text:
Suite, Sonata, Concerti
pour la flûte à bec e les chalumeaux
di Gabriele Formenti
"Ho imparato con entusiasmo a suonare le tastiere, il violino e il flauto. E ora mi sto dedicando all'apprendimento dell'oboe, del flauto traverso, dello chalumeau, della viola da gamba e perfino del contrabbasso e del trombone". Così scrive Georg Philipp Telemann nella sua autobiografia pubblicata ad Amburgo nel 1740. Prezioso documento musicologico che aiuta a comprendere la dimensione straordinaria di questo musicista, fra i più prolifici della storia musicale e fra i più richiesti all'epoca. Fu intelligente imprenditore di se stesso (intraprendendo anche l'attività di editore di molte sue composizioni), attento al denaro quanto alle mode musicali del momento. Fra stile italiano e stile francese si muove la sua musica, alla costante ricerca di quello stile "tedesco" che non verrà mai, di fatto, portato a compimento. E proprio lo stile francese in particolare ad attrarre fortemente Telemann, come risulta evidente, ad esempio, nelle sue seicento e passa Ouverture orchestrali giunte fino a noi. Del resto, è proprio su suolo francese che nasce e si sviluppa il flauto, uno degli strumenti prediletti dal compositore.
Ad aprire il programma dunque un omaggio a quella tradizione con uno dei tanti Prelude composti da Jacques-Martin Hotteterre (1), uno dei maggiori rappresentanti della famiglia di costruttori-musicisti-compositori attivi fra Seicento e Settecento in Francia. Riccamente ornato, dove il solo strumento si fa portavoce di preziosi ideali estetici, questo preludio rappresenta l'ideale introduzione alla tonalità di la minore che caratterizza il brano che segue, il più famoso oggi, forse, di Telemann: la Suite in la minore per flauto dolce e archi (TWV 55:a2), il cui titolo originale è "Ouverture, a flute conc.''. Si tratta certamente di una delle composizioni più rappresentative di Telemann nonché una delle più eseguite dai flautisti. Strutturata in sette movimenti, si apre (2) con l'Ouverture nel più tipico stile francese puntato, con struttura A-B-A, dove nella sezione B troviamo un motivo fugato poi ripreso anche dal flauto nel suo "solo". I successivi movimenti di danza sono un chiaro omaggio alla tradizione di Rameau e Couperin con brani dai titoli suggestivi come Les Plaisirs (3), caratterizzato da un Presto dal carattere "staccato" affidato ai soli archi che introduce il Trio con il solo flauto che – per contrasto – utilizza una sequenza di scale legate. Il successivo movimento, Air à l'Italien (4) è invece un omaggio alla tradizione operistica italiana: qui il flauto diviene la voce solista di una tipica aria tripartita A-B-A1: a una prima sezione estremamente cantabile segue (B) un allegro puntato e staccato che riporta poi alla ripresa (A1) fiorita. Seguono due minuetti in alternanza (5) e nuovamente in contrasto fra loro (nel primo i soli archi, nel secondo con il flauto), un'altra danza dal titolo Rejouissance (6) dove l'impegno richiesto al flauto solista è notevole, due Passepied (7) in alternanza e in contrasto fra loro anche per la tonalità (in la minore il primo, in la maggiore il secondo). La suite termina con una Polonaise (8) che, a discapito di quanto il nome possa suggerire, non ha il sapore "polacco" tipico di altre composizioni di Telemann dove il riferimento al folclore di quella terra è molto più marcato e suggestivo. Questa Suite per flauto dolce è l'emblema di quanto lo stile compositivo di Telemann si fosse affinato nel corso degli anni. Ancora una volta è la sua autobiografia a illuminarci su questo aspetto. In particolare, di grande effetto è il passo in cui Telemann dichiara: "A un certo punto della mia vita mi sentivo come uno di quegli chef che hanno talmente tante pentole sui fornelli da non riuscire a ricavare un singolo grande piatto, ma solamente piccoli assaggi da ognuna di queste pentole. Ma io volevo preparare un grande "pranzo ", utilizzando la mia penna e per fare questo mi aiutai con tutta l'esperienza ricavata in anni di studio e composizione con la musica strumentale e vocale". Concerto in do maggiore (TWV 51 :C1 ) si presenta in quattro movimenti: Allegretto iniziale (9), con entrata solistica del flauto che sfrutta il registro più acuto dello strumento, nella "solare" tonalità di do maggiore, cui segue un Allegro (10), dove l'inizio sincopato degli archi caratterizza immediatamente l'andamento ritmico del brano, piuttosto impegnativo dal punto di vista tecnico per il flauto, chiamato ad ampi passaggi in progressione; l'Andante (11), in la minore, autentico gioiello per l'inventiva melodica e infine il Tempo di Minuet (12), inusuale conclusione per un concerto in stile italiano. Un chiaro omaggio ancora una volta allo stile francese tanto amato dal compositore. In questo movimento abbondano le progressioni di carattere vivaldiano e lo spiccato virtuosismo richiesto al flauto, attraverso veloci quartine di sedicesimi staccate. Molto meno nota è la Sonata in fa maggiore per due Chalumeaux (TWV 43:F2), giunta fino a noi in una serie di manoscritti redatti, fra il 1724 e il 1734, da Christoph Graupner, amico di Telemann e suo collega durante il periodo di Lipsia e di Francoforte, Nei manoscritti di Graupner compare la dicitura "Concerto È probabile che questa fosse l'originale denominazione voluta dallo stesso Telemann e l'ipotesi è del resto suffragata dal secondo movimento Allegro (14), nella tipica struttura "a ritornello", dove i violini all'unisono fungono da "tutti" orchestrale, con i due chalumeaux solisti. Proprio su questa composizione si sono soffermati alcuni recenti studi musicologici che hanno riportato in luce la pratica della "Sonata auf Concertenart", una sorta di genere "ibrido" fra la Sonata e il Concerto che utilizza, cioè, la struttura tipica della sonata sapientemente miscelata con quella del Concerto, attraverso precisi richiami stilistici. Il genere fu molto utilizzato all'epoca, non solo da J.S. Bach ma anche da altri compositori. Assai interessante qui è la scelta di utilizzare lo chalumeau, antenato del clarinetto, a dimostrazione dell'assoluta versatilità e idiomaticità della scrittura di Telemann. In particolare, proprio allo chalumeau Telemann dedicherà più di una composizione fra il 1718 e il 1760: lo troviamo infatti impiegato in diverse sue opere nonché in alcune cantate da chiesa. Del resto, ricordiamo che proprio in Germania lo strumento godette di grande popolarità e per esso scrissero anche Dittersdorf, Hasse, Gluck, Molter e lo stesso Graupner. A un primo movimento senza indicazione di tempo (13), che sembra richiamarsi a una Sarabanda, introdotto dai due chalumeaux, segue il già citato Allegro (14), introdotto dai violini all'unisono. La sezione solistica riservata ai due strumenti è piuttosto impegnativa dal punto di vista tecnico, a dimostrazione di come lo strumento fosse popolare all'epoca e anche, evidentemente, del livello raggiunto da certi solisti. Il terzo movimento è un Grave (15) di chiara ispirazione corelliana, evidente nell'utilizzo di un basso "passeggiato" che accompagna archi e chalumeaux. Interessante è la parte del secondo chalumeau, cui è richiesto un accompagnamento in quartine di sedicesimi, mentre al primo solista è affidata una parte più cantabile. L'ultimo movimento è un Vivace (16), in tempo ternario, piuttosto concitato ritmicamente con i due solisti che procedono in parallelo, spesso a distanza di terze. L'ultimo brano in programma è il "Concerto di camera" in sol minore (TWV 43:g3). Anche questo, come nel caso del Concerto in do maggiore, si presenta con una struttura "ibrida" dove forti ed equipollenti sembrano essere i richiami tanto allo stile italiano quanto a quello francese. Tale "ibridazione" è del resto presente fin dal titolo: "Concerto di camera per flauto à bec". Il primo movimento è un Allegro (17), dal carattere vivaldiano con progressioni poi riprese nel "solo" strumentale. Piuttosto interessante è la figurazione ritmica del secondo tema affidato al flauto con veloci e impegnativi ribattuti. Nella sezione B di questo primo movimento proseguono le progressioni, sempre attraverso veloci quartine di sedicesimi del flauto. Il secondo movimento è una Siciliana (18), caratterizzata dal tipico andamento puntato, qui impreziosito da Telemann attraverso un ampio utilizzo di terzine, subito reiterate dal flauto nell'esposizione del proprio "solo". Interessanti sono le cadenze scritte con biscrome in chiusura tanto della prima parte che della seconda. L'utilizzo della figurazione in biscroma caratterizza anche gran parte del "solo" flautistico della seconda parte del movimento. Gli ultimi due movimenti di questo concerto omaggiano ancora una volta la tradizione francese. Il terzo movimento (19) è una deliziosa Bourrèe dove il flauto sembra giocare con trilli e terzine. Il tutto si conclude con un Menuet (20), alternato, come da tradizione, da un "Trio" dal carattere contrastante dove il flauto torna assoluto protagonista attraverso ampie volate in quartine di sedicesimi.
George Loomis]]>
Giovanni Antonini
Carl Friedrich Zelter, Meldelssohn's teacher, writing to Goethe about W.F. Bach on 6 April 1829: "As a composer he had the tic douloureux of being original, of distancing himself from his father and brothers such that he sank into affectation and pettiness…". Georg Anton Griesinger, in his Biographische Notizen über Joseph Haydn, published in Leipzig in 1810: "I [Haydn] was isolated from the world; no one in my vicinity could make me lose confidence in myself or bother me, and so I was bound to become original". F. J. Haydn and W. F. Bach sought to be original for different reasons. As Zelter suggests, a possible yearning for artistic identity far from the paternal shadow on the part of Johann Sebastian Bach's first son; and a situation of isolation and creative freedom without the constraints of a patron for Haydn. The works included in this recording all embody highly unusual features: for instance, the singular use of B major for the Symphony n. 46, with its unexpected return to the minuet in the finale; the orchestration of n. 22 in which the oboes are replaced by corni inglesi; the obsessive rhythm of the first movement of n. 47 presented in the opening by the wind, which return to the subject in minor mode following the development. Listeners will doubtlessly find other elements of originality, perhaps less evident but equally "unique", that further contribute to the unusual nature of these symphonies. Likewise the symphony by W. F. Bach is restless in mood, combining traditional traits such as the beginning of the first Vivace, which is typical of the baroque overture, with dramatic, troubled outbursts reminiscent of pre-romanticism, only to conclude with two Minuets that seem to want to restore peace following the
turmoil prevailing in the first three movements, or perhaps in the composer's own mind.
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Haydn2032 – "Showing the world of Haydn and its connections"
(Giovanni Antonini)
Basel, 16 May 2014
Under the musical direction of Giovanni Antonini, the privately-funded music project "Haydn2032" was created to realize a vision: to record and perform – in a unique cycle featuring concerts across Europe – all of Jo-seph Haydn's 107 symphonies by 2032, the 300th anniversary of the com-poser's birth. This project's kick-off event, "Radiale Nacht Haydn2032," will take place on Saturday, the 21st of June 2014.
This long-term venture is the brainchild of Swiss Cultural Manager Christoph Müller who, inspired by Giovanni Antonini's conducting of Haydn's works in January 2013, developed the idea of this visionary music project. Haydn2032 strives not only to present a historically accurate and dramaturgically infor-med reference recording, but to also examine Haydn's symphonic legacy – while questioning its validity for both the present and future – through a the-matic and multi-disciplinary approach.
Müller found a counterpart in Giovanni Antonini, who assumes the position of Artistic Director for this long-term project and who will work in close col-laboration with the kammerorchesterbasel and the Italian chamber orchestra Il Giardino Armonico. A proven specialist of this period, the Italian conduc-tor approaches his repertoire through intensive and meticulous historical rese-arch. In May 2014, the NZZ regarded his recording of the Beethoven cycle with the kammerorchesterbasel a "piece of the future." Antonini's gift for bringing out the finest details of musical and harmonic structures, as well as for making the most complex phrases both vivid and tangible for the listener, promises a new and authentic way of experiencing Haydn's music. This pro-ject will feature the first complete recording of the symphonies, performed on historical instruments and with the original instrumentation.
This exploration of Haydn's symphonic universe will not be carried out chro-nologically but thematically. Antonini, who also considers the study of Haydn's music as a study of human nature, will group the symphonies by theme. In doing so, he presents a musical kaleidoscope of human emotions which are both uniquely portrayed in Haydn's works, and continue to be well-founded and universal in the 21st century. Works by Haydn's contempo-raries will also complement the themes of selected works.
Starting in 2014, this project will involve both an annual CD production – which will later be increased to two CDs per year – and a Europe-wide con-cert series. Two concerts a year will take place at residences in Basel, Zurich and Eisentstadt; a successful long-term partnership has also come to fruition with the RADIALSYSTEM V in Berlin, one of the most innovative and expe-rimental venues in Germany. Each of the recordings will be produced toge-ther with the French ensemble Outhere Music; it will also be accompanied by a special collector's edition, a book with photos and texts by contemporary photographers and authors. Different photographers from the renowned pho-to agency MAGNUM PHOTOS will put together photographic cycles based on each of the themes to go along with the project.
The Joseph Haydn Foundation was founded in May 2013 as the legal, fi-nancial and organizational sponsor of the project Haydn2032. In addition to Christoph Müller, the members of the Foundation's Managing Board include Jeanne Lüdin-Geiger and Hanspeter Lüdin. As active long-time supporters of the visual arts in Switzerland, Jeanne Lüdin-Geiger and Hanspeter Lüdin also serve as consultants and promoters for this project. The Foundation will be the publisher of the collector's edition and promoter for the concert series in Basel. "The Foundation hopes to uphold Joseph Haydn's legacy and to fundamentally revisit his image" remarked Christoph Müller.
La Passione
The project Haydn2032 begins with the motto "La Passione." The kick-off event will take place on the 21st of June 2014 at 19:00 in Radialsystem V.
There is no other venue in Berlin that allows for the development and presen-tation of innovative concert formats in such as a way as RADIALSYSTEM V. In this vein, Haydn2032 | La Passione will be celebrated in the form of a "radial night": the ensemble Il Giordino Armonico will perform symphonic works in the Main Hall, while chamber music can be enjoyed in the studios' relaxed atmosphere.
Complementing the concerts are literary interpretations of Haydn by Bern-hard Lassahn and the author and musician Martin Betz, as well as a conver-sation between Folkert Uhde and Giovanni Antonini and a remix lounge fea-turing Fabian Russ. These events will take place simultaneously on different levels; audiences are encouraged to move freely through the various halls and studios, listen to different concerts and readings, and put together their own programme. The longest day of the year promises to bring one of those fa-mous Berlin summer nights and guarantee an especially atmospheric musical experience for the senses.
The inaugural Haydn2032 CD, La Passione, will be released in early No-vember 2014. In addition to Haydn's symphonies 1, 39 and 49, this recording will include Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck's music to the ballet "Don Juan" – performed for the first time in the original version and with the origi-nal instrumentation. The first concert tour, which will take place at the same time, will include performances in Basel, Zurich and at the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt.
The first part of the collector's edition will consist of the recording, a contri-bution by Giovanni Antonini, photographs by Gueogui Pinkhassov and an essay by Bernhard Lassahn. This collector's edition will also be available star-ting in November 2014 online through the Joseph Haydn Foundation.
Haydn2032 will not only rexamine one of the most significant composers of the 18th century in a new light. It will also tackle the questions regarding the music scene and the lives of musicians today: how will classical music be presented in the future? How will the recording industry and distribution channels change? How will major music projects be financed and organized? As a project unfolding over a span of almost 20 years, Haydn2032 will re-flect the current and future developments of the music and media worlds in Europe.
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Amazon de: Haydn 2032 Vol.1 – La Passione – Sinfonien 1, 39, 49
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Amazon uk: Haydn 2032 Vol.1 – La Passione – Symphonias 1, 39, 49]]>
"Concertos for voice" is how one musicologist described Vivaldi's many solo motets — an apt term for works by a composer best known for his concertos. But solo motets by Vivaldi and other eighteenth-century composers can also be thought of as virtuoso arias with sacred rather than operatic texts. Solo motets were enormously popular in Italy, and composers were only too ready to satisfy the demand. The motets served a variety of needs, some having texts designed for specific occasions, others embracing a generality that facilitated widespread use.
During his early twenties, when he gained important experience in Italy, Handel recognised the appeal of the solo motet and also knew that its arias, their Latin texts aside, were scarcely distinguishable from opera arias. He recycled the opening aria of Saeviat tellus in the operas Rodrigo and Rinaldo, where its martial character found a welcome home. The motet's text befits the musically ambitious occasion for which it was written, a celebration of the Carmelite Order held in Rome on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1707, at which other works by Handel were also performed. While the motet's first aria hails the defiance of the Carmelites against the threats of Hades, the second aria, which has the alluring repose of an operatic sleep scene by Handel, beguilingly commemorates the night when an appearance by the Virgin Mary 'inspired the establishment of the Order. As with the other motets heard here, the arias in Saeviat tellus have the same formal structure as contemporaneous opera, arias, in Handel's case the da capo aria.
Saeviat tellus is one of four solo motets the Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva has selected for her first Decca disc. "It is a brilliant piece, a real concerto per voce, and 'concerto' initially meant 'competition': she says. "Because of its extraordinary range of moods, the piece in a way finds itself between Earth and the Heavens, finally ending with a light-hearted Alleluia'. Vocally it makes much use of the upper register, including a written high D in the first aria."
Inspiration for the disc came initially from another motet, Mozart's famous Exsultate, jubilate, which Paul Moseley of Decca Classics heard Lezhneva sing in concert and encouraged her to record. She decided on a disc embodying a chronological tour of the eighteenth-century Italian solo motet, with the Mozart as the final stop. Focusing on motets offered another advantage for the young soprano: "I liked the idea of waiting to record opera arias until I had more experience with them on stage" Given that she is only twenty-three, there will surely be plenty of time for that. Having performed and recorded Vivaldi's opera Ottone in villa with Giovanni Antonini and II Giardino Armonico, she immediately looked to them to collaborate with her on the new disc.
Mozart's famous motet, a product of the second of his trips to Italy, was written for the castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, who created the role of Cecilio in Mozart's opera seria Lucio Silla; the motet was first performed in Milan in January 1773, shortly before Mozart's seventeenth birthday. The opening movement is like the A section of an expansive dal segno aria from that opera, with multiple themes and coloratura coming at the expected place in the form. The second movement is similar formally, but in mood it is akin to an opera aria expressing tender sentiment. The final movement, like those of the disc's other motets, is a joyous
For material to go with the Mozart, Lezhneva looked to the beginning of the eighteenth century. Having selected Handel, she turned to an obvious personal choice: Vivaldi. When asked what kindled her interest in Baroque music, she has a ready answer: Cecilia Bartoli's 1999 Vivaldi disc, which she discovered when she was eleven or twelve. "I completely fell in love with it. I had never heard such virtuosity and vocal freedom before. It was a shock for me" John Eliot Gardiner's recording of Hercules supplied her introduction to Handel. "Baroque music captured my soul and I dived into it, listening every day to recordings of music by Bach, Handel and other composers"
Vivaldi's In furore iustissimae irae, written in Rome during one of the composer's visits to that city in the 1720s, begins in stormy C minor, and Lezhneva sees in it a tragic tone. The other motets are joyful", she says, but this one is "full of drama and demands extraordinary strength and power. The Handel motet has trumpet-style writing for the voice, but here, in the first aria, the voice imitates a mad violin" —Vivaldi's way of illustrating the text's reference to the Lord's "righteous ire". Indeed, the first aria generates considerable musical turbulence through assertive semiquaver runs and pulsating quavers.
The music of the second movement takes its cue not from the new-found joy the singer refers to, but from the calmness that joy brings. A lulling 3/8 metre creates a mood of utter serenity, disturbed only by fleeting chromatic inflections. "It is like a duetto, with the voice merging with the orchestra in one flow" Joy is deferred until the final "Alleluia" but the return to the minor adds, in Lezhneva's view, a prayerful dimension to the spirited coloratura. Pinpoint coloratura is not usually thought of as part of a Russian singer's arsenal, but Lezhneva says it came naturally to her and was not the product of rigorous training.
With the Classical period duly represented by Mozart and the Baroque by Handel and Vivaldi, Lezhneva sought out a composer in the middle chronologically to round out the disc. After considering figures like Jommelli, Galuppi and Paisiello, she turned to Nicola Porpora, a major figure in Neapolitan opera and a leading exponent of the galant style, which extolled melody and minimised Baroque complexities. According to Porpora scholar James Sanderson, the virtuosic motet in caelo stelle clare was one of four solo motets written in 1744-45 for singers at Venice's Ospedaletto and was dedicated to the soprano Graziola.
The motet's opening aria splendidly illustrates Porpora's fluent yet crisp melodic style, with its graceful ornamentation and easy flow from one melodic idea to another. "Porpora's vocal lines are completely natural and very comfortable for my voice, even though they are written in an instrumental way", says Lezhneva. She finds the second aria, notable for "phrases that seem almost endless and trills written into the vocal line", to be especially inspired, adding that she has always liked to sing trills. "Porpora's music fits my voice like Chopin fits a pianist's hands. Its joy is phenomenal — it's a tonic to sing this music."
George Loomis
You can buy it on:
Amazon de: Alleluia
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Diminuzioni on the "Anchor che co'l partire" by Cipriano de Rore (1609) Little is known about Giovanni Battista Spadi, who came from Faenza, a small community near Bologna. In Venice in 1609, he published a treatise on the art of embellishment in voices and instruments. This piece is from that publication. It goes back to a madrigal by Cipriano de Rore, one of the most important composers of the 16th century. In the original, the madrigal was written for four singing voices. In Spadi's Diminuzioni on "Anchor che co'l partire", the flute plays a richly embellished soprano, while the cembalo assumes the three other voices of the original.
Sonata "Sopra la Monica" à 3 (for two violins and basso continuo) (1629)
Biagio Marini, a very distinguished violinist of the middle of the 17th 55 century, wrote this piece as a set of variations on the "Aria de la Monica", a melody that was extremely popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. The text of the song tells the story of a young girl who is to be made a nun a "monica" – against her will.
Sonata IV and Sonata X à 3 (for two violins, contrabass violone and basso continuo) from the Sonate Concertate, op. 2 (1629). Little is known about Dario Castello, either, except that he led the wind instrument consort at the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice in the first twenty years of the 17th century. At this time, the important composer Claudio Monteverdi also lived in the lagoon city, which was one of the capitals of the musical world at the time. The two sonatas were published there in the collection Sonate Concertate in 1629. Their style was extremely progressive, and they were still being reprinted in 1658. Dario Castello's sonatas are among the most important proofs of the independent virtuoso style in 17th-century Italy, which avails itself of all of the string instrument's technical possibilities.
Ciaconna à 3 (for two violins and basso continuo)
Tarquinio Merula's ciaconna functions with unusually virtuoso variations for the two violins, over the foundation of a rhythmic, melodically gripping melody named "Basso di Ciaconna" and played on the basso continuo. The originally Latin American dance was highly esteemed in 17th-century Italy. Innumerable compositions of such and similar dance music are documented.
Concerto for lute, two violins, and basso continuo in D major, RV 93
Largo Allegro
Concerto for lautino, two violins and basso continuo in D major, op. 10, Nr. 3,
RV 90 "II Gardellino"
Concerto for recorder, two violins and basso continuo in G minor,
RV 104 "La notte" ("The Night")
Fantasmi (ghosts, illusions): Presto — Largo — Andante
Il sonno (Sleep): Largo
Antonio Vivaldi was buried in a pauper's grave in Vienna on July 28, 1741. To keep expenses as low as possible, the bells pealed only perfunctorily at the burial. An official notice read, "The abbé Don Antonio Vivaldi, known as 'prete rosso', an outstanding violinist and a composer of the highest degree of fame in the area of the instrumental concert, who is said to have once earned 50,000 Ducats, and was meanwhile pauperised by extraordinary squandering, has died in Vienna." But one thing is certain: Vivaldi spent much more musical spirit, ability and effort during his life than he did money. The "red priest" composed about five hundred concerti – instrumental works that made the composer who lived in Venice famous throughout Europe during his lifetime. But Vivaldi's death brought a swift end to his fame: the Venetian and his compositional work were forgotten for a long time.
The rediscovery of the concerti of Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) is one of the most fascinating chapters in music history. A large part of his work was considered lost since the confusion of the Napoleanic wars. However, in 1926, fourteen volumes of previously unknown Vivaldi works, were discovered hidden in a Piedmontese Salesian cloister. This came about through clever detective work, combined with lucky co-incidences. But it appeared that the cloister possessed only a part of what was earlier a much larger stock. Another trail led in October 1930 to Genoa and a descendant of Count Durazzo (1717-1794), one of the former owners of the legacy of the important Baroque composer. And indeed, here the remaining, missing volumes of scores were found. This sensational find, which included several hundred concerti, also marked the beginning of a' great Vivaldi renaissance that has continued to this day.
But what would be an appropriate musical realisation of these finds? How should Vivaldi's concerts sound? What tempi, what dynamic interpretation are suitable for them? The inadequacy of the Romantic interpretative tradition of the 19th century to provide satisfactory solutions has become extremely clear since the performances of Old Music with original instruments. In Germany, England and the Benelux countries, great efforts have now long been made to approximate the "historical performance practice". But not in Italy, where the first Italian ensemble specialised in the interpretation of, Baroque music – Il Giardino Armonico – was not founded until 1985, in Milan. The ensemble's imaginative name recalls the often illustrious titles of works in the 17th century, such as Armonico Tributo by Georg Muffat (1682), Giardinetto d'amore by Johann Hermann Schein (1623) and the musical Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden) by Hans Leo Haler (1601). The imaginative power of the name is matched by the unconventionality of the ensemble's playing – especially its interpretations of Vivaldi.]]>
Here, thanks be to God, my opera is praised to the skies and there is nothing in it which does not please greatly…
Antonio Vivaldi to Guido Bentivoglio Verona, 3 May 1737
In Vicenza in May 1713 the opera Ottone in Villa was produced for the first time. It was the work of a thirty-five-year-old Venetian composer who had already gained a reputation with his collections of sonatas and concertos, and who held the post of maestro di violino at the Ospedale della.Pietà in Venice. From then on, Antonio Vivaldi's life would be closely bound up with the theatre, both as composer and impresario, not only of his own operas but also for stage works either partly or entirely composed by other musicians. In a letter of 1737, he would describe himself as a "freelance entrepreneur". Few of Vivaldi's operas were staged without his direct supervision, for he took great pains over their production and treated them as his own personal property in order to ensure their success, and also to ensure that the performances were faithful to the score. The interest in his compositions is shown by the many arias which appeared, either in their original form or arranged for voice and continuo, in various collections throughout Europe.
The arias in this recording are taken from a number of operas, from L' Orlando finto pazzo (1714) to Griselda (1735), and cover the greater part of Vivaldi's activity as an opera composer, especially for theatres in Rome, Mantua, Pavia, Verona and, of course, Venice.. The composer's native Venice had been the first city in the world to build an opera house open to the paying public. Some of the arias are scored for strings and continuo alone, others require obbligato instruments. An example of the litter is "Di due rai languir costante" (3), where two flageolets (a sort of small recorder) play semiquaver, figurations which weave with the vocal line to express the torments – not so far removed from the pleasures — of love. The Arcadian atmosphere is further stressed by the sound of muted violins and pizzicato violas and cellos. Unfortunately, we do not know which opera this aria was composed for, since it appears only in a collection of separate pieces which Vivaldi compiled around 1720, probably for his own use The same collection also contains "Zeffiretti, che sussurrate" 0, a three-part aria which, with slight changes, was used in the opera Ercole sul Termodonte in 1723. The version recorded here requires two solo violins (playing on stage) and two obbligato harpsichords in addition to the normal string orchestra. These extra instruments serve to convey the voice of nature, amplifying the emotions; of the character who is singing and, by means of echo effects which repeat only the final part of the words, expressing the deeper meaning of what is being sung. In the siciliana section nature falls silent, giving way o a very human sensuality.
Nature is not always a benign presence, particularly for a man of the early eighteenth century who lived in such close contact with nature in all its aspects. Hence the "storm" arias, which for the Venetian Antonio Vivaldi always meant storms at sea. In actual fact, these are never intended as true representations of nature, but serve as metaphors to express, the passions and sufferings of human characters. This is certainly the case with "Anch'il mar par che sommerga" (12) , a bravura aria written for the castrato Giovanni Manzoli. By means of an almost uninterrupted series of coloratura passages and repeated trills it evokes in the mind of the listener that sense of wonder that was so central to the aesthetics of the Baroque period. "Dopo un'orrida procella" (2) was also written for a castrato voice and requires, in addition to the usual strings, a pair of horns. From the very first bar their clamorous sound vividly re-creates the terror of the storm; they calm down when the text moves on to more peaceful images. The vocal line is rich in coloratura passages, but its most striking feature is the wide leaps, which in some cases cover an interval of a twelfth.
Images taken from life at sea also appear in arias of a more straightforward character, such as "Sventurata navicella" (8) which Vivaldi extracted (with some slight changes in both text and music) from his Orlando finto pazzo of 1714. The reuse of previously composed arias in operas for which they were not originally intended should cause no surprise. It was a common practice at the time, since the individual arias were designed to convey a certain number of basic emotions which would recur in all operas. In thè 1714 autograph there is a note referring to this aria which reads: "If this does not please, I do not want to compose-any more music". Indeed, if "Sventurata navicella" might seem disarmingly 'simple at first hearing, it actually features a number of small shifts in the melodic line — corresponding to certain key .words in the text — which make it utterly original.
"Siam navi all'onde algenti" (10), written for the castrato Marianino Nicolini, is an example of Vivaldi's encounter with the poetry of Pietro Metastasio, the greatest eighteenth-century writer of opera libretti. The opening recitative takes us into the Venetian composer's creative workshop. Indeed, Vivaldi's own interpretation of Metastasio's text is very personal, completely overturning that sense of a contemplation of human affairs present in the original. With his setting of a few new lines, Vivaldi creates a sense of turbulence which breaks out directly in the aria. It is now the "folly of love" that determines the constant state of agitation which Aminta's aria expresses so well by means of musical figurations which exploit every hint in the literary text and exalt its dramatic meaning.
Changes of this type are by no means uncommon in Vivaldi's operas.. We do not know whether such alterations, which involved substituting or changing arias and recitatives, were made directly by the composer himself, or by the librettists he was working with at the time. We can be certain, however, that nothing of the sort occurred with La fida ninfa. Vivaldi was invited to Verona to set a libretto which had already been in print for some time. It was the work of the Veronese nobleman and philologist Scipione Maffei, who also acted as impresario for the opening of the new Teatro Filarmonico designed by Francesco Bibiena. Morasto's aria "Dite, oimè" (7) displays a Vivaldi who, through a vocal line and a simple bass continuo, manages to depict in music that streak of melancholy lyricism which would later appear in the paintings of Francesco Guardi.
A very different emotion inspires "Alma oppressa" (6), an aria which carries vocal virtuosity to an extreme level. It is .a virtuosity completely at the service of dramatic expression. By means of chromaticism and an almost unbroken line of semiquavers, Vivaldi perfectly brings to life the tragic, nature of Licori's character. The same tragic power, though achieved by other means, is to be found in "Anderò, volerò, griderò" (4). It is preceded by a dramatic recitative in which Origille discovers the bodies of her beloved Grifone and of Tigrinda rendered lifeless by the enchantress Ersilla. Following this introduction, the thrilling Presto, with its striking. orchestral accompaniment, is one of the finest examples of the "spoken" style of aria which occurs throughout Vivaldi's operas, particularly in music written for the voice of Anna Girò.
"Di trombe guerriere" (13) was written for the soprano Margherita Gualandi, who worked frequently with Vivaldi in Mantua, Venice and Milan. It is a typical martial aria scored for . trumpets, timpani and oboes in addition to a full body of strings. Vivaldi's reputation nowadays rests firmly on his concertos The Four Seasons, which were published in Amsterdam in 1725 as part of his Opus 8. At the time, these concertos were a decisive factor in spreading the Venetian composer's fame, so it is not surprising to find him quoting themes from the Seasons, particularly: if we bear in mind how common it was at the time to re-use previously composed music.
The opening chorus of Dorilla in Tempe, "Dell'aura al sussurrar" (1), is based on the beginning of the Spring concerto. It could hardly be- a more appropriate choice, since this "melodramma eroico pastorale" opens with a hymn to Spring sung by nymphs and shepherds happily dancing in flowery meadows. The repeated notes of the first movement of the Winter concerto re-appear in "Gelido in ogni vena" (11): This is an aria "d'ombra", which has a power of expression and dramatic impact unique in Vivaldi's operatic output, and indeed occupies a special place in the whole musical literature of the first half of the eighteenth century. Farnace stands before a tomb which he believes to be that of his only son. His anguish is conveyed by the glassy. timbre .of the strings which suddenly, at the word "terror", break out into a forte with the intensity of a scream of pain. The descending chromaticism and distorted harmonies add further pathos to an aria whose slow progress expresses the burden of real tragedy.
Where Farnace gives way to despair in "Gelido in ogni vena", Giustino, in "Ho nel petto un cor sì forte" (9), declares his confidence in his own courage almost as a gesture of defiance against destiny. Vivaldi composes an aria which unfolds calmly, as though to symbolise Giustino's strength of mind. He adds, however, a special tone colour: that of the psaltery, an instrument whose strings are struck with small wooden mallets. Together with the pizzicato violins, this fragile sound seems very remote from the mood expressed by the. words,. and this significant contrast leads us to wonder about the hero's true state of mind. Once again, the combination words and music indissolubly blended together allows us to glimpse some deeper truth.
Claudio Osele
Translation DECCA 1999 Andrew Huth
In the cultural life of Naples (the city had become the capital of an independent monarchy in April 1734, when Charles Ill had captured it from the Austrian Habsburgs), music occupied a position of some importance. Even if Charles himself was less interested in music than his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony, it is significant, none the less, that he launched his programme of urban renewal with a grandiose new opera house, the Teatro San Carlo, which was opened on 4 November 1737 with an opera by Domenico Natale Sarri. As "maestro di cappella" at the royal court, Sarri was now at the very pinnacle of his musical career. He had come to Naples at the age of six and studied at one of the city's four great conservatories. The preeminence of these teaching institutions, all of which had originally been founded as orphanages in the 16th century, had drawn many talented music students to the city and laid the foundation-stone for Naples' outstanding musical standards.
In the city's theatres the curtain went up on brilliant opera performances, while its churches reechoed with polyphonic psalms and passions and with impressive settings of the mass. But it was above all in the city's countless aristocratic salons and academies that music played its most dominant role. It was here that the patrons of the arts would meet, here that music-loving Maecenases and members of the higher clergy, men of letters and musicians would foregather. Private concerts at the homes of the nobility were occasionally open to the general public, admission was generally free, and among the refreshments that were not infrequently served were coffee, confectionery, liquors and ices. Particularly popular — in addition to shorter cantatas and operatic scenes — was instrumental chamber music. Aristocratic amateurs would often seize the opportunity to demonstrate their dilettante skills on various instruments by taking part in these performances.
Johann Friedrich von Uffenbach was an amateur musician and a member of an old Frankfurt family of prosperous tradespeople. He attended several domestic concerts of this kind during his visit to Italy in 1715, one of which he described as follows in his diary: "While listening, everyone is so attentive and so rapt that you could hear a pin drop, so still does everyone remain. Although the hot-headed Italians kept rolling their eyes and although all the members clapped in admiration when each piece was over, it was only after they had first folded their coats several times and placed them between their hands, so that no sound should be heard, which would have been a sign of disrespect and which is permitted only in theatres."
This politely muffled applause may perhaps have been intended for a piece by Alessandro Scarlatti, who, during his lifetime, was the central figure in Naples' musical life. The father of the equally famous Domenico Scarlatti, he wrote no fewer than 77 surviving operas, 22 oratorios and some 800 cantatas in addition to some very fine instrumental music, including the present Sonata in A minor for recorder, two violins and basso continuo. Alessandro Scarlatti's direct rival in Naples was Francesco Mancini, whose native talent had been nurtured at the Conservatorio di S. Maria della Pietà dei Turchini. Mancini was temporarily appointed "maestro di cappella" in 1707 in the wake of a shift in the balance of power brought about by the War of the Spanish Succession, but it was only on Scarlatti's death In 1725 that he was finally able to take over this high office from his predecessor. Mancini's Sonata in D minor for recorder, two violins and basso continuo is scored for forces identical to those used by Alessandro Scarlatti, thereby allowing listeners of the present recording to draw an interesting comparison between the two works and decide which of their two composers was the more accomplished in the field of chamber music.
As "maestro di cappella" and teacher at several conservatories, Francesco Durante was another of the leading musical figures active in Naples in the first half of the 18th century. Whereas Alessandro Scarlatti and Mancini enjoyed their greatest successes as opera composers, Durante concentrated almost exclusively on sacred and instrumental music. His Concerto in G minor is a typical example of a style described as the "stile misto", that is a combination of traditional elements of Italian instrumental music with new melodic and harmonic subtleties associated with the 18th century.
It was these composers and musicians (and their no less famous pupils at the conservatories) who contributed to Naples' fame as the musical capital of Italy. Even as late as 1770, when the English writer on music Charles Bumey set out for Italy to collect material for his General History of Music, his visit to the city was bound up with the liveliest expectations: "I entered this city, impressed with the highest ideas of the perfect state in which I should find practical music. It was at Naples only that I expected to have my ears gratified with every musical luxury and refinement which Italy could afford. My visits to other places were in the way of business, for the performance of a task I had assigned myself; but I came hither animated by the hope of pleasure. And what lover of music could be in the place which had produced the two Scarlattis … and innumerable others of the first eminence among composers and performers, both vocal and instrumental, without the most sanguine expectations."
Wolfgang Sandberger
Translation: Stewart Spencer
"They [the German composers of instrumental music in the 17th century] thought more highly of difficult pieces than of easy ones, and sought to excite admiration rather than to please. They were more intent upon recreating the songs of birds, for example, those of the cuckoo, the nightingale, the hen, the quail, etc., than upon imitating the human voice."
Johann Joachim QUANTZ
Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen (Berlin 1752) (On Playing the Flute, trans. by Edward Reilly)
This rather negative opinion voiced by Quantz at the threshold of the Classical era underlines two fundamental aspects of 17th-century musical aesthetics: the effect as a means of stunning and "touching" the listener, and the partial neglect of the ideal that had been cultivated since the Renaissance, the ideal of the human voice as that which is most worthy of imitation in instrumental music. The quest for artistic devices to heighten the dramatic effect, both in the composition as well as in the execution, has its roots in the vocal music of Monteverdi, Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa (in whose music the "affective effect" is pursued almost obsessively) and of the other great "modem" composers at the turn of the 17th century.
In the realm of instrumental music, this quest soon found its expression in the works of Biagio Marini, Dario Castello, Giovan Battista Fontana, Carlo Farina and others, who sought to create a purely instrumental idiom on the one hand, and to codify the expressive conquests of the new vocal music into an instrumental vocabulary on the other. It was above all through Marini and Farina that the Italian school of violin playing spread through the German and Austrian lands. This occurred at a time in which the search for new expressive resources for the violin was well underway through the use of such artistic devices as double stops, overtones, retunings of strings, the imitation of bird songs, etc. We already find such devices albeit without any genuine inner cohesion, in Farina's Capriccio stravagante of 1627, the archetype of Biber's Battalia of 1673. In Biber's piece, however, the striving for effects is contained within a dramatic concept. Highly original musical devices are used to divide the piece into little musical scenes which are linked together through a narrative plot.
The Battalia does not end with the lieto fine or happy end customary for the Baroque, but with a lament and the death of the wounded musketeers (which we have depicted by introducing a lirone in the basso continuo, the instrument associated with the "affectus doloris"). In a sense, this enhances the descriptive intent which places death and not victory as the inevitable outcome of war. For this reason, as well as to amplify the dramatic scene depicted in the Battelle, we decided to begin our recording with a cavalry fanfare as a symbol of military pride and swagger. We have also added a passacaglia (for lute solo), a form traditionally associated with sorrow and death in the 17th century.
The Sonata representative is formally organized through the alternation of imitative sections and short, abstract passages culminating in the "Musketeer Mars" (closely related to the march in the Battelle), which assumes a clearly ironic significance in this context. Preceding the sonata is a very short "Tune for the Woodlark" from a little English collection of 1717 that contains various "tunes" to be taught to birds with the aid of a flageolet or recorder. In this case, it is man who teaches the "artifice" of human music to birds!
A brief improvisation for lute and viola da gamba is followed by the Partita for two viole d'amore and basso continuo. With respect to its extreme virtuosity as well as to its musical concentration (it has absolutely nothing of the playful character of the two preceding pieces), this piece is one of the most important works for viola d'amore. The basso continuo was enriched with a tenor chalumeau (a predecessor of the clarinet) which doubles the bass line at the octave – a practice later found in two of Vivaldi's works – in the Prelude, the Allemande and the Arietta variata.
The Tempest was written at about the same time as the Battelle and first performed in London in 1674. It is a semi-opera with pieces by various composers in addition to spoken dialogues.
Locke wrote only the instrumental pieces: the "First" and "Second Musick" (to be played in front of the closed curtain), the extraordinary "Curtain Tune" (the first musical piece, at least in England, with agogic and expressive indications such as "violent" used to depict the forces of nature raging in a storm), the four "Act Tunes" and a double canon at the end, in which Locke demonstrates his compositional skills. To open the section dedicated to Locke on this recording, we have chosen another double canon written twenty years before The Tempest. It not only reflects the transition from the lush, sensual sounds of Biber's Partita to the considerably more refined aesthetics typical of English music, but also shows us – by coming full circle, as it were – how a work of such skillfulness and dramatic power could be derived from the rigorously imitative Renaissance form of the double canon. The dances of the Tempest Suite present clearly affective allusions in two cases. In the "Rustick Air" pedals in the bass and a few harsh harmonies underscore the rustic, country character; and in the "Martial Jigge" we have highlighted the war-like aspect of the piece through the use of flautini and oboes. The responsorial character of the "Minoit" with its consistent alternation between duple and triple accents gave us the idea of confronting the orchestral "tutti" with a flautino and a lute.
In general, "artistic devices" and "affect" in Locke's music result chiefly from a strictly compositional endeavor (harmony, rhythm, etc.). Consequently, a descriptive piece such as the "Curtain Tune", for example, betrays a certain degree of abstraction far removed from the naturalistic effects which a composer and virtuoso such as Biber could ever have found in the sensual resources of his instrument and in a Mediterranean-influenced culture.
Giovanni Antonini
Translation: Roger Clement
Speaking to the modern listener
II Giardino Armonico on Biber and Locke
How did you come to choose an English composition and why Matthew Locke. in particular?
Luca Pianca: One of the essential elements as far as choosing our repertoire is concerned is that the music must be compatible with the characteristics of the group. It's not a problem for us to play music which has a programmatic, dramatic and theatrical nature. In actual fact, the Battelle and The Tempest are part of this repertoire with a representative, dramatic nature.
The Tempest and Battalia can be considered program music. What are the characteristics of both pieces?
Enrico Onofri: The "Curtain Tune" in Locke's Tempest is certainly an instrumental piece which uses typical rhetorical imitation elements inserted into a formal context which is not strictly programmatic; whilst, in Biber's Battalia, the rhetorical elements are much more codified and are used in a much clearer way, as would subsequently then be done in Italy by composers such as Vivaldi and others.
Giovanni Antonini: Yes, but Biber's Battalia is dramatic; it's a story, whereas Locke's Tempest, as Enrico has just said, is restricted to reproducing the aspects of the tempest in the overture, whilst the other pieces are, on the other hand, dance movements.
What are the technical means used in the recording to achieve the original sounds of the battle and the tempest?
Luca Pianca: We tried to be as faithful as possible to this program of the battle. In the Battalia, there is a march which imitates the marching of soldiers led by a fife accompanied by drums. So we recorded this piece by moving the musicians on a mobile trolley from one side of the recording studio to the other so as to get the effect of a military march that was coming towards us and then moving off into the distance. In the Sonata representative for solo violin, we tried to make the environment sound as it would be for each animal in Nature. I think these ideas fit very well with the Baroque spirit, which is always trying to surprise and contrast one element with another. I would say that our key to interpretation is essentially based on this naturalistic reproduction of the various aspects.
Giovanni Antonini: Even the sound effects are prescribed by Biber himself in quite a precise manner; the pizzicati of the double bass and the cellos, which today we would call "Bartók pizzicati," where the string must snap back against the fingerboard of the instrument and create a sound, are expressly called for by Biber.
What is your idea behind the compilation of this CD?
Giovanni Antonini: What we sought to do was not simply to position various pieces without any arrangement of continuity, particularly with Biber, but to create a dramatic approach among the various pieces. Zelenka's cavalry fanfare provides the almost atavistic sound model for what is later the sound performed on bowed instruments, just as the Sonata representative is preceded by a snatch of birdsong by an English composer. Here, I wanted, in some sense, to exemplify what man could teach the birds and what, on the other hand, men could learn from the animals.
Luca Rance: One could even go further and say that the Battelle opens with this fanfare, which is somewhat representative of the pride of war. This war takes place during the Battalia. Biber himself ends it with a lament for the wounded soldiers. Following on this lament we have added a passacaglia, which is a genre often understood as an abstract meditation on the theme of death. The overall framework of the composition is, therefore, extended by introducing these two reflections before and after war. I think this can be considered a modern attempt to speak to today's listeners. At any rate, the central ideal of II Giardino Armonico is not to reconstruct a past way, but to present one capable of speaking directly to the modern listener.]]>
The Piedmontese Salesian Order of San Carlo requested that the National Library in Turin carry out an appraisal of its monastery's music collection. The result: 14 previously unknown works of Vivaldi, either as copied scores but also in the composer's hand, were identified among the 97 volumes examined. This was but the beginning of what was to become one of this centuries most exciting musicological searches. For, as it turned out, the monastery possessed only one-half of what had been a larger holding. Where were the missing scores? The trail pointed to Genoa, where a descendant of one of the monastery's earlier owners, Count Durazzo (1717-1794) had lived. The tenth of October 1930 marked the conclusion of this episode. That was when the Turin National Library could disclose its newest acquisitions. The library was able to present an outpouring of several hundred concertos among the priceless works secured, including the five ensemble concertos of this release.
But that was not to be all in the way of unusual developments. Alfredo Casella, perennial advocate of Italian New Music, organized a Vivaldi Week in 1939 to, as he put it, "document all aspects of the towering musical figure dubbed prete rosso." (Vivaldi was given this name due to his red hair and original calling to the priesthood.) These audacious plans were struck down by the advent of the Second World War. It was for this reason that a genuine Vivaldi Renaissance did not regain momentum until 1950. At this time the first volumes of Vivaldi's complete works were being published. This edition was overseen by no-one less than the composer Gian Francesco Malipiero who himself devoted his efforts to the vast body of concertos.
The 22 ensemble concertos attributed to Vivaldi make up but a small portion of the immense collection of concertos. Most recent studies have placed the date of composition around 1720 for performance in the Ospedale della Pietà, the very girl's orphanage where Vivaldi made his start as "maestro di violino". It is also tenable that these concertos were composed for virtuoso members of the court orchestra at Mantua. Vivaldi had been the chamber orchestra's Kapellmeister there from 1718 to 1720. The 22 concertos do play a decisive role in the evolution of the "concerto da camera". They serve as rare and highly interesting examples of a formal progenitor to classical chamber music, with all instruments sharing in the solo parts. As a consequence all instruments share in the solo "concertino" as well as "ripieno" parts. Four movements had generally been the norm in works such as Vivaldi's C minor Oboe Sonata, RV. 53, in the order slow-fast-slow-fast. The five concertos depart from this formal arrangement and are three-movement works, following a fast-slow-fast plan. The alto recorder in F, called the "flauto" at that time, is used prominently by Vivaldi. Oboe, violin, and bassoon join the recorder to round off the ensemble with the continuo and harpsichord providing harmonic support. Only the D major Trio, RV. 92 is scored without continuo. As a rule, Vivaldi devised every conceivable combination of instruments at his disposal. It can very well be surmised that the extremely wide range of sound possibilities captured his imagination. The varying importance of each instrument can also be discerned from concerto to concerto. In some cases Vivaldi strikes a balance with no single solo instrument predominating. This leads to a very fluid chamber music sound which can be heard in the exemplary G minor Concerto, RV. 107. Dialogs are carried on else where – one example being the A minor Concerto, RV. 108, where paired solo violins play for the most part in thirds alongside the solo recorder. In still other concertos one or two instruments come to the fore, as can be heard in the case of the recorder and violin in the D major Concerto, RV. 92. The melodic line is entrusted to the recorder alone in the largo movement of the F major Concerto, RV. 99, while the harpsichord is even made to fall silent. The oboe, violin and bassoon slip into the role of the harpsichord and subordinate themselves to strict "accompagnato". A further step in this direction can be seen in the G minor Concerto, RV 105, where the slow movement only involves the recorder and bassoon.
Vivaldi takes a completely new course in the basic features and formal structure of the individual movements. His tried and true experiences with concertino and ripieno exchanges in the solo and ensemble concertos give way to ensemble playing of far more freedom and astonishing diversity – freeing a path for chamber music both of clear delineation and abundant contrast.
Ingeborg Allihn
Translation: Matthew Harris
Our recordings of the Chamber Concertos by Antonio Vivaldi (RV. 87-108) do not include the Concerto in D major, RV. 89, RV. 102, because we consider them spurious works not attributable to the hand of the "prete rosso" ("redheaded priest"). Leaving musical and stylistic observations aside – the concertos in question cannot match the other concerti da camera in quality and are set inconsistently – these works are not preserved in an autograph score bearing Vivaldi's name. All the other concertos exist either in autograph or, when this is not the case, can safely be attributed to Vivaldi (Tempesta di Mare, RV. 98, the Concerto in G major, RV. 101, also published in the Le Cene Edition, ca. 1728, and the Concerto in F major, RV. 99).
P. Ryom, who cannot find evidence to support the authenticity of the three concertos in his Verzeichnis der Werke Antonio Vivaldis shares our view, as does Reinhard Goebel, who in his notes to Musica Antigua Koeln's recording of the Chamber Concertos by Antonio Vivaldi (Deutsche Grammophon) attributes the Concertos, RV. 98 and RV. 102 to a cotemporary of Vivaldi composing in a similar vain.
We have consequently interspersed the chamber concertos with the Follia Trio Sonata, RV. 63 (CD 2), the Sonata for Recorder, Bassoon and Basso Continuo, RV. 86 (CD 3) and the Sonata for Oboe and Basso Continuo, RV. 53 (CD 4) – all chamber works of high virtuosity in a concertante manner – so as to maintain a balanced program on each disc and thus provide the utmost in listening pleasure.
(1992) Giovanni Antonini
Translation: Matthew Harris


text:
A few telling signs. 1) I talked to some docs about Cedax, every one of them said they wouldn't use it as a "first line" treatment for a child's ear infection. They all said that they would use amoxicillin first, which is less expensive and better tolerated. On top of that, they all said that there is at least 6 generic cephalosporins on the market that are all cheaper than branded Cedax! Cedax will never see the the type of growth the company is promising.2) In the two quarters that were supposed to be PTX's best, Q4 and Q1, they only did .06c and .04c, way below (66% below) analyst estimates. No matter how you look at it, or rationalize it, this company is way underperforming, largely because Cedax is underperforming. They say most acquisitions turn out to be a bust, Cedax is probably no different.3) The cold/ allergy products are completely generic (as in their active ingredients are not in any way unique, tons of products have the same ingredients!), in a highly competitive market and aren't worth much in a sale (or valued much in the stock price maybe 8 to 10x earnings, tops). Also, the cold products franchise is slowly decaying, and thats why the mgt team is anxiously trying to sign as many agreements they can to diversify its business. Because its bread and butter cold product line has been in trouble for awhile now. Expect stagnant to falling sales and decreasing margins on these products.4) Company has diluted shareholders over the last year by 20% by issuing stock, options, to employees, mgt, and even to do the Parapro deal.5) Insiders are lining up to sell their shares, usually a telling sign! Read last 8k.http://biz.yahoo.com/e/110531/ptx8-k.htm...Not worth the risk/ reward here.
Good intelligence. Cedax COST OF GOODS kill the margins.
wow, right on! I feel compelled to put in my two cents too. Stock is still trading at 37x trailing EPS. Still looks expensive, with earnings consistently falling and future estimates dropping like a rock. Industry Comps are at 18x-20x (which is historically its highs). I will remain short this stock.Analyst estimates will have to come down again, estimates moved down 3 times in last 3 months.PTX did .44c EPS in 2009, .40c in 2010 (though when you back out one time tax gains its lower than that), and now analysts have them doing only .35c in 2011 (and will have to lower this estimate as they continue to miss rosy estimates). So earnings have been in a downtrend, yet trades 37x eps.Sell side analysts that put crazy estimates and targets on PTX were completely dupped! They all knew the new IR guy (from his previous role) that PTX brought on. The lazy analysts ate up the story like a shark attacking the bait. Unfortunately, the bait was poisoned. Insiders wanted these morons as cover to sell their stock, which is exactly what they are doing now. $18 price targets? What fricken joke these analysts are! No wonder why the average investor gets screwed and doesn't trust wall street. But these third tier analysts don't care, the will make money on this, and then drop coverage and move on to the next BS idea to screw the little guy.Now its obvious why the management team did a reverse merger to come public, usually a sign of sneakiness and something to hide! No respectable firm would have underwritten this IPO when they checked under the hood. I say this Management cant be trusted. The cat is out of the bag now, with only these idiot bagholders propping this POS up.

subset: commoncrawl


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Maybe The Dumbest Way To Sell A Home Ever… Or Is It Really? This "Roller Coaster Open House Tour" might not be enough to get you to buy this home, but you have to admit it sure is a great marketing ploy to bring attention to the home. Every day during the whole of December,… Continue Reading
Shark Tank Episode Tree T Pee Johnny Georges is as genuine as any good hearted person you would ever be lucky enough to meet. After seeing this episode of Shark Tank something tells me his life will never be the same. Johnny is a Real Super Star of a human being possessing unique genuine qualities impossible to ignore…. Continue Reading
The title of this video translates to "Taiwanese nuclear style firecracker battle." We have no idea who these people are battling, but it's safe to say everybody won.
DJ Earworm Has Insane Talent…And a Lot of Time on His Hands If you want to know every song that is jammed into this video: A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera – Say Something Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea – Problem Bastille – Pompeii Dj Snake & Lil Jon – Turn Down For What Hozier… Continue Reading
Not only will kids love this but it will teach them a great lesson. If nothing else they will walk away thinking you are an Einstein of a father, mother aunt or uncle.
One Try This Guy Makes 25 Grand
Those Lemon's Didn't Stand a Chance
Skeletor is an OG Trash Talker
What The Boys Do When Mama's Away.


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Results 1 - 16 of 16 Page 1 of 1
Vexilar Soft Pack Case
Fits all Ultra Pack and Pro Pack II systems
Waterproof bottom helps protect the pack
Rear zippered door for easy transducer access
Heavy-duty handle design
Easily slips around your Ultra or Pro Pac
Vexilar Mag Shield
Magnifies your display
Keeps debris from falling into the display area
Made of clear, durable Lexan
Made in the USA
Vexilar 12° Mid Beam Ice Ducer
12 Mid Beam angle
Reliable float and stopper system
Adjusts for different ice thickness conditions
7 cable stays limp in cold weather
Vexilar Replacement Float w/ Stopper
Replacement float and stopper
Vexilar Replacement Transducer Stoppers
Replacement Stopper for the Ice-Ducer system
2 pcs.
Vexilar Neoprene Flasher Cover; COV001
Protects the flasher face during transport
Fits models FL-12, FL-20 FL-22HD
Waterproof bottom helps protect the contents
Vexilar FL-8SE Genz Pack Flasher with 19° Ice-Ducer
Adjustable sensitivity control
Display resolution 525 segments
Power output: 400 watts peak-to-peak
Large cable storage compartment
Vexilar PP1812 FL-18 Pro Pack II w/ 12-Degree Ice-Ducer
Designed to fit into a five-gallon bucket
Completely assembled and ready to fish
FL-18 three-color flasher depth finder/fish finder
Built-in interference rejection
12-volt, 9-amp-hour battery
Vexilar Fish Scout FS800 Underwater Viewing System with Case
7-inch, 16:9 widescreen LCD monitor
12-volt 9 amp battery allows 9 hour battery life
Carrying case, soft pack, and charger included
Super HAD CCD color/black and white camera
90 viewing angle
Vexilar DD-100 FL Digital Depth Indicator with Battery Gauge
Maximum depth: 199-feet
Display lights up for after-dark use
Can be used with any Vexilar FL Series Flashers
Sleep option to conserve battery
Water resistant and easy installation
Vexilar IP1212 FL-12 Ice Pro w/ 12-Degree Ice-Ducer Combo
Flat surface increases the viewing angle by 50%
10 steps of interference rejection
20 Low Power range setting option
Rod holder, tackle box, transducer holder
Cable holding cleats, battery, charger
Vexilar FLX-28 Flasher Fishfinder Ultra Pack w/ Pro View Ice ...
Vexilar 12-volt, 9 amp-hour battery
5 depth range settings, with 300 max. depth
Industry-leading 525 lines of resolution
Power and sensitivity: 400 watts peak-to-peak
Includes soft carry case and Ice-Ducer
Vexilar FLX-28 Pro Pack II Flasher with ProView Ice-Ducer
Accurate transducer positioning every time
20 interference rejection settings
Battery voltage display and alerts
Five color palettes to select for max. visibility
5 depth range adjustments starting at 10
Vexilar PP2012D FL-20 Pro Pack II 12-Degree Ice-Ducer Combo w/DD-...
Auto Zoom Mode: 1/2-screen zoom window bottom 6
Low Power Mode: Reduces the output power by 50%
Unmatched display brightness and signal clarity
Five Depth Ranges: 20, 40, 60, 80, and 300
Interference Rejection: cycles 10 IR settings
Some manufacturers impose minimum advertised price restrictions. If we lower the price of an item to a certain level, we can only show you that price in the cart. If you change your mind about the item, simply remove it from your cart. The savings are worth a few extra clicks.
Vexilar UP1212D FL-12 Ultra Pack 12-Degree Ice-Ducer Combo w/DD-...
Super bright LED, three-color display
10 interference rejection settings
Quality 9 amp SLA battery and automatic charger
Five depth ranges down to 200 feet
Tackle box holder with tackle box included
Vexilar UP2012D FL-20 Ultra Pack 12-Degree Ice-Ducer Combo w/DD-...
Auto Zoom Mode: 1/2-screen zoom window bottom 6
Low Power Mode: Reduces the output power by 50%
Unmatched display brightness and signal clarity
Five Depth Ranges: 20, 40, 60, 80, and 300
Interference Rejection: cycles 10 IR settings
Results 1 - 16 of 16 Page 1 of 1


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Samsung WB150F Review
Latest Camera Reviews
Your Comments
41 Comments | Newest Oldest First | Post a Comment
Not bad at all…
Just bought this.Not Mac Compatible.Im not pleased.
Need help to erase 500 pics off memory card all at once
How to erase memory card?
@ Sr , the easiest way to erase the card is using your computer . You also have an option to delete all the pictures . When you are at play (reviewing the pictures) , pres the MENU button , the top of the MENU shows option DELETE , pres OK and you'll see two options Delete and Delete All . Hope that will be helpful
i have bought this and had many problems with it , makes weird noises often and freezes at random times and memory got wiped out 2 times. am not very pleased with it but the image qaulity is VERY good.i have changed the same camera as i thought it was faulty but the next same one was the same.
Bought it last month. I'm very pleased with this camera, it took high quality photos and the zoom is great. You just have to not stay with the smart shooting mode go to program or if you're advance user go to manual and adjust the setting. and they say the wifi isn't that helpful, but for me it is. i can upload random pics anytime anywhere there is a wifi without using my pc. i rate it as 8.9/10 for a point and shoot camera. cheers from philippines
USD $89.99 on sale at Fry's Computers today. If it was a decent pocket camera at $229 it is a world beater at the price I paid.
I am fairly pleased with this camera, the zoom is one of my best likes as long as I have a Tripod. Pretty darn good shots of the Moon and Jets as they scrape the sky. Shooting inside is not as good as I would like but they'll do. Check out these Pics taken with the "Samsung wb150f camera". And as for Wi-Fi. Some say that you have to use a Samsung Phone to use "Mobilelink and Remote Viewfinder" but that's not true in my case. I have a ZTE WARP and those features work well.
@ Sr Just turn knob on top of Camera to "Settings" then go down to "General" and Select Format and everything on the Camera and Card will be erased. You should see a message saying "No Images"
Como desativar o Wi-Fi
comodesativo o wifi
T his was purchased as working with an iPad. Wrong!!! Terrible! it will be returned. Why aren't you told the truth at the time of purchase?
What do you expect if you buy an internet tablet made by apple, the world is moving on. You can pick this camera up for sub £100 now a lot of features for the price.
I bought this camera and am very pleased with the image quality and optical stabilization. I am leaving the smart auto settings and trying manuais.As photos with zoom surprise so sharp and IQ.I recommend to a friend.
This camera seems trivial at first, but learning to use produces excellent results.A more concise review here http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/compact-dig... Boa sorte
Hi all,
Great website, I find the reviews always unbiased and very helpful. 1 dumb question someone may be able to answer - does this camera support AV out for real time monitoring (of what the camera is seeing)?? I realise the Samsung app provides this but hopeful it may feed out via good old fashioned wire also. Thanx for any tips :-)
I find these reviews great. I'm keen to try one of these, but really need to be certain the Samsung remote app will work ok. Remote control is a must have for what I have in mind & the GooglePlay comments are 50/50… hmmm.
Great reviews - but - just 1 shot of the av-etc in & out ports would be real handy in each review.
I am having great difficulty importing pictures from camera to PC. Have tried direct from camera using USB and by removing memory stick and importing from that into PC. Message is "incorrect parameter" help would be appreciated.
Stupid question, I know. I cannot import the pictures to my PC. I have tried by wi-fi, usb, and taking memory card out and putting it in computer slot. Error message says improper parameter. Help. and thanks for tips so far.
try this:
or google:
improper parameter when transferring camera shots to computer
Thanks for the great review. Very technical and objective (pun not intended)!
Thank you All,,, this is a great Website, and i'd like to buy this camera,
can anybody help me..i've tried several times to use the video but no sound recorder.. i've put the sounds settings to alive on but still no sound recorder..pls help..tnx
hi can someone help! once ive downloaded some pics on to my pc then go back to view the pics on my camera the pics are not shown and it then says 'file error' doesnt happen to all the pics ive downloaded?? can someone tell me what im doing wrong?..please
hi why does my camera say 'file error' when looking back on pics?...please
have had problems with this camera so exchanged it for a WB200F happier with this one.
Had many problems with this camera so exchanged it for a WB200F much happier with this one.
had the same file error problem, just take card out and replace it,should be fine then,obviously you would have missed the photo by then.
please can anyone show me the major differences between the wb150f,wb200f, and wb250f model.whice of these is more powerful and is best recommended for a professional or commercial use.
Hello can somebody help me i m using wb 150 in pakistan and not satisfied with image quality especially during cloudy weather.In smart setting it z not producing images up to mark.Plz guide me regarding in setting if somebody can do it plz.
My WB150f is having issue connecting to the wi-fi. the camera freezes everytime I switch to wifi and try to connect through the mobilelink and when I go to Social Sharing. Can someone help me resolve these issues?
Whats better out of wb150 and wb250? for amateur photographer?
Dear photographyblog, it does not have a bsi cmos sensor like u said on the first page, it has a regular ccd sensor unfortunately. And for the customers who would like to buy this camera for great photos/videos; don't..it doesn't have that kind of quality, trust me I have one. Videos come out with a weird color reproduction, very low bitrate (8-9 mbps 720p@30 with 41000 hz mono sound) which is again not good at all. Photos are also a little bit better than your, let's say, average smartphone camera…I have a Samsung GS2 and believe me both videos and photos are better than my camera somehow.(17-20 mbps 1080p@30 videos with high quality stereo sound at 48000 hz).
Oh and btw, ois is definetely not working properly, at the max zoom you really have to use a tripod, forget about handheld usage..For good daylight usage it's ok when it comes to the pictures. For the video on the other hand, there's no difference at all, it sucks. Wifi capabilities are very good on the other hand and that 18x optical zoom is definetely becomes handy for some situations but just like I said, a proper tripod has to be used for that.
Friends! Im going to buy a WB150f Camera.. What about your suggetions? Please reply me..
Hi! I am using Wb200f my problem is file error message, everytime when i try to view 25th photo and upwards it says file error. Other pictures are jus ok no error message. I have formarted the card the card twice.
I have had much pleasure with my samsung wb150f but after 18 months the wifi has failed, the camera freezes and won't switch off, I have to remove the battery to turn it off. Everything else is fine.
Does anyone else have problems with the camera freezing after you take a photo? After this happens, I have to take the battery out and put it back in but the photo it froze on isn't saved? Could this be a battery problem?
I have had the camera freezing consistently but I think I have fugured out why, I can reproduce everytime I let the zoom go into the digital zoom range. I have stopped this by using manual focus points which removes the digital zoom option. So far no freezing. I never use digital zoom so happy with this.
Bad camera, my Kodak EasyShare DX6490 still works better. Look at here: http://oi63.tinypic.com/j5htmp.jpg
Entry Tags
hd video, hd, 3 inch LCD, compact, 720p, hdmi, manual, travel-zoom, travel, 24mm, travel zoom, samsung, 18x zoom, 18x, 14.2 megapixel, samsung wb150f, WB150F, Samsung WB150F Review


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Xlythe (Calculator)
- March 16, 2016
Offers in-app purchases
( 24,265)
Calculator is a simple 4 function calculator, with a panel that has more advanced functions when you need them. It includes history, real time graphing, base conversion, and more. It also comes with a lockscreen widget, a floating calculator, and a wear app so you can use whichever is most convenient.
The goal is a simple and uncluttered calculator.
Because Calculator is a full replacement for your stock calculator, we recommend you disable the one that came with your phone. If you long press your original calculator, and drag it to App Info, you can Disable it where you'd normally find Uninstall.
And, while this release has a few extra bells and whistles, Calculator is still an open source project. You can check it out at https://github.com/Xlythe/Calculator
Very useful calc app, almost perfect I use this app as my daily calculator for homework and other tasks (I'm an engineering student). Great UI, fast, simple, and feels good to use. Deceptively versatile based on its seemingly simple UI. However, one improvement I would suggest is the ability to recall previous equations instead of previous answers. Many times I find myself retyping a long equation when I need to make small changes to it. Think "question focused" instead of "answer focused"
Almost perfect This calculator has a beautiful UI, and great functionality.I have just ONE issue with this calculator, however. Swiping to dismiss previous calculations in the calculation history is pretty unresponsive. Consistently takes me 5 or 6 tries for each calculation I want to dismiss. Other than that, this calculator is amazing.
Why did they make it worse? It has less functionality than before. The layout of the right panel is really annoying and the over styling is terrible now. It was better and simpler before. Stop touching things that don't need it. I had this app because it was better looking and feeling than the built in one. Neither of those statements are true now. Getting rid of this.
Ur new update sucks... Makes my phone stuck on home screen after using cool widget which makes it unique from the others when I drag the icon to 'X' icon and hv to restart the whole phone... The previous version would hv been a full 5 stars
Feature rich with a sleek UI I was looking for a good replacement for the stock calculator that had more options to it, and I found it here. With no ads, an impressive host of features including graphing all efficiently compacted into an elegantly simple interface, I'd recommend this application to anyone as an upgrade to the stock calculator.
Warning! This calculator is very nice and all, but, be aware, it doesn't understand the priorities when multiplying and adding, so you need to use brackets all the time. I have wasted my nerves on my calculations because of this!
What's New
-Bugfixes with the widget
-Disallow leading operations (+,*,/)
-Bugfixes with wear app on Moto360
-Bugfixes with copy/paste in display


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Teaching the Catholic faith can be quite a challenge if you lack an adequate understanding of the Catholic faith yourself. And given the fact that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is over 900 pages in length, it's no wonder that Catholics struggle to comprehend their faith.
A Well-Built Faith—creatively developed around a construction theme—makes it easy for Catholics to know what they believe and to feel confident in sharing those beliefs.This 18-chapter book by master teacher Joe Paprocki follows the structure of the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Creed, Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer), making it a wonderful resource for learning about and teaching the Catholic faith. Highly informative and very fun at the same time, A Well-Built Faith is a must-have tool for developing the Catholic faith.
Available in Spanish.
If you place your order now, you will receive a book with the updated Roman Missal changes printed in the book. This updated book has a black line over the ISBN bar code on the back of the book. If you have an older version, please download this PDF with the Roman Missal updates..
Leader Guide
Joe Paprocki, D.Min., has been a catechetical leader and religious educator in the Chicago area for more than thirty years.
You can also download this title in one of the following formats.
Please note: The below links will direct you to another website to make your purchase.


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Optec - JMI MotoFocus Mounting Ring for JMI NGF-S motorized focuser
The mounting ring screws into the large, coarse thread on the back of the IFW Filter Wheel or MAXfilter (both sold separately) and allows attachment of focusers, telecompressors, or other SCT accessories.The JMI MotoFocus Mounting Ring is for attachment of JMI's NGF-S motorized focuser. The #17462 JMI MotoFocus mount screws directly onto the back of the JMI NGF line of motorized focusers and presents the OPTEC-2300 dovetail for attachment of IFW and MaxFilter systems
- Outside Diameter: 2.45" (62.2mm)
- Overall Height: 0.78" (19.8mm)
- Clear Aperture: 1.9" (48.3mm)
- Weight: 1.76 oz (49.9 g)
- Back-focus Usage: 0.1" (2.54mm)
- Telescope Side Connection: OPTEC-2300 Dovetail
- Camera Side Connection:: JMI MotoFocus
Product Series
If your camera or accessory is not listed, do not hesitate to call. Optec isconstantly adding new adapters to our catalog.
Additional Information
|Optec - JMI MotoFocus Mounting Ring for JMI NGF-S motorized focuser.
|Manufacturer Part No


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on May 31, 2013 - 12:01 AM
We've been fixing up the kitchen a bit, and as part of the project, I've been examining the contents of our cabinets. For the most part, most of the things behind the doors and in the drawers are pretty basic – clear glasses, white serving pieces, plain silverware, the occasional outdated coupon.
In digging through, however, I've also been reminded of two rules I've tried to adhere to through the years while slowly adding to our kitchen inventory. No. 1: Don't buy things we have no place to store or display. And No. 2: Don't buy sets of things that if one element breaks or mysteriously vanishes, the rest of the set is pretty much shot.
That said, I have followed rule No. 1 and passed up a good deal on such items as a good-looking 5-gallon beverage dispenser with spigot that might come in handy for serving lemonade at gatherings. There simply is no place to store the jug in our kitchen, and I already have to stash the slow-cooker, large platters and 30-cup coffee urn in a storage cabinet in the basement.
Then again, I'm not saying I always listen to myself. Let's turn to rule No. 2. We have a set of four white ceramic bowls each measuring about 2½ inches in diameter with bases that are somewhat narrower. This enables them to fit snugly into the designated openings in the wrought-iron base that came with the set. We use the bowls for condiments, sauces and such – and we use them quite a lot.
But every time I pull out the set, I am very careful with those bowls. If I drop one and it shatters all over the kitchen floor, the set is now incomplete. There will be three remaining bowls and one lonely opening in the base.
Where will the sweet pickle relish go?
Sure, I might be able to find a similar replacement bowl that can fill in. "Why does that one bowl look so odd?" I can already hear my mother asking.
Or I could switch out the three remaining bowls and find four new ones that fit the openings. That just sounds like too much work.
The same risk comes with a set of three ceramic canisters with slippery-when-wet lids. And, quite frankly, a set of novelty salt and pepper shakers purchased in an off-the-beaten-path shop in New England also is on shaky grounds.
For some reason, all this reminds me how I was once told to always buy two pairs of identical socks, not just one. That way I would still have a complete pair – plus a spare – if one sock disappeared as socks have a way of doing.
The same goes for children's mittens. Buy at least two of the same pair because you know how mittens tend to wander. But who wants to talk about mittens this time of year?
In the meantime, I'll keep handling my little white bowls with kid gloves.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Home page News & events News 2012 Companies set to invest in self-service customer care
Providing automated customer care systems via websites is set to be the biggest investment priority for companies looking to build on their existing customer care programmes over the next twelve months. According to research carried out with 5,000 businesses by Virgin Media Business, 37 per cent of firms are planning to beef up their automated self-service capabilities this year to meet increased customer demand.
Over half (58 per cent) of companies said they believe the level of customer care they offer helps them to stand apart from the competition. To help maintain the competitive advantage, businesses are now investing in tools that allow customers to deal with an issue without needing to speak to an employee. Less than a quarter (21 per cent) of the businesses we spoke to currently offer this to customers, the next most important investment priority for firms is establishing an automated text messaging service (22 per cent).
Phil Stewart, Director Customer Services at Virgin Media Business, said: "As we all become more digital, we expect to be able to contact businesses at any time with questions, queries or complaints. For businesses this poses a real problem in terms of staffing this demand. In part because of the way social media works, people want to be engaged as quickly as possible. Yet for most businesses, they simply can't afford to have someone staff a customer helpline 24/7."
"In response, we're seeing companies invest in social media. Nine per cent are increasing their use of Facebook, with six per cent investing in Twitter. But the priority is with automated 'e-Services' that can respond to customers around the clock. It's not a replacement for speaking to people directly, but can help point people in the right direction for information or simply acknowledge an enquiry.
These tools can help companies be leaner in the way they deal with customer enquiries and ensure that opportunities aren't missed simply because of resourcing issues."


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Web Weavers Cake
Additional Information
Step 1
In advance: Make fondant spiders and words. Tint 12 oz. of white fondant black; reserve remainder. Roll out black fondant 1/8 in. thick and use cutter from set to cut 11 spiders; place spiders on board dusted with cornstarch. Make fondant details. Roll 1/4 in. purple and orange balls for feet, 11/4 in. orange strip for mouth, 1/4 in. white balls for eyes, 1/8 in. black balls for pupils, 1/16 in. yellow balls for noses, shape small white teardrops for teeth. Attach details with damp brush. For words: Roll out neon yellow fondant 3/16 in. thick; cut 2 yellow "EEK" pieces using cutter from set. To enlarge, carefully re-roll pieces to 1/16 in. thick, making sure that the letters do not lose their shape. Roll out neon orange fondant 3/16 in. thick; cut 2 "EEK" pieces. Use knife to cut out and remove void areas; attach to yellow pieces with damp brush. Let dry on cornstarch-dusted surface. When completely dry, attach lollipop sticks to "EEK" pieces and to 1 spider with melted candy; let set.
Step 2
Combine Lemon Yellow color with Pastel Green fondant and any remaining white fondant for shade shown on cakes and pillars. Cover pillars, top 4 in. of twist legs and one 8 in. separator plate with fondant,1/8 in. thick. Prepare 2-layer cakes (bake two 1 1/2 in. high layers for 3 in. high cakes) for pillar construction. Prepare for rolled fondant. Position cakes on same-size separator plates; cover cakes and plates as one piece with fondant; smooth with Easy-Glide Smoother. Divide each cake and bottom plate into 8ths. Using Brush-On Color, paint web center lines at division points; add connecting curves between lines. Position Grecian pillars and 8 in. cake on bottom plate. Position 6 in. cake on twist legs. Roll 1/8 in. rope of yellow fondant and wrap around base of twist legs. Insert words and spider on sticks into cake top at various heights. Attach spiders to pillars and cake sides with melted candy.
24 ounces Ready-To-Use White Rolled Fondant
In Stock (ships in 1-2 business days)
48 ounces Ready-to-Use Pastel Green Rolled Fondant
Lemon Yellow Icing Color
Black Icing Color
White Candy Melts® Candy
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6 x 2 in. Round Pan
8 x 2 in. Round Pan
8 in. Lollipop Sticks
Crystal-Clear Cake Divider Set ((6 inch plate))
Waxed paper
Sharp Knife
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Want to get a head this Halloween? Well, create this creepy head-shaped cake, using our Dimensions 3D Skull Pan, for your adult party.
This scary Halloween cake takes its cue from the movies. Sure to set the party scene, the face, hands and draped outfit are all shaped out of rolled fondant.
Ever wonder what Dracula looked like as a child? This 3-D Halloween cake could be the answer! Sure to please your party guests, this creature of the night is baked using the Classic Wonder Mold and Mini Ball pans.


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About woainishamu : My name is Sherwin. Message me! P.S whales are awesome ;)
woainishamu's FML badges
Santa Claus
You've looked for Santa absolutely everywhere, and you managed to find him. Well done!
I agree, their lives suck
200 votes confirming that their life is crap. It's what the website is all about.
You've now voted that they totally deserved it more than 100 times.
woainishamu's favorite FMLs
Today, my husband was disgusted by me expressing breast milk while we were in the shower together. This is the same man who thinks it's funny to pee on my legs because, "It'll wash off." FML
by Ew?Really? / 08/04/2014 at 1:42am / United States (Colorado) / Health
Today, I met a cute guy, and everything went great. After a while, he asked me for my number and I gave it to him. Now he won't stop texting me, asking for pictures of my toes. FML
by ewhy / 04/23/2014 at 2:37pm / United States (California) / Love
Today, I was in my Honors English class. I sneezed very loudly while my teacher was giving a lecture. I had the genius idea to say, "Sorry, I'm allergic to bullshit." FML
by Catuser / 03/05/2014 at 10:09pm / United States (Virginia) / Miscellaneous
Today, I got a concussion. It was when an entire shelf of bicycle helmets tumbled onto my skull. FML
by myheadhurts / 11/11/2013 at 9:14pm / Canada (British Columbia) / Health
Today, my parents held a big family dinner at our house. Being the only underage person there, I had to sit there while everyone got progressively drunker and started commenting on how eerily similar I look to Shamu the whale. FML
by Anonymous / 08/05/2013 at 11:33am / United States / Miscellaneous
Today, my father shot my fiancé. He's fine, but the wedding is off. FML
by Anonymous / 07/30/2013 at 8:07pm / United States (Michigan) / Miscellaneous
Today, while taking my boyfriend's virginity, he started moaning, "Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!" He then started crying and praying. FML
by JustSomeGuy / 07/29/2013 at 11:43pm / United States (Texas) / Intimacy
Today, I went on a blind date. The guy greeted me with a "What's up, bitch?", which I wrote off as him just being really laid-back. By dessert, he'd asked me if my boobs are real, then when we finished, asked how many more dates it'd take before I put out. So much for that. FML
by ElodieUNU / 07/12/2013 at 3:33pm / France / Love
Today, I discovered that when my husband agreed to donate sperm so an infertile friend and his wife could have children, there was nothing "artificial" about the insemination. FML
by OnPlanetVenus / 07/04/2013 at 12:41am / United States (Nebraska) / Intimacy
Today, I dressed up as Batman for a comic book convention. I was hit by a car on the way there by a man dressed up as the Joker for the same convention. FML
by ironies a b*tch / 04/13/2013 at 1:04am / United States (Illinois) / Transportation
Today, I came home to find a mouse in the garage. Frantic, I killed it. My 7-year-old son came home from soccer, and started crying because he couldn't find the class pet, Mr. Whiskers. I killed my son's class pet. FML
by Anonymous / 12/07/2012 at 10:30am / United States / Animals
Today, while getting a hernia exam, I accidentally ran my fingers through my doctor's hair. FML
by WTFFAIL / 12/03/2012 at 12:06am / Canada (Quebec) / Health
Today, my boyfriend and I were having sex when the condom broke. He told me to go put a tampon in to "soak up the kids". How did he graduate? FML
by me. / 12/01/2012 at 9:54am / United States / Intimacy
Today, I walked in on my son teabagging his sister over a video game. FML
by john r.t. / 11/09/2012 at 7:30pm / United States (Texas) / Kids
Today, I was singing one of my favorite songs in my car while at a red light. A guy made it a point to get my attention and said, "If you're really going to sing that bad, you should probably roll your windows up." FML
by Anonymous / 10/21/2012 at 12:24am / United States / Miscellaneous


text:
Erie man jailed in stabbing incident
An Erie man was jailed Wednesday on charges he stabbed another man during a fight Tuesday in the 1900 block of Whitley Avenue, just north of Broad Street.
Lavell Beason, 21, of the 1800 block of Prospect Avenue, was arraigned before Erie 3rd Ward District Judge Tom Carney on charges of aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime.
Beason was placed in the Erie County Prison on $50,000 bond.
The victim showed up at UPMC Hamot at about 8 p.m. Tuesday with stab wounds, which were not life-threatening, authorities said.
Police were called to the 1900 block of Whitley Avenue at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday after neighbors reported a group of males fighting.