Notes and Editorial Reviews
I MERCANTI DI VENEZIA
•
Eric Milnes, cond; La Bande Montréal Baroque
•
ATMA ACD2 2598 (54: 13)
Works by
A. BASSANO, G. BASSANO, ROSSI
La Bande Montréal Baroque—the Montreal Baroque Orchestra for non-Francophones such as myself—has previously made several recordings under conductor Eric Milnes of music from the high Baroque, most notably four discs of Bach cantatas adopting the one-singer-to-a-part hypothesis. Milnes has also recorded
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several discs with other ensembles, including two CDs of
a capella
synagogue liturgical music by Salamone Rossi (c.1570–1630) with the New York Baroque. Here Milnes returns to Rossi, this time in instrumental music, and partners him with music of two other Italo-Jewish composers from the later Renaissance, Augustine Bassano (1526–1604) and Giovanni Bassano (?–1617). The Bassanos were a large family, and it is not known if Augustine and Giovanni were related. Augustine, a recorder player and lutenist, was one of five brothers who emigrated to England at the invitation of Henry VIII shortly before 1540 (see my review of the album
Recorders Greate and Smale
elsewhere in this issue). While Jews in Italy suffered from discrimination—the word “ghetto” originated with their legal segregation in Italian states into separate city quarters—Jews found a far more hospitable haven in Venice than in many other parts of Europe, and made rich contributions to both the financial and artistic life of that maritime city.
Including Milnes on organ and harpsichord, the ensemble numbers nine members; other instruments include Baroque violin and cello, treble and bass viol, viola da gamba, recorder, and cornetto. The works performed here are a miscellany of sonatas, motets, and ricercari, with a fantasia and a pavane with galliard also tossed into the mix. The playing is virtuosic; the level of proficiency that has now been gained on these older instruments is simply amazing, and a source of profound satisfaction and delight. I confess, however, that somehow I feel as if sometimes there is a certain concentration on achieving brilliance of effect rather than simply the joy of making music. That may be purely a subjective quirk; perhaps I am spoiled by having the splendid Renaissance ensemble Piffaro in residence here in the City of Brotherly Love. The recorded sound is bright and a bit close, but nothing untoward. One wishes the booklet were a bit more detailed, though it certainly is adequate, and that the length of the disc was less scanty. Still, this release can certainly be recommended, both on purely musical terms and as a contribution to a little-known byway of the pre-Baroque literature.
FANFARE: James A. Altena
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Works on This Recording
3.
Sonata Detta la Viena by Salomone Rossi
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
Written: Italy
5.
Ricercata ottava by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
6.
Sonata sopra un aria francese by Salomone Rossi
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
Written: France
7.
Ricercar no 3 by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
Written: Italy
9.
Ung gay bergère by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
Written: Italy
10.
Fantasia à 10 by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
11.
Bor'chu et adonoy by Salomone Rossi
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
12.
Ricercata no 2 by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
13.
Pavane Galliarde by Augustine Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
15.
Divisions on "Onques amour" by Giovanni Bassano
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
Period: Renaissance
Written: Venice, Italy
16.
Sonata à 4 by Salomone Rossi
Conductor:
Eric Milnes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bande Montréal Baroque
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