The baroque spirit in all his musical shapes.
Today we will focus on the chalumeau. We will hear this 18th century reed instrument in works by Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Friedrich Fasch, Christoph Graupner, Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Adolf Hasse.
The chalumeau is similar to the clarinet, a reed instrument with a single reed.
It is considered to be the precursor of the clarinet. The inventor of the clarinet, Swiss instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner, based his invention on the chalumeau, but the chalumeau is not much older, and the two instruments continued to exist side by side throughout the 18th century.
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
1. Concerto ‘con molti strumenti’ in C Major RV 558
– I Allegro molto
– II Andante molto
– III Allegro
Europa Galante led by Fabio Biondi
(cd: Vivaldi – Concerti per mandolini, concerti con molti stromenti. Virgin Veritas – 7243 5 45527 2 4, 2002)
Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688 – 1758)
2. Concerto for chalumeau in B-flat major, FWV L:B1
– I Largo
– II Un poco Allegro
– III Largo
– IV Allegro
Gili Renot, chalumeau. Accademia Daniel led by Shalev Ad-El
(CD: Johann Friedrich Fasch – Cantatas. CPO 999 674-2, 2000)
Christoph Graupner (1683 – 1760)
3. Triple Concerto in C Major, GWV 306
– I Vivace
– II –
– III Allegro
Gili Renot, chalumeau. Benny Aghassi, bassoon. Thomas Fritzsch, viola da gamba. Accademia Daniel led by Shalev Ad-El
(CD: Christoph Graupner – Concerti e Musica da tavola. CPO 777 645-2, 2015)
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 – 1767)
4. Suite for 2 chalumeaux, 2 strings and basso continuo, in F Major, TWV 44:6/55:F2
– I Ouverture
– II Menuet
– III Gavotte
– IV Passepied
– V Air
– VI Gigue
Erik Bosgraaf, Carl Rosman, chalumeau. Lucile Boulanger, Robert Smith, viola da gamba. Alessandro Pianu, harpsichord
(CD: Telemann – The trio sonatas for recorder and viola da gamba. Brilliant Classics 96393, 2022)
Johann Adolf Hasse (1699 – 1783)
5. Concerto voor oboe, chalumeau, bassoon and basso continuo, in F Major
– I Adagio
– II Allegretto
– III Adagio
– IV Allegretto ma poco
Xenia Löffler, oboe. Ernst Schlader, chalumeau. György Farkas, bassoon. Katharina Litschig, violoncello. Michaela Hasselt, harpsichord
(cd: The Oboe in Dresden. Accent ACC 24361, 2019)
Addition
Antonio Vivaldi
6. From: Concert ‘con molti stromenti’ in C Major, RV 555:
– II Largo a piacimento
Europa Galante olv Fabio Biondi
(cd: Vivaldi – Concerti per mandolini, concerti con molti stromenti. Virgin Veritas – 7243 5 45527 2 4, 2002)
Featured image: Chalumeau made by Klenig (1700-1720)
