Marcello, Vivaldi & Bellinzani: Recorder Music Manuel Tomadin, Gioele Gusberti, Paolo Monetti, Manuel Staropoli & Pietro Prosser

• Benedetto Marcello (1686 - 1739): Sonata No. 12 in F Major:
• 1 Sonata No. 12 in F Major: I. Adagio 03:03
• 2 Sonata No. 12 in F Major: II. Minuet. Allegro 00:51
• 3 Sonata No. 12 in F Major: III. Gavotta. Allegro 00:55
• 4 Sonata No. 12 in F Major: IV. Largo 01:05
• 5 Sonata No. 12 in F Major: V. Ciaccona. Allegro 03:52
• Paolo Benedetto Bellinzani (1690 - 1757): Sonata No. 7 in G Minor:
• 6 Sonata No. 7 in G Minor: I. Largo 01:53
• 7 Sonata No. 7 in G Minor: II. Presto 01:50
• 8 Sonata No. 7 in G Minor: III. Largo 01:43
• 9 Sonata No. 7 in G Minor: IV. Giga 01:38
• Benedetto Marcello: Sonata No. 6 in G Major:
• 10 Sonata No. 6 in G Major: I. Adagio 03:35
• 11 Sonata No. 6 in G Major: II. Allegro 03:13
• 12 Sonata No. 6 in G Major: III. Adagio 01:29
• 13 Sonata No. 6 in G Major: IV. A tempo giusto vivace 03:17
• Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto in D Minor, RV 565:
• 14 Concerto in D Minor, RV 565: I. Allegro 03:25
• 15 Concerto in D Minor, RV 565: II. Largo 03:26
• 16 Concerto in D Minor, RV 565: III. Allegro 03:32
• Paolo Benedetto Bellinzani: Sonata No. 10 in F Major:
• 17 Sonata No. 10 in F Major: I. Adaggio 03:59
• 18 Sonata No. 10 in F Major: II. Presto 02:12
• 19 Sonata No. 10 in F Major: III. Adaggio 01:08
• 20 Sonata No. 10 in F Major: IV. Gavotta 01:58
• Benedetto Marcello: Sonata No. 8 in D Minor:
• 21 Sonata No. 8 in D Minor: I. Adagio 03:10
• 22 Sonata No. 8 in D Minor: II. Allegro 02:30
• 23 Sonata No. 8 in D Minor: III. Largo 01:32
• 24 Sonata No. 8 in D Minor: IV. Allegro 03:59
• Paolo Benedetto Bellinzani: Sonata No. 12 in D Minor:
• 25 Sonata No. 12 in D Minor: I. Largo 02:03
• 26 Sonata No. 12 in D Minor: II. Allegro 01:59
• 27 Sonata No. 12 in D Minor: III. Cembalo 01:17
• 28 Sonata No. 12 in D Minor: IV. Follia 08:14
• Total Runtime 01:12:48

Info for Marcello, Vivaldi & Bellinzani: Recorder Music

18th-century Venetian sonatas for flute and recorder in opulently scored, historically informed performances.

Venice supported a healthy industry of both recorder manufacture and music for the instrument during the 18th century. Benedetto Marcello and the lesser-known Paolo Benedetto Bellinzani (1686 -1757) both composed stylish collections of sonatas for the Baroque flute which are excerpted here, interpolated with the arrangement of a concerto by Vivaldi, drawn from his ‘L’estro armonico’ collection and originally scored for two violins and orchestra.

The collections by Bellinzani and Marcello were among the first such dedicated to the recorder to be published in Italy; each sonata within them follows a Corellian template of four brief movements alternating slow and fast tempi, lively in spirit whatever the speed. The works by Bellinzani make an especially attractive discovery: In their day his compositions enjoyed great popularity, for their unusual combination of learned counterpoint and sensitively moulded melody.

This album marks Manuel Staropoli’s third album for Brillliant Classics, after well-received collections of Vivaldi trio sonatas (BC94173) and the complete royal consort music written by Robert de Visée (BC95595). Having studied with luminaries of his instrument such as Bartold Kuijken and Dan Laurin, he is now a professor of Baroque flute himself at the Tartini Conservatoire in Triste.

Staropoli is joined here not by a conventional harpsichord accompaniment but a lavishly appointed basso continuo section, whose members are also established members of Italy’s flourishing period-instrument scene. Manuel Tomadin’s fine musicianship may be sampled on several previous Brilliant Classics releases such as the organ music of Krebs (BC95363), Lübeck (BC95453) and Erich, Druckenmüller and Saxer, reviewed in glowing terms by MusicWeb International: ‘Tomadin is an excellent interpreter, who has much feeling for German Baroque organ music. He has made several fine recordings for Brilliant Classics, and this is another jewel in his crown.’

The recorder has a long history that closely links it to Venice. Since the dawn of instrumental music, this instrument reveals remarkable success due to its simplicity, but also versatility in imitating the human voice.

This new recording presents Sonatas for the recorder by Venetian composers: Benedetto Marcello, Paolo Bellinzani and Antonio Vivaldi, music of great beauty and radiance, like the city it was born in, Venice, La Serenissima.

Played by excellent Italian soloists: Manuel Staropoli as recorder soloist and a continuo group led by keyboard player Manuel Tomadin.

Manuel Staropoli, recorder
Gioele Gusberti, cello
Paolo Monetti, double bass
Pietro Prosser, archlute, baroque guitar
Manuel Tomadin, harpsichord, organ

Manuel Tomadin
He spends constantly his musical attitude to Renaissance and Baroque music through the study of ancient essays and historical instruments. He studied with Claudio Astronio, Andrea Marcon, Michael Radulescu, Luca Scandali, Ferruccio Bartoletti,Peter Planyavsky, Olivier Latry, Paolo Crivellaro, Jon Laukvik, Ludger Lohmann, Gustav Auzinger, Hans Fagius, Peter Van Dijk, Francesco di Lernia, Eric Lebrun, Teo Theoliema. From 2001 to 2003 he studied at Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Switzerland) with Jean Claude Zehnder and Andrea Marcon.

He has an intense concert activity, in Italy and in Europe. He recorded for the editorial series “Gli Organi Storici del Friuli Venezia Giulia” and for Toondrama record label. He collaborates with the recorder player Manuel Staropoli and with the ancient music ensemble “Terg Antiqua”; he teaches in italian academies, in Mannheim, Lubijana and Belgrade.

He won four prizes in national organistic contests and four international awards (First prize in Fussen – Breitenwang – Mittenwald and Second prize in Innsbruck for two times). He is also winner of the Grand Prix d’ECHO in the Alkmaar Schnitger Competition.

He is artistic director of the Organ International Festival in Udine and of the Antonio Vivaldi Festival of Trieste.

Gioele Gusberti
From Cremona, studied baroque and classical cello with C. Frigerio after earning his diploma with E. Contini. He then finished his studies with G. Nasillo and later on perfected his cello playing with A. Gervreau, M. Valli, A. Palmeri and with S. Vegetti. He primarily focuses on chamber music collaborating with various Ensembles, such as Accademia Montis Regalis, Milano Classica, Stagione Armonica, Concert de’ Cavalieri, Cenacolo Musicale, Ensemble Il Continuo.

He collaborated as first chair on cello with various directors, such as T. Koopman, D. Gutknecht, A. De Marchi, E. Höbarth, L. Ghielmi, S. Balestracci, G. Capuano. He performed in multiple concerts, many of which as a soloist in prestigious venues and Festivals, as well as tours around Europe and Japan. He also was part of award winning recordings of chamber music published for Discantica, Bongiovanni, Tactus, Velut Luna, L.C. Centaurus, Hyperion, Amadeus, Brilliant, Sony, UraniaRecords.

Among the soloist albums he recorded as first performance the 12 sonatas of the “Trattenimento Musicale” by D. Galli, “Eight Duets for Two Violoncellos” by Giovanni Battista Cirri and the XII Sonatas for Cello and Basso Continuo by Giovanni Battista Somis.

The interest for recovering of the performance practice inspired him to publish essays for recordings and to coordinate musicological publications and transcriptions of unpublished music for Musedita, Diastema (which in September 2014 included him in its scientific committee) and for Armelin-Padova he edited a volume titled “11 transcriptions for Ensembles of Cellos of 3 & 4 parts” with a presentation by Giovanni Gnocchi.

He held several seminars as lecturer and since 2008 he curates essays, articles, interviews and reviews for Archi Magazine based in Rome. He plays on a cello of Christian Guidetti – Locarno, kindly granted to him by the author and on a cello from the private collection M. Maggi of Cremona.

Booklet for Marcello, Vivaldi & Bellinzani: Recorder Music