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Seixas: Harpsichord Sonatas Vol 1 / Débora Halász
Naxos

Seixas: Harpsichord Sonatas Vol 1 / Débora Halász

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Details

Composer
SEIXAS, CARLOS DE
Artist
Debora Halasz
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Apr 18, 2006
Catalog #
8557459
UPC
747313245925

About



SEIXAS Harpsichord Sonatas, Vol. 1 ? Débora Halász (hpd) ? NAXOS 8.557459 (71:02)


Domenico Scarlatti, mestre du capella to the Infanta Maria Barbara, accompanied his pupil when she moved temporarily to Lisbon in 1723. While there, the Portuguese Infanta Don Antonio supposedly sent a promising young composer, Carlos de Seixas, to study with Scarlatti, who was 19 years his senior. The story goes that the latter reported back to Don Antonio, stating Seixas was one of the best musicians he had ever heard, and scarcely in need of further instruction.


It?s a nice tale, and possibly even true. I for one would have liked to witness a first meeting between two such highly talented composers whose keyboard work reflects considerable similarities, despite their differences of age and upbringing. The issue of influence and the direction it ran has never been settled, and is likely never to be, given that Seixas died young, and his original manuscripts perished during the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. Out of some 700 ?keyboard toccatas? he is known to have composed, roughly 95 survive, of which 80 were collected, edited, and published by the late Macario Santiago Kastner. Although it?s never made clear in the liner notes to this release, presumably that edition is the one used by Débora Halász in what has been announced as a complete traversal. This leaves approximately 15 pieces unaccounted for, if my arithmetical skills are still functioning. Kastner presumably found them of dubious authenticity, or they appeared after his death. I?d personally like to hear them regardless, whether authentic or not, as there is an inordinate amount of formerly attributed music that is quite good and never gets recorded. Not that I?m about to turn up my nose at any attempt to issue multiple volumes of Seixas, whose treatment thus far on CD has been sporadic at best.


The last release of Seixas that I reviewed in these pages appeared roughly a year ago, and featured Christian Brembeck (Musicaphon M 55867). There?s little to choose, technically speaking, between Brembeck and Halász. Both have fingers to spare, and easily manage the more virtuosic pieces without any loss of flow or control. Sound quality on both albums, too, is excellent, and to make matters more confusing, the harpsichordists adapt similar, judiciously chosen tempos in the few works they both perform.


However, there are significant differences between the two, and unfortunately they don?t make choosing a single disc any easier. Halász, for one, employs grace notes with frequency and usually in a way that seems both natural and appropriate to the music. She is willing to stretch the beat a bit even in rhythmically driven passages, though, when it can have a detrimental result. As an example, part of the powerful effect of the Sonata No. 50 in G Minor derives from its headlong impetus and strong first beat. This is impeded when the beat in question is lengthened and weakened, as Halász routinely does. When the harpsichordist resorts to this, he/she invariably draws attention to the strategy, interfering with our enjoyment of the music.


Brembeck is more straightforward. His beat is firm, and when he uses ornamentation it appears within existing rhythms. He also offers a pair of instruments, a rich sounding modern model based on a 1746 Blanchet, and a sweeter one that imitates characteristics of Merzdorf harpsichords of the early 1700s. Halász offers one harpsichord, a copy of a 1734 Haas, though on evidence of this album, it has a pair of manuals that are used with discretion.


But on the aforementioned Sonata No. 50, Brembeck only repeats the first section, and gives the second section a single performance. This he does more often than not, whereas Halász plays both sections twice?relatively standard practice today. In the Sonata No. 10 in C Major, the second section is of appreciable length, and the difference between the two recorded versions is, as well: 13:06 for Halász, 8:13 for Brembeck. The shape of the result is substantially different, depending upon which version you hear.


This puts a different complexion upon matters, and inclines me slightly towards Halász?who also holds the trump card in the form of a complete, forthcoming recorded edition. But you really can?t go wrong with either of these two releases that, in their differing approaches to this music, offer a selection of fine music discerningly performed.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal

Tracklist 27 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro 06:42
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    06:42
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  2. 2 II. Allegretto in tempo di minuet 01:29
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegretto in tempo di minuet
    Duration
    01:29
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  3. 3 Keyboard Sonata No. 19 in D Major 03:44
    Track
    3
    Title
    Keyboard Sonata No. 19 in D Major
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  4. 4 I. Largo 01:45
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Largo
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  5. 5 II. Allegro 01:42
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    01:42
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  6. 6 III. Adagio 00:27
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Adagio
    Duration
    00:27
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  7. 7 IV. Allegro 01:38
    Track
    7
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  8. 8 I. Presto 02:11
    Track
    8
    Title
    I. Presto
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  9. 9 II. Minuet 01:32
    Track
    9
    Title
    II. Minuet
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  10. 10 Keyboard Sonata No. 44 in F Minor: Allegro 03:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    Keyboard Sonata No. 44 in F Minor: Allegro
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  11. 11 I. Moderato 02:53
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  12. 12 II. Minuet 00:52
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Minuet
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  13. 13 Keyboard Sonata No. 24 in D Minor: Allegro 01:55
    Track
    13
    Title
    Keyboard Sonata No. 24 in D Minor: Allegro
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  14. 14 I. Allegro 02:40
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:40
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  15. 15 II. Minuet 00:57
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Minuet
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  16. 16 III. Allegro, ma poco e cantabile 01:15
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Allegro, ma poco e cantabile
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  17. 17 I. Allegro 02:33
    Track
    17
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  18. 18 II. Minuet: Espressivo 01:26
    Track
    18
    Title
    II. Minuet: Espressivo
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  19. 19 I. Allegro 01:28
    Track
    19
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  20. 20 II. Adagio 01:06
    Track
    20
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  21. 21 III. Minuet 00:46
    Track
    21
    Title
    III. Minuet
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  22. 22 I. Allegro 04:49
    Track
    22
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:49
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  23. 23 II. Adagio 02:50
    Track
    23
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  24. 24 III. Allegro assai 01:40
    Track
    24
    Title
    III. Allegro assai
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  25. 25 I. Allegro 13:03
    Track
    25
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    13:03
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  26. 26 II. Tempo di Minuet 02:10
    Track
    26
    Title
    II. Tempo di Minuet
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász
  27. 27 Keyboard Sonata No. 50 in G Minor: Allegro 03:47
    Track
    27
    Title
    Keyboard Sonata No. 50 in G Minor: Allegro
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    Carlos de Seixas
    Performer
    Débora Halász