Marianna Martines (1744-1812)
The Complete Keyboard Works
Idith Meshulam Korman (piano)
Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra/Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
rec. 2024, St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, London
Reviewed as lossless download
Signum Classics SIGCD934 [113]
Marianna Martines has been described in more than one source as a significant composer-performer in 18th century Vienna, so I’m embarrassed to say that I’d never heard of her (I’m hoping that among those who read this, I’m not alone). Her paternal grandfather was Spanish, which is presumably why I see on Presto that one of her concertos is included on a recording titled “Spanish Piano Concertos”, but she was born, lived and died in Vienna. Other residents of the apartment building where she spent her entire life were, at various times, the famous poet Metastasio, prominent composer Nicola Porpora, and in the freezing garret at the top of the building, a struggling young composer by the name of Joseph Haydn. Metastasio became a close family friend, paying for Marianna’s music lessons: singing with Porpora (accompanied by Haydn) and composition with Johann Hasse.
Martines never married, so never performed in public, but the assets inherited from her parents and the support of Metastasio (and after his death in his will), allowed her to hold concerts in her apartment, which became a staple of Vienna’s musical life. Mozart was a regular attendee of these so-called Academies, and Michael Kelly, the famous Irish tenor, recorded in his diary during his 1785 visit, that she and Mozart regularly played duets. She wrote a number of sacred works, and at least one of her masses was performed in public.
A more accurate title for this recording would include the word “surviving” as it is thought she wrote as many as 12 concertos and 31 sonatas. As you can see from the contents list below, all eight works are in major keys. One presumes that some of the lost works were in minor keys, and that is unfortunate as it would have been interesting to hear something with a darker hue. The works that we do have are very enjoyable, but there is a degree of sameness; programming-wise, it would have been a good idea to alternate the concertos and sonatas to set up some contrast.
These are very typical works of the late 18th century, undoubtedly influenced by her association with Mozart and Haydn, but not at that exalted level. It should be noted that the known and estimated dates available do indicate that any influence from Mozart would have been from the child prodigy part of his career, as the latest date only has him aged sixteen. The concertos are genial company, pleasant listening but not especially memorable; the A major is both shortest and the best (that may not be a coincidence). One presumes Martines wrote the concertos for her own performance, so her apartment must have been a pretty good size to accommodate even a small chamber ensemble.
The sonatas, however, are at a different level entirely; each of the three is impressive and distinctive, and it is such a shame that as many as 28 others have been lost. The A major has a slightly melancholic atmosphere, despite being in a major key, even the playful closing Tempo di menuetto still holds something in reserve. The E Major has an intriguing Bachian element mixed into the Classical style, while the G Major is the showiest of the three. The Haydnesque Sinfonia does not have any keyboard involvement, and is clearly there to add to the runtime, which is obviously fairly short for a two disc set; I assume there are no other surviving orchestral works, so that’s all there is.
Idith Meshulam Korman plays a modern piano, but in a restrained fashion appropriate to the era; Angela Hewitt is a good comparison, Víkingur Ólafsson definitely isn’t! It isn’t complex or complicated music, but it does require a delicate touch to bring out the colours, and she does that very well. The orchestra, whose name gives the impression of a large ensemble, is a chamber orchestra, with twenty string players, and well-suited to the music. The sound is good, and the booklet notes excellent.
This has been an enjoyable sojourn into a little-known corner of the Viennese musical world usually obscured by the big names, and Marianna Martines deserves her time in the spotlight.
David Barker
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Contents
Keyboard Concerto in G Major (1772)
Keyboard Concerto in C Major
Keyboard Concerto in A Major
Keyboard Concerto in E Major (1766)
Keyboard Sonata in A Major (c. 1765)
Keyboard Sonata in E Major (c. 1762)
Keyboard Sonata in G Major (1769)
Sinfonia in C major (1770)
