Does the etymology of the word ‘concert’ really refer to competition, as some textbooks teach? Or perhaps it originally referred to the harmonious blending of independent instrumental and vocal parts; a demonstration, or perhaps even a postulate, that even without words it is possible to weave together elaborate polyphony? In the seventeenth century, instruments, which had always been present in musical practice, gained full autonomy, and composers began to juxtapose them in extraordinary, virtuoso ‘duels’ – based on harmonious, noble rivalry.
A particular manifestation of this trend was the concerto grosso – a genre in which a group of soloists (concertino) engages in a ‘conversation’ with an ensemble (ripieno). This seemingly simple principle of contrast opened up new spaces of expression for composers: changing colours, dynamic tensions, dialogues and echoes.
During this soirée with Il Pomo d’Oro, conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev, the finest examples of this genre will be performed. The programme will include Arcangelo Corelli’s pastoral Concerto grosso in G minor, full of festive spirit, and an excerpt from Georg Muffat’s Armonico tributo, combining Italian and French elements. We will also hear a bold attempt to transform Domenico Scarlatti’s harpsichord sonatas into a richly textured string concerto – by Charles Avison (who is increasingly being rediscovered today). We will also hear a dramatic concerto by Pietro Locatelli, inspired by the fate of Ariadne abandoned on Naxos, and compositions by George Frideric Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti and Giuseppe Sammartini, showcasing the richness and sophistication of the Baroque imagination.
Bartłomiej Gembicki