About your recent recordings in Arcana, especially Corelli

(an interview to Enrico Gatti)

• Could you explain about your recording of Corelli op.III in Arcana label? Are there any distinctive differences compared with your former recordings or other recordings about Corelli?

I already recorded with TACTUS some Corelli trio-sonatas: but this time this is not an anthology:

I took an opus which is an organic whole and is, in my opinion, the most important set of Corelli’s trio-sonatas, maybe even the most important of all the times… I studied it for a long time, but it is the experience of having played before this kind of music for 20 years which brought me to have very clear ideas about the style I had to adopt. But, in this case, what made a big difference for me, is that this recording has been prepared during a deep crisis in my private life: in the music I put all my sufferings and all my search for “truth”, and that makes this op. III particularly loved one for me…

 

 

• In the CD booklet, we can find a dialogue between Stanislao & Pippo. So, can we reckon that Stanislao represented your musical thought? I wonder what you intended to express by that conversation. I'm afraid it's not easy to understand it for normal music lovers. So, could you tell me about your thought behind the conversations in brief?

The text is already in brief…: it is the result of an approach which lasted several years, not only in the musical practice, but also in reading many books and documents which are only synthesized in the dialogue… But what is mostly important it is the fact that it’s not possible to simplify in order to be faster, without loosing the quality: art cannot resemble a fast food. Normally we find enclosed in the compact discs just short notes concerning the recorded works, and they are usually written professionally and “coldly”; I had to choose: either don’t say anything or to draw out a large part of the things which were the basis of my interpretation. I decided that this time I wanted to speak in order to illustrate the world of Corelli and the culture of his age, to say that nowadays we go too fast, and doing so we go far away more and more from the possibility of understanding our past, because today’s taste is deeply conditioned by our bio-rhythms… With my text I wanted to search for a slow space for reflection, for the soul, in order to speak to the souls of all those people which – when they are listening to music – have no prejudices but have open ears and hearts… I wanted to defend the slowness, which is nowadays considered not as a value: people who like slowness are a minority today.

• As you know, in Italy, there has been some kind of tradition that the slow movement used to be played much slower, the fast movement much faster. However, we found that you emphasized only 'the virtue of slowness' in your recording. So, it seems to me that your view is rather biased towards the one side of the tradition. So, I hope to know your solution about the 'contrast' between slowness and fastness. What's your answer for 'fastness'?

I don’t know which kind of “tradition” you mean, and “slower” and “faster” in comparison with what ? To actual standards ? Is this the “tradition” ? I know the cultural tradition of my country and its early music because I’ve learnt it from many and many original documents (one can learn from the original sources in their original languages, not from recordings…). When I get close to a composer I’m mostly interested in capture his essence, to respire his spirit and to produce then my interpretation. I never think about doing something just because the actual taste likes it, I never try to be better than other people, I just try to be better than myself. When I prepare myself for a project I consider all the possible documents, so I think one should go much beyond that phrase of Raguenet comparing the tempos in french and italian music: one should never generalize too much. In this case (Corelli op. III) we should be aware that the music was played in the Masses and the Vespers, it was played by Corelli for the Pope and the Cardinals. For my final choices, then, it is important even the style of Corelli’s own collection of paintings or the architecture of the places in which he lived and worked. The city of Rome in late XVII century, the slow power of the marbles is more important for me than the tempo somebody else played before me during this part of the century. Finally we have to consider the proportion between the length of the movements and the chosen tempo, do accurate analysis of tempo specimens (i.e.: 3/2, 3/4, 6/4, 3/8, 6/8, 12/8 ecc…) and indications used by the composer. Concerning the “slowness”, for sure I would not use the same attitude for another kind of repertoire: I wonder if you heard already my recording of the Veracini sonatas… Also in the Tartini sonatas (which I recently recorded) my mentality is completely different. Anyway, very generally speaking, I think that nowadays we go too fast and play too fast, exactly as we live. If we are not able to stop and to meditate we risk to distort the past just because today we like to imagine the culture of the past according to the standard we have built for it trough the market: the music is not like a painting or a sculpture and its image cannot remain impressed during the centuries; this art is very easy to be distorted according to the taste of the moment. Many well-known ensembles (among them surely several italians) launched a “fashion” for speed, which could make the music of the past more “modern” and “actual”. But the culture of the past, with his own aesthetics, is not asking for being modernized, because that would mean only to distort it. I always keep in mind this phrase by the great Lucien Capet: “the beauty doesn’t need us, but we need the beauty, and we should never think of adapting Art at our measure, but, on the contrary, go toward it” (“La Technique Supérieure de l’Archet, Paris 1916). Fashions seem to be strong today, but then they pass, and I would like if you could ask me again your question in 50 years, in 100 years… But I would like to ask you a question, now: How many and what are the recordings of 50 years ago that you are listening currently ?

• I know you are so enthusiastic for chamber music. Now, we find your own group 'Ensemble Aurora' in your Corelli recording. Could you let me know about your team in your own word? And are there any other ensembles you hope to introduce to us?

Ensemble “Aurora” has changed from its foundation (1986) and even after the Corelli op. III recording. Now my tendency is to work with italian musicians which are well prepared, experienced and provided with a flexible mind, in order to be able to share with them the ideal of a beauty which is related to the amazing culture that our country has produced in the past.

• Please let me know about your collaboration with Arcana label (&Michel Bernstein). How did you get started recording for that company?

Michel Bernstein asked me to record the Buxtehude sonatas for violin and gamba: I refused because my friend and colleague Odile Edouard was just recording them, but I convinced him to work on other projects, especially concerning italian music: Mr. Bernstein has really a lot of experience and is genial because is a visionary person: against all the clichés he asks an italian musician to play Bach or Couperin, or maybe asks the brothers Kuijken to play Debussy… I work with pleasure with him because I’m sure that what we do is not an object of fashion, and so it will never go out of fashion…

 

• Could you let me have your full discography? If that was impossible, could you let me know the former labels you have worked with ever since.

Here enclosed you will find my discography (see now in this website)

 

As a 'baroque' musician

 

• Why is baroque repertoire /instrument so attractive to you?

It is difficult to explain: everybody feels some personal “vibrations” in respect of different forms of art. I feel very close to the historic culture of my country, which in XVII and XVIII century has shown the way to all the other countries, creating all the most important musical forms (opera, oratorio, cantata, serenata, trio-sonata, solo-sonata, concerto grosso, solo-concerto, sinfonia, string quartet…), and through the instruments of this culture I can fully express my soul.

 

• From your perspective, are there any ideal interpretations & techniques in playing baroque music? What is the most important thing when you are playing baroque music (instrument)?

The most important thing you can find clearly written out in all the fundamental texts of XVII and XVIII century: “Music is a language and even with the instruments you must try to imitate the human voice: Anyone who will get closer to this ideal will be considered as the best”. So we have to rediscover a technique and aesthetics which have nothing to see with the modern ones born in the XIX century: I’m speaking about the sense of “pronuntia” (pronunciation), of dynamic and of declamation. The ancient language is mostly a poetic and metaphoric language and has to be declaimed in a adequate way. For this reason Tartini said that “in order to play well you have to sing well”, but his recommendation is today quite ignored: instrumental music is mostly played with a sort of aesthetics which is only the consequence of the instrumental mentality of XIX century and of the tension and stress of XX century. 

 

• Nowadays, even the chamber groups that use normally modern instruments tend to make a compromise with baroque approach. What do you think of those compromising trends as a baroque - professional musician?

Many “modern” instrumentalists are really interested in early music and want to get up to date with their style: they are right. Many others do that just in order to get as much work as possible. Anyway I think that Art has nothing to see with compromises: would you be interested in a Caravaggio painting which has been re-painted and re-elaborated last week? Or would you rather try to know the colors and taste of Caravaggio ?

• A lot of musicians who are now playing with modern instruments hope to change to baroque instruments someday; Could you give them a good advice?

The advise is this: please love the art works you choose to interpret, believe in their value and in their meaning for the man of our times (otherwise you shouldn’t play them…); be conscious that notes are just dried ink, pure symbols of notation: behind them there is a universe that has to be discovered and revealed with a patient and long practice which can be done only with love and passion. A modern interpretation, today, is possible only after a work of rigorous preparation. Always remember the phrase of the great violinist Lucien Capet…

• Could you let me know the position / influence of the 'baroque sonata & concerto' as a form throughout the musical history?

I’m sorry: the answer for this question would need an entire book !

• What do you think about the value of 'consort' (as an ensemble that consists of the same kind of instrument)? And the possibility of the resurrection of that form?

 The beautiful and magic color of the consort die out with the coming of the great solo-music and the end of polyphony. If in the future we’ll have less interest for the “star cult” and more interest for the learned and refined music the consort will be revalued; it would be fantastic, but I must confess that I am not very optimistic: you can easily see how little the chamber music is estimated in comparison with opera or solo-music…

• Could you explain the unique attribute of 'Italian baroque music' compared with that of other countries?

The capability of speaking clearly and simply, immediately, to the heart of the people, of touching deeply their souls, even with just a few strokes of the brush… Of course, the other national styles can deeply touch the souls too, but often in a less direct way. Italian music is closer to its own spoken and sung language, the music faithfully follows the poetic declamation and is intelligible by everybody.

• Moreover, do you think Italian musicians relatively stay predominant in their interpretation of their composers?

They could, in some cases they do, in other cases they seem to do (because the “fashion style” of the market) but in reality they don’t. For instance, concerning Vivaldi, I think that in the last years the italians spoiled his music, and the worst of it is that the foreign musicians imitated them, thinking in that way to be up date with the “tendency”… And this way Vivaldi became almost as hard-rock music… But it is sufficient to go to Venice and get lost between the little “calli” to understand that is not the right style for venetian music, which is so light and transparent like the stone-laces of the palaces on the Canal Grande, like the paintings of Canaletto and Guardi… 



• I hope to know your thought about 'edition' when you interpret early music.

I always use the original sources because they talk to the heart and to the imagination in a different way from a modern edition. If there are several different original sources I get all of them and then I compare them. Even if I use a modern edition for practical reasons I always compare it with the originals. Recently I started to transcribe by computer unpublished compositions for my performances. 

 

About your educational background

• How did you get started playing violin, especially baroque violin?
Was there any direct motivation for your concentration on baroque violin? I think you must have begun with modern instrument…

Originally, when I was 10 years old, I wanted to study guitar, but in the Conservatory of my city (Perugia) it was not possible at that time, so I choose violin. Only five years later I really started to be passionate for this instrument and for the first time I thought to become a professional violin player. The passion for baroque violin came slowly, because I am curious: I was always curious about what is ancient and about the past; I’m used to be confronted with the past: this is necessary for my balance with the future.

• Please let me know about your teachers. Have you had any remarkable influences from your teachers? (Especially focusing on baroque music). What about Chiara Banchini, Sigiswald Kuijken?

My first teacher, Arnaldo Apostoli, has always been playing with “I Musici” , still he is at present, and this ensemble made me discover and love XVIII century’s repertoire. The second teacher, Alfredo Fiorentini of Rome, was fundamental for the “scientific” sense of the discipline of working. Chiara Banchini helped me a lot in focusing important technical details, and Sigiswald Kuijken was a master for philosophy, for life, and not only for the artistic discipline. My personal taste for music developed to different directions from them, but I owe to all them a lot…

• Besides them, who inspired you as a musician?

For sure Roberto Michelucci, the great leader of “I Musici” during the best period, whose velvety and bright sound made me understand the importance of beauty, and then many writers such as Marguerite Yourcenair or Milan Kundera, and many, many paintings, many museums, especially italian Renaissance, maybe… 

 

About your instruments 

• Please let me know about your instrument (violin), bow, and strings in details. How did you find your violin & what is the unique attribute of it? As you know, our readers have a keen interest in this information.

It is a violin made by Lorenzo Storioni in Cremona, 1789 (year of the french revolution). I got it from a good friend who plays cello and had a small but nice collection. I love this violin and he loves me, but, as it happens in all love stories, sometime the relationship is a bit difficult: I cannot bear the fact that in case of humidity the gut strings start to whistle, and he is not bearing that I am not as good as he would deserve… then, finally, we find the peace. His sound has become my voice: I’m singing through it, and this is not a soprano voice, but a mezzo-soprano one, a warm, sumptuous and intensive voice, not penetrating.

I had many different bows: now I’m happy with a very good copy of the original bow of Sigiswald Kuijken (an anonymous, probably french bow of the beginning of XVIII century) made by Daniel Latour. The gut strings are made in Italy, in the Natural Park of La Maiella (Abruzzo) by the firm Toro, which has a very long tradition in this field.

 

About your various activities

• Do you think you are a musician? Or do you have more interest in other activities such as teaching, studying, and writing?

Of course I am a musician: I couldn’t imagine to do another thing in my life. My activity consists in playing, teaching, conducting and doing musical research. Teaching is a part of life for a musician which loves his work and wants to transmit to younger people the culture he inherited and elaborated: it is a great richness. The research is to satisfy my great curiosity, to go on in composing that vast puzzle I started 25 years ago in the field of musical literature of XVII and XVIII century. I love to spend hours in the libraries all around the world, to admire old manuscripts, to get copies of them, dream on this music, transcribe it and to perform it. I also spend a lot of time reading books: this is very important for me. 

• What do you pursue ultimately through music you play?

Everybody has something to tell, but often we feel frustrated because we cannot find the right way to express this “something”. Art give us the possibility to express ourselves without using words, that’s to say it let us communicate with everybody without any barrier; the music, particularly, goes immediately straight to the inner imagination. Through the music I love I can express myself and I feel to be a man of our time which is in harmony with his past time. I also believe that some things, which were already said in old times by other people, should be repeated with strength and personality nowadays, so that they will not be lost.

• Please let me know your upcoming concert & recording schedule.

There will be (I hope soon) a world prémiere: the only vocal music written by Don Marco Uccellini: a Solemn Vesper created for the Cathedral of Modena in 1654. Then two CDs with sonatas op. I and op. II for violin and continuo by Giuseppe Tartini (just recorded). Then, starting from next september I will record the complete Corelli op. V sonata for violin and continuo with the complicity of Jesper Christensen (harpsichord) and Gaetano Nasillo (cello). In October I will come to Japan for several concerts and master classes for the Fukuoka Early Music Festival.