Album insights
Not long ago, it was believed that the rise of idiomatic instrumental music was mainly attributed to the early seventeenth century. However, works like Silvestro Ganassi's La Fontegara (1535) and Diego Ortiz's Trattado de glosas sobre clausulas (1553) prove that the solo sonata existed long before that. Variations like Marini's Romanesca directly trace back to these improvisations. Yet, a significant repertoire of works for small ensembles emerged around the turn of the century, with notable pieces like Gian Paolo Cima's instrumental compositions from 1610. During this period, Cima, serving as the organist of San Celso in Milan, crafted intricate sonatas incorporating rapid passages and strict polyphonic sections. These early seventeenth-century sonatas marked a departure from the improvisational freedom of the sixteenth century. This shift likely reflected a response to stricter guidelines on instrument use in churches, notably during the era of the Council of Trent.
The 1620s witnessed the triumph of the sonata for small ensembles over other musical forms, evident in collections like Dario Castello's works from 1621 and 1629. Castello and Marini delved into innovative realms with unique inventiveness in their pieces. Castello's "Sonate concertate in stil moderno" showcases pioneering techniques like scordatura and extensive violin chordal play. On the other hand, Marini's Opus 8 offers intricate compositions, revealing a shift towards new musical dimensions. This era also saw a surge in technical demands, as evidenced by Castello's and Marini's works.
The flourishing period of the sonata for small ensembles peaked in the 1620s. However, a noticeable decline post-1630 was not due to lack of interest but rather the collapse of Venetian publishing houses catalyzed by economic downturns and subsequent unrest following the plague outbreak. Despite these challenges, the late 1630s witnessed a revival, notably highlighted by the prolific career of Marco Uccellini, a priest and violinist who made substantial contributions to the Italian solo sonata tradition. Concurrently, Bologna publishers recognized a market niche for light da camera music catered towards amateur musicians.
In contrast, Alessandro Stradella's musical training in Rome diverged from the prevalent practice of publishing works, favoring manuscript circulation to preserve music for distinguished patrons. The stylistic diversity among Milanese, Venetian, and Roman compositions from this period accentuates regional distinctions, despite underlying musical continuity. The persistence of solo and duo sonata genres throughout the seventeenth century showcased strict genre boundaries upheld by Italian composers. This trend gradually culminated in the emergence of unaccompanied duets, bridging virtuosity with structured compositions.
The printed editions reveal the popularity of sonatenduets in the early seventeenth century, contrasting with the delayed publication of solo violin sonatas in 1649 due to technical constraints in Italian printing practices. Uccellini's innovative approach in Opus 7 reflects the limitations of printing virtuoso violin music accurately, necessitating unique compositions tailored for publication. These challenges reframed the perception of Italian violin traditions, which often relied on manuscript circulation for preserving virtuosic repertoire.
Marini's Opus 8 from 1626/29 notably broke new ground in Italian solo violin sonata composition, incorporating extensive chordal passages. The technical complexities involved in these compositions present a departure from standard practices. Despite minor discrepancies in publication dates, Marini's pioneering efforts in chord composition faced initial skepticism from Italian publishers. This reluctance persisted until Corelli's Opus 5 in 1700, which introduced a revolutionary printing technique. The true essence of Italian violin music during this transition period remains an enduring mystery, reflecting the enigmatic evolution of the art form into the early eighteenth century.