Pandolfi: Complete VIOLIN SONATAS

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
All we know about the mysterious Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Meali--as his full name runs--is that he "flourished" at the court of Innsbruck between 1660 and 1669. And we probably wouldn't know even that, save for the fact that two sets of violin sonatas, designated Op. 3 and Op. 4, respectively, and dating from 1660, have somehow survived to the present day. Anyone familiar with the music of this period will realize just what a treasure these works potentially represent, for this was the moment of the emergence of the first great school of violin playing in Italy and Austria, typified by the dazzling music of Biber and his Salzburg contemporaries. Pandolfi was clearly one of the gang: his music is by turns winsomely lyrical and technically brilliant. None of these 12 works is longer than eight minutes, and each is a little suite of arias and dances full of contrast and invention. Andrew Manze is not just the world's best baroque violinist, he's one of the world's best violinists, period. His interpretations of these appealing sonatas are matchless, and Harmonia Mundi's sonics bathe both violin and harpsichord in a golden glow. Magnificent. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

All we know about the mysterious Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Meali--as his full name runs--is that he "flourished" at the court of Innsbruck between 1660 and 1669. And we probably wouldn't know even that, save for the fact that two sets of violin sonatas, designated Op. 3 and Op. 4, respectively, and dating from 1660, have somehow survived to the present day. Anyone familiar with the music of this period will realize just what a treasure these works potentially represent, for this was the moment of the emergence of the first great school of violin playing in Italy and Austria, typified by the dazzling music of Biber and his Salzburg contemporaries. Pandolfi was clearly one of the gang: his music is by turns winsomely lyrical and technically brilliant. None of these 12 works is longer than eight minutes, and each is a little suite of arias and dances full of contrast and invention. Andrew Manze is not just the world's best baroque violinist, he's one of the world's best violinists, period. His interpretations of these appealing sonatas are matchless, and Harmonia Mundi's sonics bathe both violin and harpsichord in a golden glow. Magnificent. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating and entertaining recording.......2007-03-08

The works of Pandolfi are performed by Andrew Manze with no little fire and imagination here. As others have pointed out, little is know about Pandolfi, except that he was roughly contemporary with Biber and Schmelzer.

I have been listening to and enjoying this rather strange recording of some rather strange Baroque music for a few years now and I am a little surprised by some of the negative reviews of this recording. I listen to, study, make scores and play the music of Biber and Schmelzer in my spare time - I am a cornettist - and it strikes me that Pandolfi is a similar composer. It is a pity we have only these sonatas as a testament to the composer. Perhaps if we found some ensemble music or a Mass or an opera, we might have a clearer picture of the composer? Perhaps, perhaps not. After all, Corelli left us no vocal music, for instance - only concerti and sonatas.

I enjoy listening to this disc in my car when I'm driving. I can't say why.

Please don't be put off by the rather negative reviews of this recording.

Unimpressive Compositions and Performance.......2005-10-13

Giovanni Pandolfi is one of several obscure Italian composers who were primarily away from their native country composing for foreign courts and patrons: Uccellini and Matteis are some of the others. Andrew Manze is also one of the leading musicians in exploring previously unknown composers from the Early Baroque period. Although I kind of knew what to expect in terms of Manze's shortcomings as one previous reviewer has mentioned, the compositions themselves on this album are mediocre in terms of its contemporaries and amount to nothing but scale practice. The rather deceptive claim by the main reviewer that no one can match this performance is already not a good sign. Although true, the only reason no one can presently match this performance is not due to any of lack of competing talent but simply because Manze is the only talent to have recorded it. Manze performing is not really saying much at all either I'm afraid because Manze's talent is more an academic one rather than of a professional nature and so that is the deficiency which for me sends this mediocre work back to the depths of obscurity where it had properly remained for good reason.

Manze is at it again as with every piece he performs for the Italian style that has absolutely no passion of any sort. They are lifeless robotic excercises and nothing more! Manze is principally an academic performer instead of a professional one and his performances sound like scale and technique lessons instead of the passionate interpretations they are supposed to be. I can't stand them as it really only appeals to violinists who need to practice the techniques that are painfully overemphasized ad nauseam in recordings such as this one! This sluggish screeching resulting from his over-methodical applications of technique sounds like a set of nails scratching the chalkboard every time. It's self-defeating really as such over-methodical performances make him sound like nothing more than an amateur! They are tedious beyond belief! In terms of professional performance cirlces he is really an amateur in many ways. Compare Manze/Romanesca and Goebels/Musica Antiqua Koln for Biber's 'Mystery Sonatas' where Manze's deficiencies are shamefully exposed in properly performing Italian/Catholic tradition Early Baroque pieces. Although both he and Goebels use traditional intruments and techniques, Goebels' fluid and emotive interpretation leaves Manze sounding stuck in the mud of his own confused ones. An even better example of this in terms of Early Baroque Italian performers such as Pandolfi is Manze and McGegan performing Uccellini who is somewhat of an Italian contemporary. Just as with Goebels for Biber, Nicholas McGegan's traditional performance of Uccellini on the Baroque violin is warm, fluid, vibrant, and full of life whereas Manze's performance is as fossilized as the one here. With Manze it's no longer a Baroque interpretation but a prehistoric one instead! With performances for Pandolfi there isn't yet really any choice except Manze but, to listeners who care about their ears, I tell you avoid Manze like the plague whenever possible. He knows great techniques but simply doesn't know how to properly apply them for public performance. In short, he simply stinks as a public performer and, despite all his technical knowledge, he is ironically one of the worst solo violinists you can get for virtually anything you might want to buy!

This album is way too expensive for both the composer and performer that is in it. Pandolfi is probably the least gifted of the obscure early 17th century Italian composers: these works are nothing but basic scale practice for archaic methods. I have great respect for Manze as an innovative musicologist exploring these obscure Baroque works and the difficult techniques they demand but he is simply pathetic as a performer and that's the simple truth! He focuses so much on techniques that he limits his ability to express the lyricism they are intended to evoke in the first place. Avoid this album and avoid Manze whenever possible as he's more an academic than a public performer.

Beautiful violin sonatas of the "middle" baroque.......2003-08-19

Andrew Manze is an extraordinarily gifted violinst. Let me say right away that Manze's playing is not "squeaky" or "scratchy," as authentic performances of baroque violin music are often (sometimes with justification) said to be. Manze is clearly a virtuoso but he also plays the slower passages of these sonatas with great feeling.

Pandolfi's wonderful sonatas are from the middle baroque. Most popular baroque music, e.g., Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, etc., is from the late Baroque, i.e., the early 18th Century. Pandolfi's music sounds quite different from what most listeners, familiar with music of the late Baroque, will recognize as a typical baroque violin sonata. For one thing, each sonata is in one continuous movement, during which there are multiple changes of tempo and mood. And the playing seems to me to be considerably more varied than in the typical late baroque violin sonata. Pandolfi's sonatas are clearly not from the alleged "sewing school" of Italian baroque music, according to which view all Italian baroque music sounds the same (in my view, many of Vivaldi's sonatas do indeed sound the same). My personal favorite Pandolfi sonata is probably "La Melana," which, contrary to another reviewer's claim, does have a beautiful lyric melody.

I think it quite unfortunate that the Opus 3 & 4 are all we have of Pandolfi's music. I would gladly trade a few dozen Boccherini pieces for one or two more of Pandolfi's lovely violin sonatas.

If you like Pandolfi's sonatas, you will probably also like Uccellini's sonatas, many of which have been recorded by Manze on another of his CDs with Harmonia Mundi.

Interesting, but questionable.......2003-05-31

I really enjoy this CD very much. Interesting liner notes, really beautiful CD, and very "fun" music to listen to. Manze's performance and interpretation is a blend of classical virtuosity and almost rock-star like bravura in his fortspinnung portions, although very sensitive to the lyric portions of the piece. Really, a wonderful performance....

But (and this is really my question with other of Manze's recordings as well) how much of this is real? That is, how much of what I'm hearing is Pandolfi, and how much of it is Manze? I don't necessarily think that this is a moot point, although I also suppose it's arguable. Either way, I'm not convinced that this is necessarily Pandolfi -- although it IS very good.

Inventive Baroque Violin Music.......2002-09-17

This cd introduced me to the work of a baroque composer that I had previously been unaware of. The liner notes say that almost nothing is known about Pandolfi, and that only his Op. 3 and Op. 4 (the violin sonatas on this album) have survived.
Most of the music is not lyrically beautiful; rather, I would characterize it as inventive and imaginative. If you ever get the feeling that all baroque violin music sounds more or less the same, try this disc. Pandolfi definitely has his own distinctive voice.
The playing is exceptionally good, as is usual with Manze and Egarr. The sound quality is also excellent. I would recommend this cd to anyone who wants to explore the work of less well-known composers.

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