Puzzi: Messa a quattro voci (Ramée) - MusicWeb International

António de Pádua Puzzi (c.1762-c.1819)
Messa a quattro voci con Violoncelli, Fagotti, Basso, ed Organo
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Missa pro defunctis de Capella com Fagotes, Violoncelo e Basso del Sigre Mestre Mozart: Introitus & Kyrie (arr. anonymous, after Mozart’s Requiem)
Ensemble Bonne Corde/Diana Vinagre
rec. 2024, Seminário de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Braga, Portugal
Texts and translations included
Reviewed as a download
Ramée RAM2408 [56]

One of the interesting developments in the early music scene of recent times is the exploration of what was written and performed in Portugal in the 18^th and early 19^th centuries. Many composers who were active at that time in Portugal, mostly in Lisbon and more specifically at the court, are hardly known. That goes especially for those who were active in the decades around 1800. The best-known of them is Marcos Portugal, to whom the Ensemble Turicum has devoted several discs. Completely unknown is António de Pádua Puzzi; nothing of his oeuvre has ever been recorded, and he has no entry in New Grove.

However, this disc is interesting not only for bringing the work of an unknown master to our attention, but also because of the performance practice which was typical of Portugal in his time, and unknown elsewhere. That especially concerns the prominent role of cellos and bassoons in sacred music.

In 1716, during the reign of João V, the Lisbon Royal Chapel was elevated to the status of a Patriarchal Church. The sacred music performed there was modelled after the Papal chapels, and this explains why it was scored for voices with an accompaniment of basso continuo alone. Only music written for special occasions in the ecclesiastical calendar or for celebrations within the royal family was scored for voices and orchestra. In the second half of the 18th century the basso continuo became gradually obsolete, and this gave way to the practice of which the Messa a quattro voci by Puzzi is an example. Cellos and bassoons are given obbligato parts, whereas the bass is allocated to double bass and organ.

Obviously, the importance of the parts for cellos and bassoons was closely related to the availability of players with the technical skills to perform them. The presence of virtuosos on these instruments is documented. Among them we find a member of the Avondano family, a dynasty of composers which played a major role in Portuguese music life during the 18th century. He was one of the pupils of Jean-Louis Duport in Paris. The importance of the cellists and the player of the double bass is reflected by their salaries, which were the highest in the orchestra, equating to that of the first violin.

Let us turn now to Puzzi, about whom not much is known. He was active at the court as a singer, but not as a composer. Several composers are known, among them the above-mentioned Portugal, to whom fourteen works are attributed. He was the son of a singer who entered the service of the court as a bass. Before that he had worked at the electoral court in Dresden, where António was born. In 1776, he was admitted to the Royal Music Seminary at the Patriarchal Church. In 1782, he entered the service of the Royal Chapel of Ajuda as a bass singer. The next year he was admitted to the Santa Cecilia Brotherhood, a regulator of labour activity; membership was mandatory for all musicians who wanted to work professionally in Lisbon. As a singer he participated in performances of sacred music as well as secular works (serenatas, operas). His first compositions date from 1791. The mass performed here was written in 1793. At some time in the 1790s he was promoted to Compositor di Camera di S. M. la Regina, the title that is mentioned at the frontispiece of his oratorio Il Giudizio di Salomone of 1799. In October of that year he was hired by the Prince Regent, the future João VI, “with obligation to write and compose the music that is ordered of him for the service of the same lord”, and in 1805 he was appointed, also by the Prince Regent, Music Master of the Royal Basilica of Mafra.

The mass consists of Kyrie and Gloria. The two Kyries are written in long notes, embracing a Christe that is livelier. The Gloria is divided into eight sections, some of which are scored for soli and tutti. Others are arias which show the influence of Italian opera. The ‘Laudamus te’ is an aria for alto, ‘Qui tollis’ is for soprano and ‘Qui sedes’ is scored for tenor. ‘Domine Deus’ opens with duets for sopranos and basses respectively, which later join, creating a four-part fabric. ‘Quoniam tu solus sanctus’ is a duet of the two sopranos. The duration of various sections indicates the many repeats in operatic style: ‘Qui tollis’ takes more than seven minutes, and the few lines of the ‘Gloria in excelsis’ (Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis) 6:34. The latter includes strong dynamic contrasts.

The solo parts are mostly quite virtuosic, but the most remarkable feature of this mass is the prominent role of the cellos and bassoons, which are treated on nearly equal footing with the voices. This is the most notable aspect of the repertoire that was written at the time. Traces of it also manifest themselves in the Responsories for Good Friday by José Joaquim don Santos (Passacaille, 2025). It is to be hoped that more of this kind of repertoire will be recorded.

The programme is extended by the two opening sections of Mozart’s Requiem. The presence of this work in the library of the Cathedral of Évora cannot surprise, as it became very popular across Europe shortly after being written. And it also does not surprise that this copy is an arrangement – arranging music was common practice at the time. That this arrangement is scored almost exactly like Puzzi’s mass says much about the importance of this scoring in Portugal around 1800. I hope that this arrangement will eventually be recorded complete.

As one may understand, this is a highly interesting recording, which sheds light on a unique performance practice that has hardly been known to date. The mass is also a specimen of a style that was widespread at the time, and documents once again the influence of the Italian style in Portugal. However, it is also a fine work in its own right, and indicates that Puzzi was a really good composer. I am curious about other works by him, and especially the oratorio mentioned above.

The performers are the perfect advocates of Puzzi’s music. The ensemble consists of eight singers, six of whom also take care of the solo parts. These are not easy, but they handle them impressively. Ana Quintans, Gabriel Diaz and Rodrigo Carreto deserve special praise for their performances of the solo arias. Ana Quintans has the most operatic aria to sing, and her wide experience in opera manifests itself here. The voices also blend well in the ensembles and the tutti. The cello and bassoon parts are brilliantly executed, and they will strongly appeal to lovers of those low instruments.

Puzzi’s mass is undoubtedly one of the discoveries of this year.