Ouch

From Stephen Smith's New York Times review:

Brass intonation, mostly secure throughout, fell apart during the familiar opening toccata of Monteverdi’s opera “Orfeo.” Execution improved when the trumpeters switched to cornettos, narrow wooden horns that provided more flexibility but less heft. For anyone seeking an explanation for the invention of the modern trumpet, here it was.

drug-induced synaesthesia?

Mind Hacks directs us to a Wired article on Oliver Sacks and his forthcoming book on music neurology. Sacks describes how Monteverdi's Vespers allowed him to see an indigo hue that he had only seen through drugs. A warning label will now be required on all recordings of music from the Seconda Prattica.

FriPod: Feel the Spirit

Today I had a meeting with my rector, in which spirituality was discussed.

1. Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73, 4th movement, Allegro con spirito. Johannes Brahms, performed by George Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

2. Canzon I "La Spiritata." Giovanni Gabrieli, performed by (1) Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort & Players; (2) American Brass Quintet.

3. Con spirito from Heldenmusik. Georg Phillip Telemann, performed by the Empire Brass

4. Concerto For Trumpet, Bassoon & String Orchestra; 1. Allegro Spiritoso. Paul Hindemith, performed by Jouko Harjanne et al.

5. Concerto for trumpet in E Major I. Allegro con spirito. Johann Nepomuk Hummel, performed by (1) John Wallace; (2) Wynton Marsalis (performed in E-flat).

6. "Possente spirito e formidalbil Nume," from Orfeo. Claudio Monteverdi, I don't remember who performs this.

7. Sonata for Trumpet and Piano - III. Spiritual. Jean Hubeau, performed by Thierry Caens, Yves Henry.

8. Sonata for trumpet In D - Spiritoso ed adagio. Arcangelo Corelli, performed by Crispian Steele-Perkins.

9. Sonata for trumpet in D Major: I. Spirituoso (Allegro). Georg Phillip Telemann, performed by Stephen Burns.

10. Symph. #103 E Flat Maj "Drum Roll": I. Adagio - Allegro Con Spiritu - Adagio. Franz Joseph Haydn, performed by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.

11. Symphony No. 8 in E flat "Symphony of a Thousand": 1. Hymnus: Veni, Creator Spiritus. Gustav Mahler, performed by Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Break out the cornetti!

On May 14-16 WGBH (89.7 FM in New England) will be airing Monteverdi's Vespers (1610), performed by the Boston Baroque. WGBH's press release was thoughtful enough to provide a link to this essay on the Vespers by Pedrag Gosta. Here is a good reminder of how amazingly different historically informed performances can be:

The pitch in the 17th century was not standardized. Thus, a’ kammerton would differ from country to country, or even between cities in the same country. Such was the case in Italy as well, where the pitch was “moving” up or down as much as by a minor third.

How do we know which pitch was used in the music by Monteverdi? We know this from surviving tuning forks, wind instruments (such as cornetto), or organ pipes, which were made with a fixed pitch. We know that the pitch in Rome was, therefore, around 392 Hz (equal to today’s g’), and in Venice as high as 466 Hz (equal to today’s b’ flat).

The same piece could be played at a variety of different pitch levels, which (if you believe anything about the characteristics of keys) would change the character (temperament?) of the piece greatly. And here is Gosta's review of the recording to be aired by WGBH:

Martin Pearlman is known in the North-American community as a notable presenter of historically informed performances. With his Boston-based ensemble, he presents a recording which follows traditional theories about Monteverdi’s Vespers, but with a slight “romantic” approach. The singers are decent, but less experienced in early music style than on the Parrott’s and Pickett’s recordings. His tempi and division of sections are unconvincing and too vague for an experienced early musician. However, this recording is a pioneer in Northern American learning early music community.

The last sentence doesn't make any sense, but overall Gosta recommends Andrew Parrott's recording with the Taverner Consort, Choir & Players. However, I plan to listen to the webcast, since I haven't had a chance to hear Pearlman's version and I do like his recordings of the Brandenburg Concerti. The Vespers will be aired in parts at 10 am on each day in Cathy Fuller's Classics in the Morning show.