“New Discoveries, The Amazing Lute Manuscripts of Orazio Albani da Urbino (1576-1653),” Boston Early Music Festival’s presentation of lutenist Paul O’Dette on Saturday evening at First Church, Cambridge, opened with the artist explaining the historic significance of the evening’s music. The details are well summarized in the booklet [HERE]. Suffice it to say here that the efforts of Franco Pavan, Professor of Lute at the Conservatory of Verona resulted in the discovery of 626 new compositions for lute in Albani’s private library. The majority of the collection consists of short dance movements, toccatas, fantasias and song transcriptions. Of the 31 performed 4 were attributed unequivocally to Lorenzino Tracetti, an acclaimed lutenist of the 16th century. Three unequivocally came from Vincenzo Pinti, another Renaissance rock star of the lute. Six are thought possibly to be by one or the other of these two, while composer “Anonymous” wrote the rest.
Preludium, Toccata and Fantasia by Tracetti opened with a series of bright and buoyant arpeggios. Short phrases repeated in varying registers. The ending, on a gently dissonant rising broken chord, seemed designed to flow logically to the next composition. The Toccata’s initial short runs gave way to longer scales, and passages with intricate inner voices. This listener particularly enjoyed scale passages in which Odette brilliantly navigated adjacent courses. The songful Fantasia dispensed lovely motifs in the upper registers while the inner voices filled in the harmonies. Intimate but brilliant, soulful but substantial, Odette’s skill and virtuosity brought out the lute’s colors and textures.
Two “Branles”, courtly dances, closed the first part. Both in a minor mode, the first, consisting of arpeggios and short motifs, had an earthy, humble feel. The second “Branle de villages” evoked a village folk dance. O’Dette convincingly contrasted the emotional qualities with the stateliness of the preceding pieces.
Prior to intermission O’Dette’s sound had difficulty reaching us. First Church in Cambridge is simply too large for unamplified solo lute. This listener heard all the notes from a seat close to the stage. I wondered whether those are the back of the hall heard well. After intermission, the volume improved, although I could not tell how.
Following the intermission, we heard 12 pieces in three sets. The standout was an anonymous arrangement of Orlando de Lassus’s chanson, Susanne un jour. Its singing upper line, notes ringing over one another and the sparkling of elaborate ornamentation will abide in our memories. Four of the 12 were Gagliarda, a stately, yet lively dance. One (possibly by Pinti) was elaborately ornamented, while two others (also possibly by Pinti) featured rhythmic freedom that we had not heard previously and which imparted a Romantic tinge to the music.
O’Dette encored with the unornamented version of one of the Gagliarda from the second part of the program. He closed with an arrangement of a song by Caccini; its simple melody, easily recognizable throughout, impressed upon the listener that clarity matters more than virtuosic display. What a satisfying recital.