Description

Trio Sonata II is in four contrasting movements with something of interest for each
player. The double bass part remains in bass clef, creating …a strong supportive
foundation, above which the two cellos weave and contrast lyrical and energetic solo
lines. Ideal for any concert or audience, or simply to play with friends, Trio Sonata II
is a wonderful and evocative addition to the chamber music transcription, Repertoire. ‘The leading cello and bass players were part of the complex mechanism which
controlled the orchestra of the 18th and 19th-centuries. Previous to the 19th-century
‘modern’ baton-wielding conductors were unknown. Orchestral direction was,
basically, of a dual nature with a keyboard-conductor, using chords, accents and
physical motions, aided by a violinist-leader, whence the title ‘concert master’. To the
side of the keyboard-conductor were the leading cellist and bassist, frequently
playing from the conductor’s own part. The playing of the Principal Bass was considered an important element in keeping
the orchestra together and Domenico Dragonetti (1763-1846) was sometimes
credited with the power of leading or misleading an orchestra. In the May 1837
edition of THE MUSICAL WORLD there is an allusion to this: ‘Although he has been
accused of leading the orchestra, or, in the estimation of some leaders, of
misleading, (for no man in that situation approves of public correction) yet it must be
acknowledged that he has upon various occasions, by his promptitude and decision,
brought back a whole band who ‘like sheep had gone astray’ ‘. ‘The dynamic duo of cellist Robert Lindley (1776-1855) and double bassist Domenico
Dragonetti also proved to be very active in the chamber music field. The
programmes of the London concert giving associations provide evidence of some of
these activities. The Philharmonic Society records these ‘Titans’ as appearing in six
performances of the Beethoven Septet Op.20, five time in the Septet of Hummel and
numerous appearances in words for various string and wind combinations by such
composers as Spohr, Baudiot, Schubert, Ries, Mayseder, Klengel, Neukomm, J.B.
Cramer, Onslow and Moscheles. These records also mention their playing a duet by Corelli on three occasions. This
work is certainly spurious and we may assume that this duo is an arrangement of
Corelli’s Op.5. The bass part was most probably a corruption of the figured bass part
with the cello playing an interpolation of the original violin part. Much acclaim was
bestowed upon these two orchestral stalwarts when they appeared in such duets
and trios with 2 celli. This is one of the latter.’ [Bertram Turetzky] Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) was one of the leading Italian violinists and
composers of the Baroque era. Much of his music is still performed today,
particularly his 12 Concerti Grossi for string orchestra, of which the Christmas
Concerto is especially popular. Both Lindley and Dragonetti played ‘at the harpsichord’ and would have improvised
the musical lines, based on the original bass part, and the acclaim with which they
were showered after performances of the Corelli duets suggests that both
embellished the original music to suit the style and fashions of the day. Both were
obviously showmen and two of the leading musicians working in London during the
first half of the 19th-century and, Repertoire for a cello and bass duo at the time, apart
from a Dragonetti Duo, were non-existent and hence the need to transcribe. This trio is the second of Corelli’s 12 Sonata da Chiesa Op.3, composed in Modena
in 1689, and was originally for 2 violins and continuo. The present transcription by
Bert Turetzky is beautifully arranged and is a work he performed many times in his
own concerts. The technical challenges are not great, although cello 1 does play in
the highest register in the final movement, and the four contrasting movements offer
music of great skill and imagination for the enterprising bass-line trio.