Benda: Chamber Music and Songs, Composer Georg Benda, Artist Elena Bertuzzi soprano, Paolo Borgonovo tenor, Ulrike Slowik violin, Ensemble Arcomelo, Michele Benuzzi harpsichord & director, Format 6 CD, Many listeners will be unfamiliar with the name Georg Anton Benda, but in his day this Bohemian Kapellmeister enjoyed international fame - chiefly on account of his opera Ariadne auf Naxos, a product of the melodrama that Benda was instrumental in developing and which influenced, among others, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Benda's skill was not just limited to musical stage entertainment, however; attracting more than 2000 subscribers upon the publication of it's first part, the Sammlung vermischter Clavierstücke für geübte und geübte Spieler quickly became a bestseller, an anthology containing keyboard music, chamber music with strings and vocal pieces. Benda belonged to a transitional period, which was full of innovations and attempts to be experimental, and the Sammlung does not full short of this mark; from the irregular, unpredictable vocal line of Jesus am Creuze's recitativo to the witty drinking song whose two-bar recitativo leads to an unexpected keyboard sonata in the same key - a suggestion for public performance? - the set abounds in surprising twists and turns, making for a delightful source of entertainment. Performing this engaging and often overlooked music is Ensemble Arcomelo, a period-instrument group whose members share a passion for research, aesthetics and Baroque rhetoric. This release marks their first recording for Brilliant Classics; founder Michele Benuzzi plays the harpsichord, deftly supporting soprano Elena Bertuzzi and tenor Paolo Borgonovo who carve up the vocal arias between them. Recorded August 2011; June, September & December 2013, Pieve di San Martino, Palazzo Pignano, Crema, Italy. Georg Jiri Antonin Benda (Bohemia, 1722-1795) was born into a musical nest: his father was composer Jan Jiri Benda and his mother came from the famous Brixi family. In 1742 Georg moved to Berlin where he worked at the court of Frederick the Great. He became a well known and internationally respected musician and composer, mainly of melodramas and operas. His "Ariadne auf Naxos" paved the way for Mozart's operas. Benda published a collection of pieces meant for domestic use, for "accomplished and less accomplished players", containing a wealth of keyboard works, chamber music and vocal works for solo voice and chamber group: delightful, fresh music, full of invention and (small) drama, marking the transition from the Baroque into the Classical Era. Excellent performances by harpsichordist Michele Benuzzi (who already received 5 star reviews for his Hassler recording for BC 94293) and his Ensemble Arcomelo, playing on original instruments.
7 Sonatina in D Major (Rondeau - Andante) - Michele Benuzzi
8 Sonatina in F Major (Andantino) - Michele Benuzzi
9 Sonatina in a Minor (Allegro) - Michele Benuzzi
10 Sonatina in C Major (Mezzo Allegro) - Michele Benuzzi
11 Allegro Moderato - Michele Benuzzi
12 Andante Sostenuto - Michele Benuzzi
13 Allegro - Michele Benuzzi
14 Sonatina in E minor (Allegretto) - Michele Benuzzi
15 Sonatina in D minor (Allegretto) - Michele Benuzzi
16 Sonatina in B Flat Major (Allegro Moderato) - Michele Benuzzi
17 Allegro - Michele Benuzzi
18 Andante Quasi Allegretto - Michele Benuzzi
19 Andantino - Michele Benuzzi
- Disc 2 -
1 Allegro - Michele Benuzzi
2 Andante Con Moto. Arioso - Michele Benuzzi
3 Presto - Michele Benuzzi
4 Recitativo
5 Aria
6 Mezzo Allegro - Ulrike Slowik/Michele Benuzzi
7 Andantino - Ulrike Slowik/Michele Benuzzi
8 Allegro - Ulrike Slowik/Michele Benuzzi
9 Stolz Auf Gott - Elena Bertuzzi/Michele Benuzzi
10 Sonatina in D Major (Allegro Assai) - Michele Benuzzi
11 Sonatina in F Major (Andante Quasi Allegretto, Tempo Di Minuet) - Michele Benuzzi
12 Sonatina in F Major (Allegretto) - Michele Benuzzi
13 Menuet in C Major - Michele Benuzzi
- Disc 3 -
1 Mezzo Allegro
2 Largo
3 Allegro Assai
4 Sonatina in D Major (Andantino Quasi Allegretto)
5 Mit Lauretten, Seiner Freude
6 Sonatina in C minor (Allegro Non Troppo)
7 Allegro
8 Andante Con Moto
9 Allegro
10 Mir Armen, Den Des Fiebers Kraft
11 Sonatina in a Major (Allegretto Con Spirito)
12 Du Fehlest Mir, Wie Einsam
13 Sonatina in B Flat Major (Andante Con Moto, Quasi Un Poco Allegretto)
14 Von Nun An, O Liebe
15 Sonatina in G minor (Allegro)
16 Venus, Wenn Du Willst Mich Rühren
- Disc 4 -
1 Allegro Assai Moderato
2 Andantino Un Poco Larghetto
3 Allegro
4 HÜPFT, Ihr Wollenreichen Herden
5 Sonatina in D Major (Presto)
6 Ich War Bey Chloen Ganz Allein
7 Sonatina in E Flat Major (Andante, Quasi Allegretto)
8 Ob Ich Morgen Leben Werde
9 Sonatina in C Major (Allegretto)
10 Mein Geliebter Hat Versprochen
11 Sonatina in G Major (Andante Con Moto)
12 Hier Ist Das Thal
13 Sonatina in F Major (Allegretto Moderato)
14 Belise Starb, Und Sprach Im Scheiden
15 Sonatina in B Flat Major (Allegro)
16 Du, Kleine, Blondine
17 Romanze: Ein Mädchen, Das Auf Ehre Hielt
18 Allegro Non Troppo
19 Un Poco Largo
20 Allegro
- Disc 5 -
1 Allegro
2 Andantino
3 Allegro
4 Der Neid, O Kind
5 Sonatina in G minor (Andante Un Poco Allegretto)
6 Ein Trunkner Dichter Leerte Sein Glaß
7 Lieber Amor, Leihe Mir
8 Menuet in G Major
9 Ich Liebte Nur Ismenen
10 Sonatina in D Major (Allegro)
11 Faulheit, Itzo Will Ich Dir
12 Allegro Non Troppo
13 Andante Con Moto
14 Allegro
15 Philint Ist Still, Und Flieht Die Schönen
16 Sonatina in C Major (Andantino Quasi Un Poco Allegretto)
17 Wenn Man Mir Ein Mädchen Nennt
18 Sonatina in G Major (Un Poco Allegretto)
19 Heraklit, Gleich Stumpfen Greisen
- Disc 6 -
1 Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
2 Andante
3 Allegro
4 Cephalus Und Aurore
5 Sonatina in C Major (Tempo Di Minuet)
6 Süßes Mädchen, Holder Knabe
7 Sonatina in E Flat Major (Allegretto)
8 Philint Stand JÜNGST Vor Babets THÜR
9 Sonatina in G minor (Andante, Un Poco Allegretto)
10 SCHÖN Ist Selinde
11 Sonatina in G Major (Allegretto)
12 (Allegro)
13 Andante Un Poco Vivace
14 Allegro
15 Rondo in a Major (Andante Con Moto, Quasi Mezzo Allegretto)
16 Sonatina in F Major (Allegro)
17 Sonatina in D Major (Presto)
18 Mein Thyrsis!
Benda: Chamber Music and Songs, Composer Georg Benda, Artist Elena Bertuzzi soprano, Paolo Borgonovo tenor, Ulrike Slowik violin, Ensemble Arcomelo, Michele Benuzzi harpsichord & director, Format 6 CD, Many listeners will be unfamiliar with the name Georg Anton Benda, but in his day this Bohemian Kapellmeister enjoyed international fame - chiefly on account of his opera Ariadne auf Naxos, a product of the melodrama that Benda was instrumental in developing and which influenced, among others, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Benda's skill was not just limited to musical stage entertainment, however; attracting more than 2000 subscribers upon the publication of it's first part, the Sammlung vermischter Clavierstücke für geübte und geübte Spieler quickly became a bestseller, an anthology containing keyboard music, chamber music with strings and vocal pieces. Benda belonged to a transitional period, which was full of innovations and attempts to be experimental, and the Sammlung does not full short of this mark; from the irregular, unpredictable vocal line of Jesus am Creuze's recitativo to the witty drinking song whose two-bar recitativo leads to an unexpected keyboard sonata in the same key - a suggestion for public performance? - the set abounds in surprising twists and turns, making for a delightful source of entertainment. Performing this engaging and often overlooked music is Ensemble Arcomelo, a period-instrument group whose members share a passion for research, aesthetics and Baroque rhetoric. This release marks their first recording for Brilliant Classics; founder Michele Benuzzi plays the harpsichord, deftly supporting soprano Elena Bertuzzi and tenor Paolo Borgonovo who carve up the vocal arias between them. Recorded August 2011; June, September & December 2013, Pieve di San Martino, Palazzo Pignano, Crema, Italy. Georg Jiri Antonin Benda (Bohemia, 1722-1795) was born into a musical nest: his father was composer Jan Jiri Benda and his mother came from the famous Brixi family. In 1742 Georg moved to Berlin where he worked at the court of Frederick the Great. He became a well known and internationally respected musician and composer, mainly of melodramas and operas. His "Ariadne auf Naxos" paved the way for Mozart's operas. Benda published a collection of pieces meant for domestic use, for "accomplished and less accomplished players", containing a wealth of keyboard works, chamber music and vocal works for solo voice and chamber group: delightful, fresh music, full of invention and (small) drama, marking the transition from the Baroque into the Classical Era. Excellent performances by harpsichordist Michele Benuzzi (who already received 5 star reviews for his Hassler recording for BC 94293) and his Ensemble Arcomelo, playing on original instruments.
