Fabio Biondi - Johan Helmich Roman: Assaggi per violino solo (2024) [Hi-Res/MP3]

Through this exciting recording, the violinist Fabio Biondi pursues his exploration of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century repertoire for solo violin. Two years after his complete recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's solo Sonatas and Partitas (V 5467), he lands on entirely unknown territory, the Assaggi by the Swedish composer Johan Helmich Roman (1694-1758). Rarely lasting more than twelve minutes, the Assaggi is thus a fascinating melting-pot of multiple aesthetics in vogue in Europe at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Fabio Biondi champions this little known territory of the European late baroque with a voracious generosity and highly eloquent sense of phrase.

In his own time Roman was an important figure in the violin world. His career led him to the four corners of Europe, affording him the opportunity to meet many crucially important figures on the German and more southern musical stages, composers as well as renowned performers, especially when he was in Italy, where he visited Tartini. He also played with Handel. In Dresden he met Pisendel, then dazzling everyone with his playing. In Hamburg, he probably met Telemann, whose Fantasias for Solo Violin, a highly creative and secret aspect of the great North German baroque master's work, he studied intensely. Product Notes Through this exciting recording, the violinist Fabio Biondi pursues his exploration of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century repertoire for solo violin. Two years after his complete recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's solo Sonatas and Partitas (V 5467), he lands on entirely unknown territory, the Assaggi by the Swedish composer Johan Helmich Roman (1694-1758). Rarely lasting more than twelve minutes, the Assaggi is thus a fascinating melting-pot of multiple aesthetics in vogue in Europe at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Fabio Biondi champions this little known territory of the European late baroque with a voracious generosity and highly eloquent sense of phrase. In his own time Roman was an important figure in the violin world. His career led him to the four corners of Europe, affording him the opportunity to meet many crucially important figures on the German and more southern musical stages, composers as well as renowned performers, especially when he was in Italy, where he visited Tartini. He also played with Handel. In Dresden he met Pisendel, then dazzling everyone with his playing. In Hamburg, he probably met Telemann, whose Fantasias for Solo Violin, a highly creative and secret aspect of the great North German baroque master's work, he studied intensely.

All of these encounters had a long-term influence on Johan Helmich Roman's style, a different and important take on les goûts reunis. If the highly polyphonic structures of the Assaggi naturally reminds us of the Swede's Saxon origins (BeRI 314), if their study-like nature willingly brings to mind the twenty-four Fantasias of Telemann, works as much intended for professional musicians as for accomplished amateurs (the last movement of BeRI 310), the harmonies, which like the melodic outlines in Roman's work are subtly tinged with an Italianate flavour, clearly recall contrasting works by Tartini (the second part of BeRI 320 for instance, or again the Andante of BeRI 324).

Tracklist
01 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Minor, BeRI 310_ I. Grave
02 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Minor, BeRI 310_ II.
03 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Minor, BeRI 310_ III.
04 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Minor, BeRI 310_ IV.
05 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 320_ I.
06 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 320_ II.
07 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 320_ III.
08 - Assaggio per violino solo in B Minor, BeRI 324_ I.
09 - Assaggio per violino solo in B Minor, BeRI 324_ II. Larghetto
10 - Assaggio per violino solo in B Minor, BeRI 324_ III.
11 - Assaggio per violino solo in D Minor, BeRI 311_ I.
12 - Assaggio per violino solo in D Minor, BeRI 311_ II.
13 - Assaggio per violino solo in D Minor, BeRI 311_ III.
14 - Assaggio per violino solo in D Minor, BeRI 311_ IV.
15 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Major, BeRI 303_ I.
16 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Major, BeRI 303_ II.
17 - Assaggio per violino solo in C Major, BeRI 303_ III.
18 - Assaggio per violino solo in A Major, BeRI 301_ I.
19 - Assaggio per violino solo in A Major, BeRI 301_ II.
20 - Assaggio per violino solo in A Major, BeRI 301_ III.
21 - Assaggio per violino solo in A Major, BeRI 301_ IV.
22 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 314_ I.
23 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 314_ II. Allegro
24 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 314_ III.
25 - Assaggio per violino solo in G Minor, BeRI 314_ IV. Tempo di Minuetto. Non troppo allegro