
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti
  25. 25 III. Minuetto 02:05
    Track
    25
    Title
    III. Minuetto
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Giovanni Battista Sammartini
    Performer
    Daniele Cernuto
    Ensemble
    Ensemble Dolci Accenti