Valentini: Complete Mandolin Sonatas Pizzicar Galante

• 1 I. Adagio 02:53
• 2 II. Allegro 01:40
• 3 III. Adagio 03:16
• 4 IV. Vivace 01:39
• 5 V. Andante 00:46
• 6 VI. Allegro 01:10
• 7 I. Largo 05:03
• 8 II. Allegro giga 01:59
• 9 III. Allegro 00:57
• 10 I. Adagio 02:04
• 11 II. Allegro 01:23
• 12 III. Andante 01:47
• 13 IV. Allegro 01:50
• 14 I. Adagio 02:51
• 15 II. Allegro 01:27
• 16 III. Andante 01:19
• 17 IV. Allegro 01:37
• 18 I. Allegro 02:01
• 19 II. Adagio 02:53
• 20 III. Allegro 00:40
• 21 I. Adagio 01:58
• 22 II. Allegro 01:20
• 23 III. Andante 02:24
• 24 IV. Allegro 01:06
• 25 I. Adagio 02:53
• 26 II. Allegro 01:13
• 27 III. Adagio amorosa 01:44
• 28 IV. Allegro 01:24
• 29 I. I. Preludio largo 03:34
• 30 II. Corrente allegro 01:38
• 31 III. Sarabanda 02:32
• 32 IV. Allegro 01:02
• 33 I. Adagio 03:12
• 34 II. Allegro 01:34
• 35 III. Largo 03:59
• 36 IV. Allegro 02:16
• Total Runtime 01:13:04

Info for Valentini: Complete Mandolin Sonatas

This new recording presents the first printed edition of sonatas for the mandolin and basso continuo published in the first half of the 18th century, featuring Italian composers Roberto Valentini and Pietro Boni.

Robert Valentini (1674-1747) left his home and birthplace in the English Midlands in his early twenties for a “Grand Tour”, never to return. He finally settled in Rome as Roberto Valentini, where he became a successful composer and musician, playing the flute and oboe. His enormous output mainly consists of chamber music for the flute and b.c. In the score he left the choice of the solo instrument open for either violin, flute or…mandolin.

The mandolin used in this recording is a 6 double course “Mandolino Lombardo”, inspired by an instrument by Antonio Monzino (Milan 1792).

The ensemble Pizzicar Galante has already established itself as one of the most dynamic period ensembles specializing in galant music for mandolin and basso continuo and is regularly invited to festivals all over Europe and abroad.

The east Midlands city of Leicester has recently come to worldwide attention thanks to a winning partnership between its football club and an Italian coach. This latest addition to the ever-expanding catalogue of Baroque Italiana on Brilliant Classics demonstrates that the connection between Leicester and Rome goes back at least three centuries: to one Robert Valentine, who left his home city at the end of the 17th century and made a career across Europe as an itinerant musician, before settling in the Eternal City as ‘Roberto Valentini Inglese’. There he established himself as a flautist, oboist and composer. He evidently gained renown in the competitive musical culture of Rome, played in the first performance of Handel’s La Risurrezione under Corelli, and apparently never returned to Leicester.

Valentini died in Rome on 26 May 1747, and by that time much of his extant music had been published in the great musical centres of Amsterdam, Paris and London, as well as his adopted home. Chamber music was the focus of his activity, with starring roles not only for his flute and oboe but also the mandolin. His model in making these works may well have been Pietro Giuseppe Gaetano Boni, whose career was mostly forged in Rome until his death in around 1750.

The two collections excerpted here are of all the greater importance because they are the first of their kind. Boni’s 12 divertimenti Op.2 are all conceived in three and four movements, mostly of a suite-like character, with sarabandes, gigues and courantes. Valentini’s six sonatas Op.12 range a little farther from the Corellian sonata template and point towards the more exploratory idioms of Handel and Locatelli. Quick movements often have a galant flavor which matches the melodramatic effects to be found in some of the adagios and andantes: ‘amorosa’ is the telling indication for the Andante of No.2. Although it is Vivaldi who made the use of the mandolin popular in concerted music, this stylishly performed album should provide more than historical context but also a great deal of attractive listening to lovers of the Baroque.

Pizzicar Galante

The Ensemble Pizzicar Galante
Despite its recent foundation, the ensemble Pizzicar Galante has already established itself as one of the most dynamic period ensembles specializing in galant music for mandolin and basso continuo and is regularly invited to festivals all over Europe and abroad. The name of the ensemble comes from the Italian ‘Pizzicare’, which evokes the transparent, sparkling sound of the plucked strings. Described as ‘excellent soloists forming a very solid duo, characterized by a thorough performance resulting from intense and in-depth studies’ (‘Critica Classica’, 2014), the core members Anna Schivazappa (baroque mandolins) and Fabio Antonio Falcone (harpsichord) are curious and passionate musicians who enthusiastically work together since 2012. For specific projects, the ensemble expands to include a variable number of musicians coming from some of Europe’s leading music institutions, including gamba player Ronald Martin Alonso and theorbist Daniel de Morais. The scholarly background of the musicians ensures knowledge of historical performance practice, combined with a special commitment to the rediscovery of forgotten repertoires and composers. Sensitive to the necessity of conveying music as a living dialogue to their audiences, the members of the ensemble share a common energy which echoes in their lithe and vibrant playing. Pizzicar Galante’s first album, including the world premiere recording of Roberto Valentini’s complete mandolin sonatas, will be released in August 2016 by Brilliant Classics.

Anna Schivazappa
falls in love since her earliest age with the gentle, but at the same time brilliant, tone of the mandolin, which she studied at the masterclasses on early music in Urbino and at the Conservatory of Music of Padua (Italy), where she obtained her diploma with distinction. Laureate of many musical competitions, she performes regularly as a soloist as well as a chamber musician in Italy, France and Germany. Besides her concert activity, she is also interested in musicological research, notably on the works for mandolin and harpsichord published during the 18th century, and holds a Master’s degree in musicology and performance of baroque music from the university of Paris-Sorbonne.

Fabio Antonio Falcone
graduated at the Conser- vatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied in the class of Bob van Asperen. He performed in several countries as Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Montenegro, Argentina, Russia, and as continuo player, he collaborated with several baroque ensembles and orchestras as the Philarmonic String Special Orchestra, Sweelinck Baroque Orchestra, I Piccoli Olandesi, Ensemble Odyssee Baroque Orchestra, Ensemble Stile Galante. Part of his activity is dedicated to the research and editing of unknown keyboard repertoire, with special interest on 16th-century Italian keyboard repertoire.

Ronald Martin Alonso discovered early music in Cuba with the Ensemble Ars Longa. In 2004, he moved to France to continue his education in viola da gamba and graduated “cum laude” from the conservatories of Strasbourg and Paris. He participated in master classes with Jordi Savall, Christophe Coin and Marianne Müller. Ronald performs regularly with several ensembles (among them: Sagittarius, Les Paladins, Il Festino, Capella Mediterranea, Fuoco e Cenere, Les Traversées Baroques, Stravaganza…) and participates in the most important festivals in Europe, Middle East, Latin America and in the US. Since 2010, he has been artist-in-residence at the Saint Michel l’Observatoire Priory, and he has recorded for Ambronay Éditions, Editions Hortus, K617, Musica Ficta et Aparté.

Daniel de Morais
Born in Brazil, Daniel de Morais began his musical studies at a very young age, pursuing a brilliant career as a classical guitarist. He then undertook the study of the instruments of the lute family, and participated in the most important early music festivals in Brazil, performing under the direction of Nicolau de Figueiredo. He collaborates regularly with several ensembles and performs under the direction of Leonardo Muzzi, Gabriel Garrido, Serge Saita, Lorenzo Alpert, Blaise Plumetaz and Alfonso Fedi. Daniel de Morais is a co-founder of Mnemusik, an ensemble which specialises in the interpretation of 17th century music.