The baroque spirit in all his musical forms. Jan Alensoon’s big journey, part 1. In a twice as long episode of L’Esprit Baroque we follow the cultural journey of lawyer and music lover Jan Alensoon from Leiden, that he made through Europe in the 18th century.
In 1723/1724 Jan Alensoon (1683-1769) traveled via Belgium, France and Italy through Switzerland and Germany and back again, where he had the most musical contacts in Italy. He easily moved among artists, also the ones from high society.
Jan Alensoon was famous for his unusual voice. He had a range of three octaves so he had control of a bass and a high falsetto. In Venice he sung duets with the famous singer Faustina Bordoni, Johann Adolf Hasse’s wife.
A year after Jan Alensoon’s return, composer Unico van Wassenaer from Leiden wrote his Concerti Armonici.
In the two episodes of Jan Alensoon’s big journey you will hear music that he might have heard during his musical explorative expedition through Europe.
1. Unico van Wassenaer (1692-1766)
From: 6 Concerti Armonici: Concerto no 6 in E flat
– Affetuoso
– Presto
– Vivace
The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra conducted by Ton Koopman
(CD Erato ECD 75395)
2. Henri Desmarest (1661-1741)
From: Venus et Adonis (Paris 1697): Passacaglia
Les Talens Lyriques conducted by Christophe Rousset
(2CD Naïve Classique/ambroisie AM 127)
3. Giovanni Battista Somis (1686-1763)
From: Violin sonatas opus 1: sonata no 6
– Adagio
– Allegro
– Allegro
Kreeta Maria Kentala, violin. Lauri Pulaka, cello. Mitzi Meijerson, harpsichord
(CD Glossa CD GCD 921807)
4. Giovanni Porta (ca. 1675- 1755)
Sinfonia in D major, for strings, 2 oboes and bassoon and basso continuo
– Allegro – Andante – Adagio
– Allegro
Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin
(CD Harmonia Mundi HMC 902185)
5. Domenico Sarri (1679-1744)
Moschetta e Grullo Intermezzo I
– Aria Moschetta: Quanto son pazze
– Recit. Moschetta io di Grullo mi rido
– Aria Grullo: Non lá,ero mai piu
– Recit. Grullo: Ma che vedo
– Duet Moschetta e Grullo: No no, non sei piu quello
The Comic Intermezzo Orchestra. Peter van de Graaff, bass. Kathleen Van de Graaff, soprano
(CD Naxos 8.570035)
6. Giuseppe Sammartini (1695-1750)
Concerto in E flat for oboe, strings and basso continuo:
– Largo
– Allegro
– Andante
– Allegro
Camerata Köln. Hans Peter Westermann, oboe
(CD DHM 05472 77 323-2)
