大Scarlatti的器樂曲，相對地來說少了很多。早期他寫了一些鍵盤曲，但多為教學用途。到了晚期，Scarlatti所寫的歌劇，因為風格過於嚴肅，沒有受到預期的肯定。而Scarlatti固執成性，也不願意屈就自己來迎合大眾。當他看到Corelli和Pasquini在器樂創作上的成功，因此決定也放手一搏，決定將剩餘的一部份精力放在器樂曲創作上。今天大多專家認定，他的器樂曲，主要寫於1708和1725之間。
這套大協奏曲，是倫敦出版商Benjamin Cooke於1740年出版的。如果仔細看年份，會發現那是Scarlatti過逝後的15年。 嗯，您真的沒看錯…當初就是這樣的。幾年前，Cooke將Corelli那偉大的作品六協奏曲引進英國，造成轟動，從此後大協奏曲在英國紅了近一世紀。這次，Cooke決定繼續在Scarlatti的大協奏曲上面下註，自然是只賺不賠。
Scarlatti其實之前就有寫過一套，十二首Sinfonie da concerto grosso，是可給直笛或長笛的木管樂器吹奏。這套六首的大協奏曲，則是七聲部的純絃樂編制，給獨奏樂器群(concertino)的兩支小提琴和大提琴，合奏群(ripieno)的兩支小提琴和中提琴聲部，以及數字低音。
已經在之前的格文提過很多次，我從國小開始接觸巴洛克音樂的時候，就對大協奏曲有一種莫名奇妙的迷戀。大史卡拉第的兩套大協奏曲集，則是國中時買那種協奏曲入門書上就有念到，但當時苦於找不到錄音，因此一直以來都在心中的購買名單上。事隔多年，聽巴洛克音樂的偏好換了，終於等到演奏家和價錢合理的錄音出現了。
先談談音樂本身。這六首大協奏曲，其中有四首是小調，另外兩首才是大調。Scarlatti的小調音樂曲風，比Geminiani和Locatelli的還要陰暗，更別和Corelli相比了。不管是慢樂章，或是快樂章，都常運用到多聲部對位，並使用很多半音階，所以氣氛凝重。就算不是對位性質的舞曲快樂章，常常各聲部是齊奏(unison)的方式，也會讓音樂變得意外莊嚴。就連今天像我的聽眾，都感受得出來Corelli音樂的平順程度。這也難怪，當時的聽眾認為Scarlatti音樂是有距離的不是沒道理的。
至於大調的協奏曲，陽光的個性，比較像之前提過的作曲家。第三號F大調，有Geminiani還有Locatelli的影子，而第六首E大調，甚至有威尼斯樂派Albinoni的味道。在整套偏悲傷的作品當中，有幾首尚且是較歡樂的協奏曲，是必要的。
因為這些協奏曲時間不長，因此剩下的時間，這張CD又收錄了三首Scarlatti的大提琴奏鳴曲。 不過，它們是不是真的是大史卡拉第所寫的，學者存疑。一來，旋律極優美，二來，技巧精湛的程度，很難想像出自Scarlatti之手。不過，這些奏鳴曲實在很動聽，許多地方更勝過Scarlatti那六首協奏曲。
最後，再聊聊音樂家們。古樂團為義大利的Accademia Bizantina，由大鍵琴師Ottavio Dantone指揮。這個樂團於1983就成立了，不過當時在小提琴家Carlo Chiarappa的帶領下，是用現代樂器但巴洛克提琴弓的「混合演出模式」。本人有他們在90初有灌錄Corelli的作品全集，為唱片史上的第一。
1996年Dantone成為指揮之後，決定採完全古樂化的演奏方向，因此連樂器也都換成古提琴。今天，Accademia Bizantina同Biondi的Europa Galante是義大利最優秀的古樂團之一。他們演奏的韋瓦第，素質都很高。他們演奏風格轉變之大，而且如果考慮今天樂團的成員幾乎是當時原班人馬，那更是驚人。「浴火重生」後的Accademia Bizantina，聽不出一絲早期的風格。
雖然Accademia Bizantina在韋瓦第的音樂中，會展現較為奔放的一面，不過在這張錄音，則呈現出穩健的風格。小調協奏曲，傳遞出那種沉重感，而大調的協奏曲，雖然有生氣，但不狂野，維持著紮實的態度。Biondi的Europa Galante也有錄這些協奏曲，他們的版本有他們一貫的動感，不過相對輕浮些。如果不喜歡音樂聽起來太難過，Biondi可能較適合您，但如果想要深厚些的負面情緒，那Accademia Bizantina的才是您的選擇。
至於那些大提琴奏鳴曲，Mauro Valli的表演沒話說。三首奏鳴曲裡，他還用了兩把不同的琴。有一首C小調的奏鳴曲，為了增加陰暗的氣氛，用了一把比較大的巴洛克大提琴，並用低音大提琴當數字低音伴奏增加音樂的重量。他慢樂章中拉得悠揚舒服，而快樂章中激動處，心也和音樂同時翻滾著。
對Alessandro Scarlatti聲樂作品熟悉的朋友們，或許會說聽Scarlatti的純器樂曲，實在太可惜了他。這可能是不折不扣的事實，不過同時我也得反問，如就這樣完全否定他的器樂曲，是否也可惜呢？
Alessandro Scarlatti is best known for his contribution to vocal music, in particular the opera and cantatas. His standard practice of using an Italian overture at the start of his music has also come to be the predecessor of the classical symphony genre. His use of the ternary form in arias has also set a standard to be used in later operas. He is also often credited as the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera. I suppose it is borderline profane that I'm discussing here a purely instrumental recording of his.
Scarlatti's instrumental works were mainly written in the last period of his life, between 1708 and his death in 1725. Although he was a famous musician during his time, he was by no means a successful one, if we measure success financially. His music style was also increasingly austere, which he also stubbornly refused to give in to writing utterly pleasant and easy music. That being said, when he saw how Corelli and Pasquini benefited from their success in their instrumental works, he decided to try his luck in this area.
This set of 6 concerti grossi was published by London publisher Benjamin Cooke in 1740, 15 years after the death of Scarlatti. As many already know, the concerto grosso was immensely popular in England in the 18th century, thanks to Corelli. Cooke already introduced the public to Corelli's op.6 years earlier, and now to bank on Scarlatti was considered a very safe move.
This is not the first set of concerti grossi Scarlatti wrote. In fact, he had already composed a set of 12 Sinfonie da concerti grossi a few years earlier, scored interestingly for the possibility of using woodwind instruments. This set of 6 concerti grossi in 7 parts are scored more traditionally for strings, including the concertino (2 violins + cello) and the ripieno (2 violins + viola + bass continuo).
The six concertos on this disc include 4 in the minor scale and 2 in major. Therefore, for the most part, this set is overall pretty dark. The concertos in minor especially utilize chromaticism, counterpoint, and music written in unison, which only adds to the gravity of the mood. These concertos are some heavy stuff here, often feeling a bit alienating, unlike those by Geminiani and Locatelli, which still feel extroverted and approachable. The contrast is even greater when comparing with how smooth Corelli's music contour was.
The major concertos present a much different story. Not only is the music more uplifting, it even resembles those composers. The 3rd concerto in F show traces of Locatelli and Geminiani, if not yet up to the fluidity of Corelli. The 6th concerto in E is even reminiscent of Albinoni's Venetian style.
Most of these concertos are quite short, and therefore 3 cello sonatas fill the rest of the disc. There is considerable debate whether or not these cello sonatas are authentic Scarlatti pieces. The music is so melodic and technically brilliant that it defies common logic that it would be from Scarlatti who wrote such serious music. However, there are passages that are so hauntingly beautiful that some of the tracks turned out to be my favorite among the disc.
As I have written before, I have always had a strange fascination and attachment to the concerto grosso genre. Scarlatti's concerti grossi are also among those that I first read about when I was exposed to Baroque music at a young age. At the time, there were no commercial recordings around that were available. It always remained on my wish list. I was aware of one by I Musici, but never got my hands around it. Then more than a decade later, my musical tastes changed, and I needed to wait for a good period performance to come around. Today, there are two of them, one by Biondi's Europa Galante and the other by Accademia Bizantina, which I currently own.
Accademia Bizantina was founded in 1983 and led by violinist Carlo Chiarappa. Back then, they started out as somewhat of a curiosity, playing on modern instruments with Baroque bows. They released in 1990 the first recording of the complete works of Corelli, which I have stored away somewhere. The sound was interesting to say the least, but the playing is considered outdated. Then Dantone took over as director in 1996 (he was already the group's harpsichordist) and they made the artistic choice to completely switch to period instruments. Today they are one of the premiere Italian period orchestras, having made some high quality recordings of Vivaldi's concertos. Their transition is pretty remarkable, considering that most of the players are the original cast, yet there is virtually no trace of their former self in their newer recordings.
While they do treat some of Vivaldi's concertos with a sense of hysteria, the Scarlatti recording is more grounded. With so many minor concertos, they do really bring about the heaviness and weight of these concertos. If the common audience felt that Scarlatti's works were hard to swallow back then, it still applies today.... The two major concertos are treated with more vigor, but Accademia Bizantina doesn't go all out for sheer rapture. Instead, a steadiness is always constantly felt. In comparison, Biondi's Europa Galante gives a more forceful and energetic reading, like always, but the lightweight approach can lose some emotional depth.
As for the cello sonatas, Mauro Valli does a great job. He comments that he uses two different cellos, one of them a larger instrument with a darker sonority, which suits one of the C minor sonatas better. The slow movements are lyrical and the fast movements are charged, nicely phrased, never a dull moment. The more I listen to them, the more enjoyable they appear. It's a pity that they were all so short.
Scarlatti might have been one superb vocal music composer, but we shouldn't be so quick to write off his instrumental works, even if they don't exactly measure up to the other Italian masters.
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