© Michel Cardin
The London Manuscript

Solo Sonata 24 in E flat Major
(Smith-Crawford 30)

The complete and updated version of 'London unveiled' by Michel Cardin can be downloaded as pdf files: 'London unveiled'

This sonata is more inclined toward the character of its tonality as described by Mattheson than is the sixth sonata, S-C 10, which shares the same key. This work, which has more of a serious, austere aura than the earlier sonata, also exists in the Dresden version with a different prelude and the addition of the courante of sonata S-C 10. In London, the typical unmeasured prelude has been obviously added afterwards since it takes up the space left by the allemande’s second page. (See the General context about the preludes). It should be noted that from this point onward, to the end of the manuscript, almost all the pages are in the hand of the same copyist, a person whose work is more frequently encountered throughout the entire London manuscript than that of any of the other five copyists that have been identified. He does make slight alterations in calligraphic style during the course of the last three sonatas. Whether this was done for effect or was simply as a result of the passage of time between copies is a question open to conjecture.

Though the Prelude is quite free, it is nevertheless important to make a clear distinction between the quavers and semi-quavers. As is the case elsewhere, it is apparent that Weiss was seeking irregular accents and phrase lengths, ingredients that give an interesting flavour to a work of this type. The composer takes great pleasure in delaying a contrapuntal resolution in one voice whilst simultaneously providing proper cadential closure in another. All of this gives an interesting dislocation of phrase lengths and harmonic rhythm. This subtle textural device confirms yet again the exacting, confident character of the composer. One can also find an example of a case where the harmonic restrictions of the instrument are turned to the advantage of the composer when the contra A natural bass (which is compulsory because it is an open string) is used instead of the expected A flat. The composer wins the gamble since the effect moves from that of an unexpected curiosity to a familiar treatment through frequent usage during the sonata.

The Allemande is replete with scattered right hand fingerings and difficult left hand material. It begins on the down beat rather than on the pick-up, which makes it a bit unusual in that it shares this feature with only one other allemande in the entire manuscript (the allemande of sonata 25). Moments of mystical fervour are encountered in the second part of this piece. The Rigaudon affirms a very accented character while the rhythm rhythm tenaciously sustains some lively melodic lines. The sign appears on two occasions indicating a vibrato. The sarabande (Sarab: ), though similar to others in the volume, has a unique musical personality due to certain harmonic progressions. The artistic control necessary for the interpretation of complex sonorities hidden within tablature notation is put to the test during a passage in the second part of the piece. A bass pedal can remain under a trill that occurs on the following beat, the effect of which enriches the musical discourse in a very dramatic fashion. This sonority is unrealisable on anything other than the original instrument. When the same sequence appears in the very next modulating measure however, it becomes quite apparent that the previous technique would be inappropriate since the resultant sound would be unbalanced in this context.

The Gavotte contains much of the same confidence of the rigadoon. Of graceful character, it presents a rhythmic pulsation and a motif of descending basses which is similar to that of the rigadoon of the twenty-first sonata in C minor (and not similar to the gavotte of this same sonata no 21). As a result, their titles are actually interchangeable. The elegant Menuet, which is stately but somewhat precious, is evocative of the movements of court dancers. The performance difficulty of this movement lies in the search for a clean but not rigid playing style. As elsewhere, the guiding principle behind each phrase should be in the emulation of natural singing.

The heading Le Sans Soucie seems to refer to the Sans Souci palace near Berlin, but this was constructed at least twenty years after the composition. The reference would exist only if the titel was to be added later. Nevertheless, Weiss visited for sure in 1728 the king Frederick II of Prussia, a man who valued French culture as much as music, who invited prominent intellectuals like Voltaire to visit him in the aforementioned palace. Noted for his word play and clever wit Frederick wrote an enigmatic message to Voltaire:

Weiss seems to be anticipating through this delightful work something of the happiness that will infuse his spirit during his visit to Frederick II, himself a flautist, and his sister Wilhelmine, a lutenist and admirer of Weiss. The piece is subtitled Allegro assai, but is written in quavers rather than semi-quavers, a notational strategy designed possibly to inhibit an excessively fast performance. One can easily imagine a band of merry-makers in a coach headed for Sans Souci. This also brings to mind the theme and jumping rhythms of the caprice written by J. S. Bach “on the occasion of his brother’s departure”, with its ‘song of the post carriage driver’. This allegro follows the rhythmic model of the paysanne of the preceding sonata. While calling up images of the German countryside and Princess Wilhelmine, the work invites us to consider the irony inherent in the knowledge that Bayreuth, where the princess patronised lutenists successors of Weiss of the stature of Falckenhagen, would at one time celebrate the virtues of the most intimate of instruments, the lute, and, a few decades later, be home to the Wagnerian most excessive of romantic works. It would seem logical to appreciate the complementarity of these opposed musical tendencies, while noting that the composers of music for large resources were also sensitive to the aesthetic demands of more subtle instruments. (Wagner opined that the orchestra was a large guitar; Berlioz composed his operas on the guitar; Bach and Monteverdi used the lute or theorbo in major orchestral works).

< Sonata N° 23      Sonata N° 25 >

 

  Copyright © 1998-2006 Laurent Duroselle, Markus Lutz

A partir du 22 Novembre 1998 les statistiques sont aussi suivies par  Consultez les