Muffat: Componimenti Musicali Roberto Loreggian

• Gottlieb Muffat (1690 - 1770): Suite No. 1 in C Major:
• 1 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: I. Ouverture 03:17
• 2 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: II. Allemande 03:23
• 3 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: III. Courante 02:05
• 4 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: IV. Air 02:26
• 5 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: V. Rigaudon 00:49
• 6 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: VI. Menuet et trio 02:28
• 7 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: VII. Adagio 01:02
• 8 Muffat: Suite No. 1 in C Major: VIII. Finale 01:49
• Suite No. 2 in G Minor:
• 9 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: I. Prelude 02:46
• 10 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: II. Allemande 03:08
• 11 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: III. Courante 02:27
• 12 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: IV. Sarabande 03:03
• 13 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: V. Bourée 00:59
• 14 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VI. Menuet et trio 03:03
• 15 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VII. Fantaisie 01:44
• 16 Muffat: Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VIII. Gigue 02:10
• Suite No. 3 in D Major:
• 17 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: I. Fantaisie 02:21
• 18 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: II. Allemande 04:28
• 19 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: III. Courante 02:22
• 20 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: IV. Sarabande 03:53
• 21 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: V. Menuet 01:11
• 22 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: VI. Rigaudon bizarre 02:10
• 23 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: VII. Air 02:40
• 24 Muffat: Suite No. 3 in D Major: VIII. Finale 02:41
• Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major:
• 25 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: I. Fantaisie 05:15
• 26 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: II. Allemande 02:14
• 27 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: III. Courante 02:09
• 28 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: IV. Sarabande 03:08
• 29 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: V. La hardiesse 02:13
• 30 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: VI. Menuet I, menuet II 03:04
• 31 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: VII. Air 02:45
• 32 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: VIII. Hornepippe 02:31
• 33 Muffat: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat Major: IX. Gigue 01:42
• Suite No.5 in D Minor:
• 34 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: I. Ouverture 02:59
• 35 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: II. Allemande 03:01
• 36 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: III. Courante 01:50
• 37 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: IV. Sarabande 03:00
• 38 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: V. Menuet 01:05
• 39 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: VI. Rigaudon 01:24
• 40 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: VII. Menuet et trio 02:41
• 41 Muffat: Suite No.5 in D Minor: VIII. Gigue 01:16
• Suite No. 6 in G Major:
• 42 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: I. Fantaisie 02:24
• 43 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: II. Fuga a quattro 02:28
• 44 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: III. Allemande 02:30
• 45 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: IV. Courante 02:26
• 46 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: V. Sarabande 03:36
• 47 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: VI. La coquette 00:51
• 48 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: VII. Menuet et trio 02:30
• 49 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: VIII. Air 01:41
• 50 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: IX. Gigue 02:50
• 51 Muffat: Suite No. 6 in G Major: X. Menuet en cornes de chasse 01:29
• Ciacona in G Major:
• 52 Muffat: Ciacona in G Major 10:41
• Total Runtime 02:14:08

Info for Muffat: Componimenti Musicali

Gottlieb Muffat’s oeuvre, dedicated almost in its entirety to keyboard instruments and skilfully straddling the stile antico and stile moderno, deserves more detailed attention than it has ever been afforded. The majority of sources containing music by Muffat are unpublished, with only two collections published at the composer’s own behest during his years in the Emperor’s service in Vienna. One of these is the Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo (Augsburg, 1739).

This collection contains 6 Suites and a Ciacona with 38 variations for solo harpsichord. The composer describes these seven works as capricci or galanterie to be performed in the stile moderno and to suit modern tastes. Although arranged in the conventional order of Allemande–Courante–Sarabande–Gigue, Muffat also added various optional dances, displaying no shortage of innovation. The first movements are introductory in nature, often fugal in form and varying in style and pace: Ouverture (Suites 1 and 5), Prelude (Suite 2) and Fantaisie (Suites 3, 4 and 6). The seventh piece in the collection, the Ciacona con 38 Variazioni, is a special case. As Christopher Hogwood suggests in his introduction to the modern edition (Orpheus, 2009), the Ciacona could be another tribute to the imperial family, as the number of variations matches the age Charles VI’s niece, Maria Amalia, would have been on 22 October 1739.

Muffat’s interest in contemporary harpsichord composition is most clearly evident in his transcription and reinterpretation of works by George Frideric Handel, based on a manuscript copy of the Suites des pièces pour le clavecin he held in his library. Muffat reworked the suites in Handel’s collection, suggesting new ornamentation, distributing the notes differently between the hands, changing the clefs and sometimes note values, and adding slurs and cadenzas. He then applied everything he had observed while rewriting Handel’s suites to his own Componimenti musicali: including a table of ornaments, which the composer asks be played with ‘art and discretion’; he considers the positioning of the player’s hands on the keyboard in his writing and avoids using multiple clefs on one line to prevent confusion; he describes the optimum way to use the thumb for accidentals; and he provides the correct technical interpretation of trills and slurs.

Study of the Componimenti reveals what could be defined as a pedagogical intent, as well as a clear desire to make the score unambiguous and accessible by means of his introductory instructions. The collection contributed greatly to setting a new benchmark for keyboard writing in the lands of the Viennese Empire.

Roberto Loreggian, harpsichord

Roberto Loreggian
Having achieved, with the highest grades, a diploma in organ and harpsichord, he perfected his talents at the Conservatory of The Hague (NL) under the direction of Ton Koopman. His activities led him to perform in the most important halls: Parco della Musica - Rome, Sala Verdi - Milan, Hercules Saal - Munich (Germany), Teatro Colon - Buenos Aires, Kioi Hall - Tokyo... at highly important festivals: MITO, Sagra Malatestiana (Malatestiana Festival), Pergolesi Spontini Festival, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, musical evenings... performing both as a soloist accompanist and soloist with numerous orchestras, Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Chamber Orchestra of Mantova, the Orchestra of Padua and the Veneto, I Virtuosi Italiani, L'Arte Dell'Arco, I Barocchisti... He has recorded numerous CDs for record labels such as Chandos, Tactus, Arts... which have been internationally acclaimed. He has recorded the complete collection of keyboard music by G. Frescobaldi for the label 'Brilliant' winning the 'National Award for Classic Music Track 2009', for the same label he recorded the complete keyboard music of A. Gabrieli, the complete Harpsichord concerts of B. Galuppi and the harpsichord music of G. F. Haendel. His recordings devoted to harpsichord music by B. Pasquini (Chandos Chaconne) and by G. B. Ferrini (Tactus) received the award 'Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik'. He teaches at the Conservatory 'C. Pollini' in Padova, Italy.

Booklet for Muffat: Componimenti Musicali