A. Scarlatti: 6 Sinfonie di Concerto Grosso

This is a digital recording, released on Philips in 1983, and originally released in 1981.

## Details

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725)

**6 Sinfonie di Concerto Grosso**

1. **No. 1 in F for two flutes** Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - 6:23
2. **No. 2 in D for trumpet and flute** Spiritoso - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Presto - 8:03
3. **No. 3 in D minor for flute** Vivace - Adagio - Andante - Adagio - Allegro - 7:03
4. **No. 4 in E minor, for flute, and oboe** Vivace - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - 7:58
5. **No. 5 in D minor for two flutes** Spiritoso, e staccato - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro assai - 8:00
6. **No. 6 in A minor for flute** Vivace - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - 7:14

Total length: 44 minutes

* Flautist: William Bennett
* Flautist (1 & 5): Lenore Smith
* Trumpet (2): Bernard Soustrot
* Oboist (4): Hans Elhorst

Recorded: La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, 8/1980

Illustration: Italian Landscape (Detail); J.A. Knip (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam)

Catalogue Numbers:

* CD: 400 017-2
* LP: Part of 6769 066
* Cassette: Part of 7654 066

## Liner Notes

Alessandro Scarlatti, who was born in Sicily in 1660 and died in Naples in 1725, is generally known as a composer of opera. Well-practised in the art of writing orchestral overtures and symphonies for these, he began, on June 1, 1715, to compose a set of 12 symphonies for string band, continuo, and an assortment of wind instruments. In the autograph manuscript (in the British Museum) he himself draws attention to the "concerto grosso" elements in their construction, contrasting the timbres of solo with *tutti*, Dr. Charles Burney refers to Scarlatti as "recherché and learned" in comparison with some of his Italian colleagues: he certainly uses the older-fashioned techniques of fugue and echo effects but with an extraordinarily light touch, blending them with the more modern *galant* style with a dexterity which emphasises his importance in the development of the early Classical style.

SINFONIA NO. 1 IN F - *(Strings, continuo, and two flutes) - \*Also known as Franciscello.*

The 24-bar opening *Allegro* demonstrates a certain "concerto grosso" quality in two short sections for solo violin accompanied by flutes purling along in thirds. A linking *Adagio* follows (D minor), the bass line falling chromatically through the octave during the course of its 15 bars. The heart of each sinfonia is a longer fugal movement; in this *Allegro* there is very nice interplay of *tutti* and solo elements (highlighting viola, violins, and cello in turn) within the formal bounds of fugue. The short *Adagio* is for flutes and cello; the cello part is richly satisfying, as so often with Scarlatti, who frequently accompanied the cello virtuoso, Francischiello,\* and was increasingly aware of the potential of the instrument. This nine-bar modulatory bridge carries the music from D minor into an F major *Allegro* finale of characteristic dotted rhythm.

SINFONIA NO. 2 IN D - *(Strings, continuo, trumpet, and flute)*

Details of orchestration in these symphonies such as the rhythmic interplay of violins and wind at the start of the opening *Spiritoso* suggest that they were written for the concert-room rather than "to drown the din of a courtly public arriving late for the theatre" (Raymond Meylan). This first movement is lightly scored with scalic patterns for the strings and the wind pointing up the harmonic changes. The desired timbre of the trumpet may be assessed from Scarlatti's own estimate that the sound of one trumpet equalled that of four fiddles. The trumpet is silent in the short connecting *Adagio* and the central *Allegro* is again a fusion of fugal and concerto-grosso elements with a hint of dotted rhythm at the close, reminiscent of French overture style. The second *Adagio* is 22 bars of an insistent dotted rhythm played by a quartet of flute, two violins, and viola. The final *Presto* is a strong and clearly defined binary movement with concertante sections for the cello.

SINFONIA NO. 3 IN D MINOR - *(Strings, continuo, and flute)*

The 19-bar opening *Vivace* makes much play of semiquavers in thirds. The *Adagio* is a flute solo accompanied by cello (with the harpsichord silent) in lyrical dotted-rhythm counterpoint; violins and viola soon take up the pattern and of the rest of this short movement it is shared between all parts, except the scond violin, in extremely light-textured writing. The central movement is an *Andante* in church-sonata style with much voice-leading, using a motif made up of a bar of repeated notes followed by an upward leap of, at first, a seventh and later a variety of intervals. A 12-bar *Adagio* in flowing quaver counterpoint has a distinctive cello entry of semiquaver octaves. The binary *Allegro* has the distinctive rhythm of the finale of Sinfonia No. 1.

SINFONIA NO. 4 IN E MINOR - *(Strings, continuo, flute, and oboe)*

The opening *Vivace* establishes a nice partnership between flute and oboe against scrubbing strings. This gives way to a G major *Adagio*. The fugal *Allegro ,* using two contrasted motifs, contain an episodic duet for flute and cello which also start off the ensuing *Adagio* and are gradually joined by the other instruments so that there is a seven-bar *tutti* before the final *Allegro,* a gigue in 12/8.

SINFONIA NO. 5 IN D MINOR - *(Strings, continuo, and two flutes)*

The opening of this movement, *Spiritoso, e staccato,* starts freshly with string lines punctuated by *tutti* comment. The established pattern continues through an *Adagio* link to the central fugal *Allegro.* The second *Adagio* is without continuo and leads to the final *Allegro assai.*

SINFONIA NO. 6 IN A MINOR - *(Strings, continuo, and flute)*

Although less distinguished, the opening *Vivace* continues the pattern of a splendid cello line: a gradual descent of over an octave before the cadential bars. There is a flute and cello duet in the *Adagio*; the fugal *Allegro*, as so often with Scarlatti, starts off as a full-blown fugue, gets caught up, and ends in a lengthy episode. After the connecting *Adagio,* a similar fate befalls the fugal *Allegro* finale.

## Links

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