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Avie Records

The Long 17th Century: A Cornucopia of Early Keyboard Music / Pienaar

$26.99

Details

Composer
VARIOUS
Artist
Daniel-Ben Pienaar
Format
CD
Label
Avie Records
Released
Feb 07, 2020
Catalog #
AV2415
UPC
822252241525

About

The ever-inquisitive pianist Daniel-Ben Pienaar presents The Long 17th Century: A Cornucopia of Early Keyboard Music. The Long 17th Century refers to the period from the late 1500s to the early 1700s, an era noted for forward-thinking individuality and invention in all areas of life. This two-and-a-half hour recital surveys a pan-European variety of styles, genres and techniques, and comprises 36 works, each by a different composer, many not recorded before on a modern piano. Daniel-Ben Pienaar has been critically acclaimed for his previous albums on Avie: “a gloriously multi-faceted opus maximus ... Amazing and very much worth hearing” –Der Spiegel(on Beethoven’s Complete Piano Sonatas, AV2320) “dizzying virtuosity ... fresh, spontaneous, original readings that shed new light on the keyboard player’s Bible” –BBC Music Magazine (on J. S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, AV2299)



REVIEWS:

Have you noticed the growing trend of pianists taking up 17th-century keyboard works on the modern concert grand? Perhaps it has to do with the desire to be rebellious, or to attain a certain level of intellectual caché. Yet pianists also have valid artistic reasons to explore this repertoire. First and foremost are the sheer musical rewards. Secondly, the freedom one has in regard to phrasing, tempo, and embellishment can be liberating and creatively stimulating. For this remarkable two-disc collection, Daniel-Ben Pienaar has chosen 36 17th-century keyboard works, each by a different composer. He brilliantly reveals how a piano’s dynamic scope, timbral diversity, and sustaining capabilities can vividly and meaningfully serve this repertoire.

One noticeable example is in Tarquino Merula’s Capriccio cromatico, where the ascending legato chromatic lines and detaché counterline with repeated notes take on distinctive characters. The Weckmann D minor Canzon’s virtuosic repeated notes gain color and drama through pianistic inflection, and via Pienaar’s dapper fingerwork, of course. Terraced dynamics and half-tints of pedal evoke trumpets and winds in Gabrieli’s joyous Canzon quarta.

What bracing trills and hair-trigger scale passages Pienaar delivers throughout Muffat’s Partita IV, while serving up a more unified and colorfully contrasted reading of Buxtehude’s large-scale “La Capricciosa” Variations than most period performers manage to do. And while Pienaar allows for pockets of space or “air” between the notes in Keril’s Passacaglia, he manages to shape the sounds and silences into long-lined entities. I encourage listeners to discover their own favorite works and magic moments across this intelligently programmed, splendidly engineered, and boundlessly satisfying release.

– ClassicsToday.com (10/10; Jed Distler)

 

What makes it work is not just the dazzling precision and clarity of Pienaar’s finger technique (though that is certainly a vital factor), but the intelligence that has gone into his interpretations. He also communicates an individual and convincing vision for each piece, enough for every one of them to give delight.

 

–Gramophone (Editor's Choice; June 2020)

Tracklist 36 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Toccata (from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) 03:42
    Track
    1
    Title
    Toccata (from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Giovanni Picchi
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  3. 2 Capriccio Cromatico 02:42
    Track
    2
    Title
    Capriccio Cromatico
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Tarquinio Merula
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  4. 3 Libro de tientos y discursos de musica practica, y theorica de organo: No. 36. Tiento de medio registro de tiple de décimo tono 04:35
    Track
    3
    Title
    Libro de tientos y discursos de musica practica, y theorica de organo: No. 36. Tiento de medio registro de tiple de décimo tono
    Duration
    04:35
    Composer
    Francisco Corrêa de Arauxo
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  5. 4 Canzon No. 3 in D Minor 02:23
    Track
    4
    Title
    Canzon No. 3 in D Minor
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    Matthias Weckmann
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  6. 5 Ricercare a quatro de 4 tom 04:10
    Track
    5
    Title
    Ricercare a quatro de 4 tom
    Duration
    04:10
    Composer
    António De Macedo
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  7. 6 Tiento de falsas 6 tono 01:15
    Track
    6
    Title
    Tiento de falsas 6 tono
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Pablo Bruna
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  8. 7 Canzon No. 4 a 4 01:40
    Track
    7
    Title
    Canzon No. 4 a 4
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Giovanni Gabrieli
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  9. 8 Duo in G Minor, BG 136, OL 16 [Bauyn Manuscript, F-Pn Rés. Vm7 675, folio 59v to 60v] 01:54
    Track
    8
    Title
    Duo in G Minor, BG 136, OL 16 [Bauyn Manuscript, F-Pn Rés. Vm7 675, folio 59v to 60v]
    Duration
    01:54
    Composer
    Louis Couperin
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  10. 9 Fantasia 02:59
    Track
    9
    Title
    Fantasia
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Alfonso Ferrabosco
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  11. 10 Fiori Musicali: Toccata cromaticha per le levatione 04:42
    Track
    10
    Title
    Fiori Musicali: Toccata cromaticha per le levatione
    Duration
    04:42
    Composer
    Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  12. 11 Ricercate, canzone francese, capricci, canti fermi, gagliarde, partite diverse, toccate, durezze e ligature … , Book 1: Gagliarda ottava 02:06
    Track
    11
    Title
    Ricercate, canzone francese, capricci, canti fermi, gagliarde, partite diverse, toccate, durezze e ligature … , Book 1: Gagliarda ottava
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Giovanni Maria Trabaci
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  13. 12 Il primo libro d'intavolatura di balli d'arpicord: Gagliarda seconda 01:08
    Track
    12
    Title
    Il primo libro d'intavolatura di balli d'arpicord: Gagliarda seconda
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Giovanni Maria Radino
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  14. 13 Pavan in G Major 03:24
    Track
    13
    Title
    Pavan in G Major
    Duration
    03:24
    Composer
    Peter Philips
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  15. 14 Suite No. 3 in C Major 05:55
    Track
    14
    Title
    Suite No. 3 in C Major
    Duration
    05:55
    Composer
    Matthew Locke
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  16. 15 Almand (from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) 01:22
    Track
    15
    Title
    Almand (from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    William Tisdale
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  17. 16 Paduana Lachrymae (after J. Dowland) 04:30
    Track
    16
    Title
    Paduana Lachrymae (after J. Dowland)
    Duration
    04:30
    Composer
    Melchior Schildt
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  18. 17 Partita No. 4 in F Major 04:27
    Track
    17
    Title
    Partita No. 4 in F Major
    Duration
    04:27
    Composer
    Georg Muffat
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  19. 18 Libro di toccate, ricercari, capricci, allemande, gigue, courante, sarabande, Book 4: Partita No. 8 in A Major, FbWV 608 07:55
    Track
    18
    Title
    Libro di toccate, ricercari, capricci, allemande, gigue, courante, sarabande, Book 4: Partita No. 8 in A Major, FbWV 608
    Duration
    07:55
    Composer
    Johann Jacob Froberger
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  20. 19 Les pieces de clavessin, Book 1: Suite No. 5 in G Minor: IV. Pavane L'entretien des dieux 03:59
    Track
    19
    Title
    Les pieces de clavessin, Book 1: Suite No. 5 in G Minor: IV. Pavane L'entretien des dieux
    Duration
    03:59
    Composer
    Jacques Champion Chambonnières
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  21. 20 Harpsichord Suite No. 6 in G Major: VI. Rondeau 01:00
    Track
    20
    Title
    Harpsichord Suite No. 6 in G Major: VI. Rondeau
    Duration
    01:00
    Composer
    Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  22. 21 A Sad Pavan for these distracted times 03:40
    Track
    21
    Title
    A Sad Pavan for these distracted times
    Duration
    03:40
    Composer
    Thomas Tomkins
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  23. 22 A Maske (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) (set by G. Farnaby) 00:52
    Track
    22
    Title
    A Maske (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) (set by G. Farnaby)
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    John Coprario
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  24. 23 The Olde Spagnoletta (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) 02:01
    Track
    23
    Title
    The Olde Spagnoletta (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Giles Farnaby
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  25. 24 Galliarda in D Minor 03:22
    Track
    24
    Title
    Galliarda in D Minor
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Heinrich Scheidemann
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  26. Disc 2
  27. 1 Passacaglia 06:12
    Track
    1
    Title
    Passacaglia
    Duration
    06:12
    Composer
    Johann Caspar Kerll
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  28. 2 Mein junges Leben hat ein End, SwWV 324 05:06
    Track
    2
    Title
    Mein junges Leben hat ein End, SwWV 324
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  29. 3 Pasacalles II del 1 tono 05:32
    Track
    3
    Title
    Pasacalles II del 1 tono
    Duration
    05:32
    Composer
    Juan Bautista José Cabanilles
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  30. 4 Walsingham (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Vol. 1, No. 68) 06:04
    Track
    4
    Title
    Walsingham (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Vol. 1, No. 68)
    Duration
    06:04
    Composer
    William Byrd
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  31. 5 Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book) 05:18
    Track
    5
    Title
    Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
    Duration
    05:18
    Composer
    John Bull
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  32. 6 La Capricciosa in G Major, BuxWV 250 15:49
    Track
    6
    Title
    La Capricciosa in G Major, BuxWV 250
    Duration
    15:49
    Composer
    Dieterich Buxtehude
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  33. 7 Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren 04:33
    Track
    7
    Title
    Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren
    Duration
    04:33
    Composer
    Michael Praetorius
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  34. 8 Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien, "Biblical Sonatas": Sonata No. 4, "Hiskia agonizzante e risanato" 07:39
    Track
    8
    Title
    Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien, "Biblical Sonatas": Sonata No. 4, "Hiskia agonizzante e risanato"
    Duration
    07:39
    Composer
    Johann Kuhnau
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  35. 9 Batalha de 6 tom 05:54
    Track
    9
    Title
    Batalha de 6 tom
    Duration
    05:54
    Composer
    Antonio Correa Braga
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  36. 10 Toccata con lo Scherzo del cucco 03:35
    Track
    10
    Title
    Toccata con lo Scherzo del cucco
    Duration
    03:35
    Composer
    Bernardo Pasquini
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  37. 11 La Favorite 03:31
    Track
    11
    Title
    La Favorite
    Duration
    03:31
    Composer
    Gaspard Le Roux
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar
  38. 12 Tombeau de Mr. de Chambonnieres 05:41
    Track
    12
    Title
    Tombeau de Mr. de Chambonnieres
    Duration
    05:41
    Composer
    Jean Henri D'Anglebert
    Performer
    Daniel-Ben Pienaar