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Concerto in E major D.48
Ed. © Enrica
Bojan
Prepared from all four known
sources, this concerto from Tartini's first compositional period emerges
as a masterpiece.
From the preface:
Composed between 1724 and 17351,
this concerto in E major D.48 shows a solid formal construction and
rhythmic energy, especially in the first movement, and in the third
which has a long cadenza a capriccio2.
Excerpts (click
image to enlarge) |
First Movement |
Second Movement |
Third Movement |
This critical edition was prepared by
collating four main sources: the autograph manuscript DVII 1902 n.453
kept at Padua in the Music Archive of the Basilica Antoniana; the
manuscript from theConservatory Library in Paris, Grand Fond, ms11228/14
(both sources are quoted by Dounias in his catalogue on Tartini's work4,
the manuscript from Berkeley, Music library of the University of
California, It.8795; the part for
solo violin kept at Udine Civic Library (the last two sources are not
quoted by Dounias, but by Nesbeda in his recent catalogue6.
The autograph manuscript is made up of a
frontispiece and 8 oblong sheets with 14 staves. The frontispiece bears
the inscription 'Concerti Tartini / Partitura n.91'. The number was
later changed to 45, also printed further up the page. The
interpretation of the manuscript is difficult as it is tightly written,
although the handwriting appears clean and tidy. Significant corrections
and a few important cuts appear. In some passages, alterations and
sharpened notes are not precisely marked, as if written in haste. In the
first movement, at bars 76-79 of the basso there is a visible
cancellation (p.2 of the manuscript). Clearly Tartini preferred silence
and then a series of long notes di bordone rather than the violoncello
imitating rhythm and melody as the other parts do. Another cancellation
concerns the part of the viola, at bars 121-122 in the first movement
(p.4 of the manuscript). The two cancelled bars have been substituted by
two written on an empty stave. Another intervention regarding all parts
at bar 106 in the third movement (p.6 of the manuscript) is more
consistent. A whole section of twelve bars marked Soli is completely
eliminated. This melodic phrase, harmonically complete, is not
reinstated.
The Paris manuscript is made up of a
frontispiece and 11 sheets (5 pages) numbered from 115 to 125, and they
form part of a volume containing other concertos. The frontispiece bears
the inscription 'Tartini /49 Violin Concertos (Vol:C)' and the numbers
given by the library. The first sheet with staves bears an interesting
annotation: 'Concerto del Sig.r Giuseppe Tartini. Con viola e
violoncello obligati. Originale'. The musical writing, very clear and
accurate, shows with precision the parts and the execution of the
virtuoso passages. For this reason this source has been used to
understand the autograph and in some cases to fill in missing parts.
The clean writing and the word
'originale' would indicate that this copy was written by a copyist known
to Tartini, if not directly under the author's supervision.
The Berkeley manuscript is written in
separate parts on 9 oblong pages (18 sheets numbered from 1 to 14) with
10 staves each. The separate parts are respectively violino principale,
violino primo obligato, violino secondo obligato, alto viola obligata,
violoncello obligato. The first music sheet is used as frontispiece and
bears the inscription 'Violino principale / concerto / del Sig:r
Giuseppe Tartini', without any further annotations. The writing is clear
and tidy, without corrections or cuts. The indications Tutti, Solo and
Soli correspond to the Paris score and they are more precise than in the
autograph manuscript. As in the Paris source, the variations from
Tartini's original are minimal. This and the French manuscript are very
similar and it was probably written at a later date; the writing of the
accidentals in the text is in fact more in keeping with modern usage
than with eighteenth century practice.
The part for the solo violin from the
Udine library is made up of a frontispiece with staves with the
inscription 'Concerto / del Sig.r Giuseppe Tartini / Violino
principale', and of 4 sheets over two pages. One cannot be certain if
this part for solo violin, is the only one remaining from a lost set of
concertos by Tartini, kept with others in one volume as loose pages, as
was customary in the eighteenth century.
In the autograph manuscript by Tartini at
the beginning of the first and second movement there are two long motti
cifrati, translated by Dounias in his catalogue7
with the verses 'Volgetemi amoroso un guardo più pietoso, o luci belle,
sì, ma troppo Were' and 'Ron-dinella vaga e bella che dal mar faccia
tragitto lascia il nido e all'aere infido fida il volo e la speranza'8.
These are poetic verses, metrically complete, recalling the structure of
the spoken and sung words of the melodrama, with topical references to
Arcadia. It has not been possible to find the provenance of these verses
among the massive production of the eighteenth century. However there
are indications of a link between Tartini and the works of Vivaldi from
the same period9. Therefore one
should not be surprised to find a veiled reference to a passage by the
Venetian composer, probably heard as part of a pasticcio, often
performed10.
According to the most recent studies a
motto is neither a literary nor a melodramatic quotation, but simply a
syllabic adherence to the melodic line of the solo violin. This theory,
though, is not widely accepted at present. If it were the case, one
would have to investigate the reason why Tartini chose such a cryptic
way to mark his pieces. Most probably these motti had a very private
meaning as they only appear in the autograph manuscripts, but not in
later sources, not even in the Paris one, described as 'original'.
The study of Tartini's score poses
problems concerning the instrumental ensemble, usually not specified by
the composer.11 One must bear in
mind that Tartini's concertos were generally performed in the Basilica
del Santo in Padua during solemn ceremonies12.
Tartini probably would have played the Solo part (he had been 'first
violinist and concertmaster' since 1721) and he had at his disposal a
large orchestra accustomed to performing on such occasions. This meant
that detailed musical annotations were not required in the score13.
The matter of Tartini's instrumental ensemble is still unresolved.
Studies tend to conclude that the number of players and instruments
depended on availability and the occasion of the performance.14
Here, without presuming to resolve this
delicate matter, but on the basis of the original score, the passages
marked by Tartini as Tutti in the first and third movements can be
assigned as follows: the first stave to the solo violin and the first
violins in unison, the second to a second violin obbligato (or to a
group of second violins), and the last one, in bass clef, to the
violoncello (obbligato, according to the Paris and Berkeley sources) as
basso continuo. In the passages marked Solo and Soli, in addition to the
solo violin we find first and second violins written on the same stave
in treble clef sometimes in contrast, sometimes in unison while viola
and violoncello sustain the harmony15.
In contrast, the second movement of the
concerto has three parts written in treble clef (for solo violin, first
and second violins) and one in bass clef. The viola is silent. In the
autograph score we do not have a part for a keyboard instrument as basso
continuo; there are no figures and the lower texture is indicated solely
by the bass clef at the beginning of each stave. Studies tend to exclude
the use of the clavichord, but some elements external to the original
score, as well as other documents not strictly of musical nature, seem
to confirm the use of the organ, especially in view of the fact that the
concertos were written to be performed in the Basilica del Santo, a
religious environment where the organ was sovereign16.
The present critical consensus suggests that the basso continuo would
accompany the passages marked Tutti, and be silent in those marked Soli17.
However in this concerto the basso, given to the violoncello obbligato
in the Paris and Berkeley sources, has a definite role also in the
passages marked Soli.
In this edition, the basso continuo has
not been realised, but only indicated as complementary to the part of
the violoncello, leaving the execution to the player's discretion18.
In the autograph manuscript there are no
tempo indications. These are present at the beginning of each passage in
all other sources. In this text the indications Allegro, Largo, Allegro
have been reintroduced. This critical edition faithfully follows the
original score; any amendments have been limited to modernisation of the
graphical image. No dynamic indications have been added, as these should
be evident to the careful performer. The use of a flat sign to
naturalise a sharp has been replaced with a natural to conform with
modern practice and the sharp in front of an already sharpened note has
been transcribed as a modern double sharp. Accidentals missing in the
original have been inserted in square brackets [ ], whilst cautionary
accidentals are shown in round brackets ( ).
The ties and slurs have been kept as in
the original, a few editorial dashed slurs have been added. The
embellishments have been transcribed from the original, without
suggestions for their execution. The eighteen century rules for routine
execution of embellishments and cadenzas on the crowned points, still
constitutes one of the unresolved matters in the study of Tartini's
style in spite of the great violinist having compiled the Traité des
agrémens for use in his school19.
This edition aims to offer a critical text faithful to the original both
musically and historically,thus enabling a performance as close as
possible to the original practices and style of the composer.
Padua, January 2000
© Enrica Bojan
Translation, Annelisa Evans
Footnotes:
- According to Dounias
the concerto D.48 belongs to Tartini's first period, see M. DOUNIAS,
Die Violinkonzerte Giuseppe Tartinis, Zürich, Möseler Verlag, 1935
(reprint Wolfenbüttel, 1966), pp. 265-266. In this volume Tartini's
concertos are catalogued by tonality, not chronologically.
Incidentally, according to Pierluigi Petrobelli, Tartini's first
period ends at the beginning of the 1740s.
- Capri describes it as
the 'first of the second collection, n.25'(see A. CAPRI, Giuseppe
Tartini, Milan, Garzanti, 1945, pp.251-252). In his catalogue,
Dounias links the first movement of this concerto with D.99 in A
major. According to him the themes of the two concerto coincide,
although this has not been proved.
- Access to the
autograph manuscript has been possible thanks to the kind auspices
of the director of the Biblioteca del Santo, Padre Giovanni
Luisetto, whom we thank for this gracious help.
- See M.DOUNIAS, Die
Violinkonzerte Giuseppe Tartinis, cit., pp.265.266.
- With thanks to the
Music Library of the University of California, Berkeley, for
permission to study and publish parts of this source.
- F. NESBEDA, Catalogo
delle composizioni, in VARIOUS AUTHORS, Giuseppe Tartini nel terzo
centenario della nascita, ed.M.Sofianapulo, Trieste, Tegeste
Publishing, 1992, pp.111-112.
- See M.DOUNIAS, Die
Violinkonzerte Giuseppe Tartinis, cit., pp.265.266.
- 'Cast a more loving
look upon me, oh beautiful but proud eyes' and 'The little,
beautiful swallow, wandering above the sea, leaves her nest and puts
her trust, hope and flight in the hands of the treacherous sky'. In
his volume Die Violinkonzerte Giuseppe Tartinis, cit., pp.94-95,
Dounias deciphers Tartini's personal alphabet, pointing out
similarities of many texts with verses from Metastasio's works. The
'motto' which accompanies the beginning of a movement cannot be
considered typical of Tartini, as it is infrequently used.
Furthermore, the usage of a cryptical alphabet implies that the
author did not consider pertinent the introduction of secular
elements in a work to be performed in a religious context. For
further readings on this still unsolved matter see VARIOUS AUTHORS,
Motti tartiniani: nuove concordanze, nuovi problemi, and in VARIOUS
AUTHORS, Tartini. Il tempo e le opere, A.Bombi & N.M.Massaro Eds,
Bologna, il Mulino, 1994, pp.389-394.
- See E.BOJAN,
Introduzione in TARTINI, Concerto in G Major D.82, Launton, Edition
HH, p.viii., with further refence to all poets and librettists
writing texts for Vivaldi's works.
- See A.BELLINA,
B.BRIZI, M.G.PENSA, I libretti vivaldiani. Recensione e collazione
dei testimoni a stampa, Florence, Olschki, 1982
- For an overview on
the current knowledge on the works by Tartini see F. NESBEDA,
Catalogo..., cit., pp.104-144. It is always useful to consult
Petrobelli's book, Giuseppe Tartini, Le fonti biografiche,
Vienna-London-Milan, Universal Edition, 1968.
- See P. PETROBELLI,
Tartini, le sue idee e il suo tempo, Lucca, LIM, 1992, pp.115-116;
M. CANALE DEGRASSI, Destinazione e aspetti esecutivi dei concerti
per violino di G.Tartini: contributi per un approfondimento in
VARIOUS AUTHORS, Intorno a Locatelli, ed.A.Dunning, Lucca, LIM,
1995, pp.152-163.
- Further to the
mentioned studies by Petrobelli and Canale see also E. FARINA,
Pubblicare oggi le opere di Tartini Tartini. Il tempo e le opere,
cit.pp.401-408.
- About this problem
see P. PETROBELLI, Per l'edizione critica di un concerto tartiniano,
in Tartini, le sue idee e il suo tempo, cit., pp.109-136; M. CANALE
DEGRASSI, Destinazione e aspetti esecutivi ...,cit., pp.151-173. The
instrumental ensemble has been recreated in line with other
concertos and considering elements exterior to the score.
- About this problem
see P. PETROBELLI, Per l'edizione critica..., cit., pp.111-136.
- P. PETROBELLI, Per
l'edizione critica..., cit., pp.134-135. This problem is still open
and as yet we do not have a definite answer.
- E. FARINA, Pubblicare
oggi le opere di Tartini, cit., pp.404-405
- Critics tend to agree
that Tartini seemed to prefer the linear sound of the solo cello to
the harmonic density of a keyboard instrument. See E. FARINA, Ibid.,
p.408.
- The Traité des
agrémens was left unpublished by Tartini and it was printed for the
first time in Paris, translated by P.Denis, in 1771 with the same
title. The supposed original in Italian is entitled Regole per ben
suonare il violino. On this subject see VARIOUS AUTHORS, Fonti
tartiniane: alcune annotazioni and L. GRASSO CAPRIOLI, Lessico
tecnico e strutture linguistiche di Tartini didatta nelle 'Regole
per ben suonare il violino', in VARIOUS AUTHORS, Tartini. Il tempo e
le opere, pp.395-400 and pp.281-298. The second study quotes the
most important writings of the time on the embellishments (by J. J.
Quantz, C. Ph. E. Bach, L. Mozart) and emphasizes the peculiarity of
Tartini's system. We would like to point out that, according to the
customs of the time, the trill (and the brief trill, mordant) would
normally start from the higher accessory note and that the
appoggiatura was performed then as it is today.
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