major, B minor — Sabine Bauer, harpsichord/La Stagione
Frankfurt/Michael Schneider — CPO multichannel SACD 777 088-2, 69:01
****:
Benda was headquartered in Berlin and his lifetime encompassed the
latter three-quarters of the 18th century. He was one of those who ws
fairly well known in his time — especially for his stage works — but is
all but forgotten today. His harpsichord concertos received
considerable attention during his life. They show the attributes of
works composed during the time that the Baroque period was winding down
and the Classical period opening. Benda did not just label these as
just keyboard concertos but was specific that they were for the
harpsichord, which was an important member of the Baroque orchestra.
La Stagione numbers about 18 players and carries out a refined
supporting role for the star of the proceedings — the harpsichord. The
instrument is given many identifiable harpsichordal passages, and the
degree of virtuosity required makes it clear these concertos are not
for beginners. The outer movements combine sonata form tonal structure
with Vivaldi’s ritornello design. All are in three movements with the
slow movement at center. But other than that they differ markedly from
one another. The opening F Minor could be called a “Storm and Stress”
sort of work. The F Major is the longest of the four and will soon
remind one of the harpsichord sonatas of Scarlatti with their frequent
crossing of hands over one another — with barely enough time to
properly strike the note and get back to where the hand originally
was. The G Major is the shortest and lightest of the concertos,
full of folk-flavored melodies and a humorous approach, using strangely
contrasting ideas in the first movement.
The harpsichord is well-balanced with the chamber orchestra, being
neither miked too closely nor with too reverberant a characteristic. In
some passages it plays more as another instrument of the
orchestra, but when its solos come on there is no doubt of the emphasis
being on the harpsichord. The tempi in most of the outer movements is
surprisingly brisk, but Bauer never misses on the Baroque
ornamentation. The feeling of the hall environment is just right, and
the surround mix places the orchestral players very definitely
throughout the soundstage, which is horseshoe-shaped.
– John Sunier
