Attempts to express non-musical images in terms of music have been made from very early times. Completely representational in nature this "fringe area" of music is more extensive than one would imagine. It is not always easy clearly to define the various forms that it takes, for they frequently intermingle; nevertheless three main trends can be observed: imitation of sounds, musical representation of pictures, musical representation of ideas or emotions. The peculiar attraction of this music lies in the fact that all this has to be achieved by purely musical means, without the assistance of words. The simplest but èerhaps most entertaining form that it takes is the mimicry of sounds such as animal noises or musical instruments. With audible pleasure composers throughout the ages have employed this device; we can trace it from the thirteenth century onwards, through the English "nightingale" music of around 1600, through the works of innumerable French, Italian and German composers, right up to Beethoven, Johann Strauss and even later. A few of the pieces on this recording belong, at least in part, to this category (Farina's Capriccio, animal imitations in the Biber sonata). Occasionally these imitations provide the basis for truly artistic composition (Farina's "La Lira," Biber's "Die Katz").
What proves more complicated is conveying in music the pictorial scene. Over the centuries, however, musical formulas have been established which conjure up particular associations, forming a kind of bridge between the visual and the auditory. The following items fall into this category of programme music: mounting the surgical chair, lowering the apparatus, tying the patient down, flowing of blood (from The Operation by Marais); passages in the Biber sonata following immediately upon the animal sounds such as the heneral hubub after the call of the cuckoo, the cackling confusion in the farmyard after "Hen" and "Cock"; the scene depicting sleep in Vivaldi's "La Notte"; the fencing scene in Schmelzer's Fechtschuel.
A third aspect of programme music is representing ideas and images musically by means of complex associations. Here we have Schmelzer's atmosphere-creating dances, in Marais' work the solemn contemplation (of death) and feelings on seeing the appliances, and practically the whole of the Vivaldi concerto. It is here that, particularly in Baroque music, the borderline between programme and absolute music is no longer clearly defined. Baroque music, in fact, always wished to express something, if only a general impression, to portray or evoke some strong emotion.
Musicologists are well acquainted with Carlo Farina's Capriccio stravagante. In spite of this, however only a few bars quoted as examples are generally known. Farina, a brilliant pupil of Monteverdi and orchestral leader under Heinrich Schütz, has, in this work, so ingeniously interwoven realistic sound-painting with subtle and highly artistic irony that the listener is quite bewildered The piece opens with a folk dance, parts of which constantly recur, inserted between the wildest of sallies to bring the listener back to earth again. Following immediately upon the light, unpretentious Canzona comes “La Lira," an imitation of the hurdy-gurdy, which at the same time provides the basis for an harmonically bold instrumental passage of some depth. The "hurdy-gurdy" is now succeeded by the "Little shawm", in which typical Italian pifferino music is heard. "Lira variata" is a dance as it would have been performed on a hurdy-gurdy at that time.
Next comes an excerpt from the introductory Canzona providing some respite before a boldly harmonic col legno passage (“Here strike with the wood of the bow" - the first col legno in the history of music). Then again variations on themes from the Canzona until the trumpet, clarino, drum and, of all things, the hen and the cock are imitated.
Another brief return to the Canzona and it is the tum of the flute; here the violinist is instructed to play "as close up to the bridge as possible” - as later, too, in the “Fiferino della Soldatesca" - the very first use of the term ponticello.
After the flute we have a sizable excerpt from the Canzona, which leads from a witty imitation of fugal practice in contemporary English music for viols into an imitation of organ with tremolo effect. The organist has attempted modulations he is incapable of carrying through and becomes inextricably entangled in disharmonies.
The subsequent snatch from the Canzona is derisive laughter A fife accompanied by drums is interrupted, again by the Canzona, as whining cats appear on the scene for a concert that is abruptly terminated. (The instructions read: “To be performed wickedly and with the greatest possible alacrity, in the manner in which cats, after biting one another, finally disperse, as is their wont.”)
Following innocently upon this comes a "serious" polyphonic instrumental passage - only to be rudely interrupted by the barking of dogs.
The music can at last go on, but the musicians are by this time somewhat confused, and stumble into syncopation. “La Chitarra spagniuola" (Spanish Guitar) leads into a solemn instrumental piece which, by means of a diminuendo, stipulated by the composer and an unfinished close (with many rests), gradually dwindles into nothing. ln Capriccio stravagante, a true musical joke, Farina risks combinations of notes that were only to be taken up again centurie later. lt is also striking that Farina wrote his extremely precise instruction in two languages, Italian and German.
Heinrich Schmelzer was "Director of Court Dances" to Leopold I. He wrote practically all the ballet music for the Italian operas performed in Vienna in the second hall of the seventeenth century. His ballet Fechtschuel (The Fencing School) opens in a mood of military bravado. Like fighting cocks, the fencing partners puff themselves up to give themeselves courage, ln the following three dances varying moods are brought out: in the first that of a somewhat melancholy leave-taking; in the Sarabande one of boisterous conviviality (the sarabande in those days often took the form of a quick, bouncing dance); in the Courante one of courtly, foppish conceit. ln the next movement the combat itself in all its phases is depicted, the exaggerated, the cautious prowling the furious clashing of cold steel and finally the wounding thrust lt is punctuated throughout by the stamping of the duellists' feet. In the closing "Bader Aria" we hear the loser's whimpering as his wounds are dressed. There can be no doubt of the satirical intent of certain moments of this piece; Schmelzer’s pupil, Biber, was also given to making fun of military pomp and circumstance.
Heinrich I. F. Biber, one of the most interesting composers of the seventeenth century, was famous throughout Europe as a virtuoso of the violin. In his “Animal Sonata" the sounds of the nightingale, the cuckoo, the frog, the hen, the cock, the quail and the cat, and strangely enough a "Musketeer March" as well, are all irnitated, incorporated within the framework of a violin sonata. The resulting work is lively, sparkling and spring-like. ln spite of the light-hearted, comical nature of the work Btber saw nothing out of place in dedicating it to "the greater glory of God, the Virgin Mary and Saint Cecilia". Obviously in baroque times even at an archbishop's court one's notions of the pleasures in the next world were firmly based on the delights of this one.
Marin Marais was chief player of the bass viol at the court of Louis XIV. ln France at that time the bass viol was still the most distinguished of the sttinged instruments; it was the virtuoso soloist par excellence. The violin, which in italy, Germany and Austria had long since taken over the lead, was here still delegated to the ranks of dance music instrument. Marais wrote hundreds of works for the bass viol, utilizing its technical capabilities to the utmost, as did his Austrian contemporary Biber for the violin. Marais composed numerous pieces of programme music, the most graphic and interesting of which is the Operation for the Removal of a Stone. When one considers how many people at that time died as a result of such an operation because no regard was given to hygiene, the idea of using it as a subject for a musical work seems altogether too frivolous, especially in respect of its ironic ending, “Convalescence".
Although all the scenes are depicted in purely musical terms, owing to the speed at which the events take place a speaker is employed to elucidate matters. ln the original copy the explanations are inserted above the appropriate passages.
One can well understand that the “Sight of the Apparatus" fills the patient with terror, considering the operation would have been carried out with him fully conscious, without the aid of an anaesthetic. Fear of pain then would have been the dominant feeling, Alter the "Trembling at the Sight" (of the apparatus) comes the "Decision to Mount" (the operation chair). On his “Arriving at the Top," the "Apparatus is Lowered." Now the poor wretch is overcome with “Solemn Thoughts," whether he will ever see his wife and children again or whether he must die. The musical phrase used for this is taken from the "Tombeau" (funeral music played beside the grave). Then follows the "Tying Down of Arms and Legs with Silk Cloths" (or cords). The operation begins: “Here the lncision is Made," "The Forceps are Inserted", "Here the Stone is Removed!", the patient's "Voice Fullers", he faints with the pain. "The Blood Flows Out"; nevertheless the wound is not sewn up. "The Binding Cords are Loosened" and "You are Transporte to Bed" - the last sentence is suddenly addressed direct to the poor patient himself. He was lucky however, "The Convalescence" shows that he was one of the few that survived.
Antonio Vlvaldi's "La Notte" depicts a person's experiences or dreams during the night. In the first movement, quaking in every limb, a timid creature makes his way through the darkness of a street in Venice, or gropes his way through the roms of an old palazzo. His heart beats frantically (strings), he trembles (flute). In the Presto his fear borders on madness, wherever he lools he sees ghostly figures (Fantasmi) to terrify him, no matter which way he turns there is no escaping them. At last he imagines he has found peace and quiet (the flute passages at the close of the movement) but is continually tormented by nightmares (bassoon triplets). ln the next movement the breathless chase continues, constantly interrupted by horrible faces. Finally (Largo, "Il Sonno" he falls into a deep and dreamless sleep. ln the final Allegro further violent dreams are described. They flare up and appear to die down, sometimes pleasant images are seen. The piece finisches with the heartbeats slowly ebbing away.