France Itinéraire baroque en Périgord 2025 [5]: 2.8.2025. (CC)
L’Itinéraire [2]: Divertimento al Cembalo: Accademia Strumentale Italiana. Église Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul de Blanzaguet-Saint-Cybard.
Haydn – Divertimento in C, Hob.XV:C1 (pub. London, 1772)
Mozart – Divertimento in B-flat, K 254 (1776)
Performed in a historic twelfth-century church, this was a concert of variable standard. The Itinéraire often brings in one concert that sits below the rest, and issues of tuning and engagement marked this as the one. It could be that it was as simple as just settling in – the final movement of the second piece was where it seemed to gel.
Still, Haydn is a great way to start a whole day’s musical explorations. The Accademia Strumentale Italiana comprises Patrizia Marisaldi (harpsichord), Davide Monti (violin) and Alberto Rasi (cello). The early Divertimento in C, Hob.XV:C1 boasts a most civilised Allegro moderato first movement. This was a gentile performance, but one that seemed to highlight similarities with C. P. E. Bach’s output. While Monti’s lower register remains in tune, his upper can deviate from the pitch; a pity, as Marisaldi is a fine harpsichordist (the cello has a lesser part in most Haydn Trios, but Rasi provided a firm foundation). A fast Menuet with resolutely non-vibrato violin had force, and a nicely contrasting Trio; the finale had some elegance.
The Mozart, the ‘Divertimento à 3’ (Piano Trio), K 254, might seem like light and obscure fare, but remember there is a – remarkably light in the outer movements – version available by Leonid Kogan, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Emil Gilels, no less. Admittedly their slow movement takes nearly a quarter of an hour. Anyway, lovely to have the exposition repeat here in France, with Marisaldi beautifully light-fingered. The use of tutti octaves seems a shared trope with Mozart’s piano duet sonatas. Marisaldi’s articulation was excellent, but Monti’s tuning was variable, and the basic tempo does need to be honoured (there was a tendency to get slower). The heavenly melody of the central Adagio, which allows for more violin/cello interaction, was touching (it lies low); the harpsichord riposte perfect (as were the harmonic darkenings). The final Rondeau is a Tempo di Menuetto, taken at a sprightly tempo and by some way the most successful movement of the concert; ensemble gelled, tuning was better. I can’t help but wonder if I had heard this later on in the day if my reactions would have been more positive …
L’Itinéraire [3]: Orpheus Britannicus: Constantin Zimmermann (countertenor), Mike Fentross (theorbo). Église Saint-Martin d’Argentine, La Rochebeaucout.
Purcell – If Music be the Food of Love; The Fatal Hour Comes On Apace; Here The Deities Approve; Ground in C minor, Z 221 (instrumental); Solitude; Music for a While; Crown the Altar
Moving now to the small church of Saint-Martin d’Argentine, and something very special indeed. A small break between registers aside, Swiss countertenor Constanin Zimmermann’s renditions of Purcell were mightily impressive. Joined by the sensitive theorbist Mike Fentross, this was as much of a reminder of the power of voice and plucked instrument as the recent recital of English Lute Song at the Thaxted Festival (click here).
One of the delights of this work is the discovery of artists who are on the cusp of major careers: Zimmermann is one such. From the opening bars of If Music be the Food of Love, Zimmermann’s velvety countertenor captivated. He is so nearly there, his English excellent; but with just the occasional over-emphasis of a word’s final consonant (‘k’s a particular casualty).
The melodic contours and cadences of The Fatal Hour Comes On Apace are pure Purcell. A lachrymose song, it held swings and roundabouts in delivery: a superb ‘misery’ (‘You go to certain misery’); but against that another over-emphasis on a hard syllable (‘And gives me pangs no word can speak’). The church is small and intimate – just right for these songs – so does not need that.
Taken from Welcome all the pleasures, Z 339, Here The Deities Approve boasts a haunting melody (Patricia Petibon recorded it as a solo voice number on her album La traversée). Here, Fentross’s theorbo sounded a bit heavy, and all was not well vocally around ‘All the blessings they have sent you’, so maybe it was good that a Purcell Ground (which seems to be a Stairway to Heaven wannabe!) followed: the C minor, Z 221, a masterpiece that absolutely took us outside of time itself thanks to Mike Fentross’s exquisite performance. Heavenly, if you’ll pardon the pun.
One of Purcell’s most poignant songs is O Solitude. It also seems a perfect prolongation from that Ground (again, ‘night’ was over-emphasised). The pace was ideal, as it was for Music for a While (a murmur of appreciation running though the audience!). Finally, Crown the Altar (from Celebrate the festival, Z 321) full of energy and beauty. A lovely encore: Arnalta’s Act II aria, ‘Oblivion soave’ from Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea. Perfect.
Keep an eye out for this chap, Constantin Zimmermann: I see he has performed Puck (Purcell’s Fairy Queen) in two runs in successive years at Augsburg, so here is an obvious affinity with Purcell. There is a Monteverdi Vespes with him from the 2017 Musique Cordiale Festival available on YouTube, but the sound is not good, not at all. Better to encounter Zimmermann in the flesh.
Colin Clarke
Featured Image: Constantin Zimmermann (countertenor) and Mike Fentross (theorbo)