(Leader, SAMUEL KUTCHER )
Conducted by ANTHONY BERNARD
SOPHIE Wvss (Soprano) SOPHIE WYSS with Orchestra
French Ariettes (Eighteenth Century)
THE Sixth Brandenburg Concerto is for four old-fashioned solo instruments, two Viole oa Braocia and. two Viole da Gamba, that is, literally, Viols of the arm and Viols of the leg, the old precursors of our modern viola and violoncello, on which instruments the Concerto is now usually played. They are supported by violoncello, bass, and cembalo (harpsichord) in the usual way, the player of the cembalo filling up the harmony from a figured bass. Al four instruments have melodious and interesting parts in the brisk and energetic first movement.
The slow movement, of serious character, is given to the two violas, accompanied by basses and cembalo, the two solo violoncellos being silent throughout.
Again at the beginning of the last movement, in a merry rhythm suggesting a jig, the two violas have matters in their own hands, the two solo violoncellos doing little more than reinforce the accompaniment. (First Performance)
MORE than one exponent of the most modern tendencies in music has given us interesting settings of music by the very old masters, but not often has the younger artist exercised quite such restraint as Stravinsky does in this Suite, in his treatment of melodies taken from Pergo. lesi's works. He calls on a very small orchestra, thirty-three players in al! : woodwinds, two horns, one trumpet, one trombone, a solo quintet of strings, and a small string orchestra.
The Suite is in eight movements, but several of these have sub-divisions, as though there were actually eleven ; they are all quite short. Their names are :—(1) Sinfonia (Overture) ; (2) Serenata ; (3) (a) Scherzino, (b) Allegro, (c) Andantino ; (4) Tarantella ; (5) Toccata ; (6) Gavotta con 2 variazioni : (7) Duetto : (8) (a) Mmuetto, (b) Finale.