Wassenaer - Concerto "Armonici" No. 4 in G Major

WILHELM VAN WASSENAER (1692-1766)

Concerto "armonici" No. 4 for strings and basso continuo in G major

1. Largo

2. Da capella (non presto)

3. Largo affetuoso

4. Allegro

Performed by the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Directed by Ton Koopman

*Unico Willem van Wassenaer, Count of the Empire, was a Dutch diplomat and composer.

His most important surviving compositions are the Concerti Armonici, which until recently have been misattributed to the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736).

Unico Willem Van Wassenaer was born into a distinguished family of wealth, power and accomplishment, the house of Wassenaer. He studied law and other courses in Leiden and in 1723 married Dodonea Lucia van Goslinga (the daughter of Sicco van Goslinga), who gave him three children. Van Wassenaer occupied high diplomatic, military and commercial posts. It is known that he was respected not only as a diplomat but also as a musician.

Between 1725 and 1740 he wrote the Concerti Armonici, but being a nobleman he did not want to publish them in his own name (or because he doubted his ability as a composer). The concertos were published in 1740 by the Italian violin player Carlo Ricciotti (16811756), to whom the concertos were attributed at first. Van Wassenaer has therefore been called "the mystery composer."

The Polish composer Franciszek Lessel (17801838) asserted incorrectly that the concertos were written by Pergolesi. Since the style of the concertos is Italian, laid out in typical Roman fashion with four parts for violin and consisting of four parts instead of the Venetian three, they are comparable to works by Pietro Locatelli.

However, in 1979-80 a manuscript of the six concerti was found in the archives of Twickel Castle (the castle where Van Wassenaer was born), labelled 'Concerti Armonici'. Although the handwriting was not by Van Wassenaer, the manuscript did have an introduction in his hand, reading: "Partition de mes concerts gravez par le Sr. Ricciotti". Because of the research done by the Dutch musicologist Albert Dunning, there can be no doubt that the concerti were written by Van Wassenaer.

Concerti Armonici were among the works that formed the basis for Igor Stravinsky's Pulcinella, based on works considered at the time to be by Pergolesi.

Apart from Concerti Armonici, three sonatas for recorder and continuo have been discovered in the early 1990s.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• baroque
• classical
• bach
• handel
• vivaldi
• telemann
• grosso
• sonata
• flute
• recorder
• violin
• viola
• cello
• harpsichord
• organ

[mardgl]

sorry, but is Pergolesi!!!!

[HARMONICO101]

@mardgl No they were falsely attributed to him.

[jhsmit]

Just recently discovered these Concertos, and how much I like them, all six! The richness of texture,the soaring dissonants, the inventive harmony, all so lively surprising. One hears Vivaldi, Corelli and (a bit, not much)of Pergolesi coming by, but this music remains original troughout. Strangely talented guy this Count Unico of Wassenaer!

[HARMONICO101]

That's the thing! These works are clearly by a master, so is this Count really the composer?

[jhsmit]

It seems that musicologist Albert Dunning provides convincing evidence in his book 'A master unmasked, or; the Pergolesi-Ricciotti puzzle solved'. As your own 'more info' text says; 'there can be no doubt that the concerti were written by Van Wassennaer'.

Don't know anything about the recorder-music (there seem to be some recordings of it), but lets hope there will be discovered more music of this person.

[HARMONICO101]

The only thing that makes me wonder is that the original manuscript is not in his own hand.

I also really hope we find more of his music. Alot of music has been lost over time. Even the music of the recognized masters. I read somewhere that alot of musicologists believe we have only about half of Bach's total musical output. Vivaldi's Misere, his oratorios, and a few of his operas are missing. A significant portion of Albinoni's music was destroyed in WWII.

[sisifoeolide]

italian style 100/100 but not Pergolesi

[ensamble1910]

@mardgl No, this pieces were attributed to Pergolesi.

[mardgl]

@HARMONICO101 sorry, but is pergolesi, wassenaer no

[groverpm]

@groverpm : Damn! just noticed the same info posted above.

[groverpm]

This work was originally attributed to Pergolesi. Wassenaer was a Dutch aristocrat who did everything he could to hide the fact that he composed music.

[aquarius044]

@HARMONICO101 To be more accurate this painting is French and entitled "La Naissance de Vénus" (The Birth of Venus, 1740), and the painter is François Boucher (1703-1770)

[otacs2]

It is true dutch music by Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer! hehe, many thanks!

[turket86]

Zero persons must be really crazy to not love this masterpiece! ;)

[alconcerto]

Thank you for sharing: so much forgotten music, especially early and Baroque.