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Carl Friedrich Abel 1723–1787 Music for Flute and Strings
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Concerto for flute and strings No.5 in G 1 I. Allegro 2 II. Adagio 3 III. Presto
6’32 4’26 5’29
Sonata No.1 in C Op.6 4 I. Adagio 5 II. Allegro 6 III. Vivace
3’03 3’18 3’00
Trio Sonata No.1 in G Op.3* 7 I. Vivace 8 II. Adagio ma non troppo 9 III. Menuetto
5’09 3’05 2’14
Sonata No.3 in E minor Op.6 10 I. Adagio 11 II. Allegro 12 III. Vivace
2’38 3’39 3’12
Concerto for flute and strings No.2 in E minor 13 I. Allegro 14 II. Adagio ma non troppo 15 III. Allegro
6’11 5’22 4’54
Symphony No.1 in C Op.7 16 I. Allegro assai 17 II. Andantino 18 III. Allegro
4’18 4’24 2’02
Nordic Affect Georgia Browne flute Tuomo Suni violin *Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir violin Guðrún Hrund Harðardóttir viola Hanna Loftsdóttir cello Benoit Vanden Bemden violone Karl Nyhlin theorbo Guðrún Óskarsdóttir harpsichord Haru Kitamika harpsichord (tracks 4–12)
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Beyond the Baroque Flute The name Carl Friedrich Abel is most often associated with the viola da gamba and, specifically, his impressive ability to improvise upon it. He was said to be the last great virtuoso exponent of this six-string fretted instrument that fell out of fashion towards the end of the 18th century and so, it might come as a surprise to learn that Abel left us five (possibly six) flute concertos, twelve flute sonatas and more than twelve trio sonatas and quartets for flute and strings. With this recording we have selected some highlights from Abel’s music for flute to demonstrate the high quality of his less wellknown compositions. Charles Burney’s romantic tale of Abel setting off from Dresden on foot with nothing other than ‘three Thaler and six symphonies’ may not be entirely true as he composed the majority of his music for flute before he left Dresden. The court orchestra in Dresden had hosted some of Europe’s finest flautists, among them Buffardin and Quantz, whose skills had brought the flute into immense popularity. Abel himself was probably a capable flautist (as well as playing the viola da gamba, cello, harpsichord and French horn) and even appeared in a family portrait holding a flute. It was a good business strategy of any aspiring 18th-century composer to write music for this popular and accessible instrument, resulting in an enormous wealth of solo flute sonatas being published during the 1700s. The concertos for flute were possibly composed in or around 1758 yet were never published during Abel’s lifetime. They were, however, mentioned in the Breitkopf catalogues of 1761 and 1763. Stylistically, together with the Symphony No.1 in C major, the concertos sit on the musical fence between the complex, contrapuntal Baroque and the emerging, melody-driven galant styles.
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In the concertos and the symphony there are elements of the Mannheim orchestral school, in the use of throbbing repeated bass notes and long orchestral introductions, and yet there are other moments that are almost ‘Vivaldian’ in flavour, especially the last movement of the G major concerto. The exquisite slow movements provide languishing melodies and pleasantly unpredictable turns of phrase. Each melody is inflected with ornamental appoggiaturas which add to the gracefulness and refinement of this music. The solo flute part never reaches higher than top E and could quite comfortably have been played by a talented amateur. In this recording we have taken a more Baroque approach, with the use of a mid-century model of flute, one per part in the upper strings and multiple continuo instruments as a homage to the sounds Abel would have been immersed in during his early years. The flute sonatas and the trio sonata are charming examples of the galant style, with their simple structure, uncomplicated harmonies and fresh, approachability. This was music written to please, entertain and gently guide the listener though a subtle range of emotional affects.
The Composer Abel’s musical pedigree was rather impressive, with strong links to the Bach family. Abel’s father, Christian Friedrich, had been the chamber cello and viol player in Cöthen where J.S. Bach was appointed Kapellmeister. Bach and Abel senior developed a close professional and personal relationship and J.S. Bach was named godfather to Abel’s sister Sophie Charlotte.
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When Abel senior died in 1737 the young Carl Friedrich was sent to live with the Bach family who had by then moved to Leipzig. There he had direct access to the grand master of invention and composition; it would be here that he’d gain the skills he would use all his life to dazzle audiences with improvised performances on the viola da gamba and harpsichord. One such performance in Dresden in 1743 led directly to his appointment as cello and viola da gamba player at the Hofkapelle. There he worked under Kapellmeister Adolf Hasse who, at the time, was one of Europe’s most revered opera composers. It was in Dresden that Abel began to compose; however, after a good thirteen years as a court musician, and with the Seven Year War well underway, he thought it a good time to expand his horizons. Before crossing the channel, and beginning a new life in London, Abel spent almost a year travelling throughout Germany, visiting the writer Goethe several times and passing through Paris and Amsterdam where he had his Op.1 symphonies printed. He arrived in London in 1759 and gave his first performance on 5 April, just over a week before the death of another German in London, George Frideric Handel. Once in London Abel quickly secured an excellent reputation through his appearances at numerous public concerts. News of his tremendous improvisations on the viola da gamba spread fast and he became a popular teacher. He also made guest appearances performing alongside some of London’s top performers, the flautist Joseph Tacet, violinist François Hippolyte Barthélemon, male soprano Tommaso Guarducci and the castrato Giusto Fernando Tenducci to name but a few. Abel most certainly met the Mannheim flute virtuoso Johann Baptist Wendling during his 1770 London visit and a few years later the young Mozart; such was the flow of continental ‘star’ performers on the London concert scene.
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Abel was quick to gain favour with the nobility and royalty in London. Names such as Lord Abingdon, Lord Thanet, the Earl of Ashburnam and Lady Pembroke appear on many a front page dedication after Abel was granted his publishing licence in 1760. Around 1765 the publisher Bremner published and reissued a great deal of Abel’s music, making it available to the amateur market. From 1763 Abel shared a house with Johann Christian Bach (whom he had known in Leipzig as a young man) and together they ran the Wednesday Evening Concerts at Carlisle House in Soho Square, the forerunner to the more celebrated Bach-Abel Concerts in Hanover Square. This long collaboration led to the establishment of one of Europe’s first and finest subscription series. Bach and Abel alternated the role of musical director each week and both made sure to have their own compositions dominate the programme. The Bach-Abel concert series was the most talked about in London, with an array of local and international performers. Abel’s esteemed reputation was built mostly on his unrivalled ability to improvise for which we only can rely on written accounts. His close friendship with the painter Gainsborough (a keen viola da gamba player) has left us with several insightful portraits which support accounts of Abel being modest, generous, amiable (if at times inebriated) and well liked by colleagues and patrons. In 1782, J.C. Bach passed away and their concert series drew to a close. Abel took himself off to Germany where he composed a great deal of new music and re-established some beneficial connections with the aristocracy in Berlin and Potsdam. Returning to London in 1784 he started a new concert series under a different name in which he is known to have performed on his bass viol frequently despite his declining health. He gave his final performance in May 1787 and died one month later, unmarried and without an heir, yet fondly remembered by those he left behind. © Georgia Browne, 2011 9
Nordic Affect is a period instrument chamber group that provides a platform for musicians seeking to look at familiar musical forms from a different perspective, as well as venturing into new terrain. The group performs music from the 17th and 18th centuries and also promotes the performance of contemporary music on period instruments. Nordic Affect takes its name from the Baroque practice of trying to communicate certain affects and to inspire different emotional states through the composition and performance of music. Each of the musicians in the group is a specialist in historical performance, having studied extensively in Europe and the USA. Members of Nordic Affect perform as soloists and chamber musicians throughout Europe as well as being active orchestral musicians with various well-known period instrument ensembles. Since its 2005 debut at the Skálholt Summer Concerts the group has performed widely in Iceland and throughout Europe in addition to launching their own chamber music concert series in Reykjavík. Their performances have been received with great critical acclaim and the group has been praised for their energetic and stylistic bravura. Nordic Affect has performed for the Icelandic Broadcasting Service and the European Broadcasting Service. Nordic Affect’s first CD, a recording of a new piece Apocrypha written specifically for them by Hugi Gudmundsson was released in October 2008. The CD received The Kraumur Award in 2008 as well as a nomination for an Iceland Music Award. Collaboration with the Carmina chamber choir under the direction of Árni Heimir Ingólfsson resulted in a recording of rare Icelandic early music which received an Icelandic Music Award in 2011. Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir has been the artistic director of Nordic Affect since its foundation in 2005. www.nordicaffect.com
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Georgia Browne Originally from Perth, Australia, Georgia went on to study historical flute at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague with Kate Clark and Barthold Kuijken. She plays a range of original and replica flutes from the last 300 years and is in demand as a performer and instructor in continental Europe, Australia and the United Kingdom, where she is currently based. www.georgiabrowne.com
Engineered, edited and mastered by Georg Magnússon. Produced by Kolbeinn Bjarnason, Georgia Browne, Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir and Tuomo Suni. Recorded in Skáholt Cathedral, Iceland, July 2009. Cadenzas by Georgia Browne. With special thanks to: Kraumur Music Fund, The Icelandic Ministry of Culture, Sigurður Halldórsson at Skálholt Summer Concerts, John Richards, Theo Veld, Edward Beckett, Ian Wilson, Tuomo Suni and Haru Kitamika. Cover design by James Walker. Photo of Nordic Affect by David Oldfield. Cover Picture © The British Library Board. Northern View of Hanover Square, by Tinney, 1755 Maps K.Top.22.30.a Image coloured by James Walker. Recording: July 2009, Skáholt Cathedral, Iceland & 훿 2012 Brilliant Classics
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