Marco Di Lena, Federica Floreancig & Delia Stabile - Paul Sandrini: Chamber Music with Guitar (2025) [Digital Download 24/88]

Given his brief lifespan, the multi-talented musician Paolo Sandrini made a considerable impact in his thirty-one years. He was born in Gorizia, in what is now the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, an area representing a border between various ethnicities, most especially those speaking Germanic, Italian, and Slavic languages. At the time when Sandrini was born, Gorizia was part of the Holy Roman Empire, governed politically from Vienna. Culturally, the coastal regions east of Venice were predominantly Italian, usually speaking the Venetian dialect, at least as far as Fiume (now Rijeka). German encyclopedias who inform us about Sandrini give no details about his activities prior to arriving in the north, but according to the late Slovene scholar Danilo Pokorn Sandrini had been first oboe in the orchestra in Ljubljana (Laibach), and left that position to go to Prague (both Laibach and Prague then being secondary cities under the Emperor in Vienna). The earliest biographical volume to mention Sandrini is the Universal-Lexikon der Tonkunst (1849), which notes: “Sandrini, Paolo, in his younger years a good player of flute and oboe, and also a skilled guitarist, born in Italy, but already in Germany from 1805 on, first in Prag, and then from 1808 in Dresden; he also composed many little things. In the Dresden orchestra S. played the oboe, but he died here already on November 15, 1813, barely 31 years old.” He had the good fortune to marry a woman who would become one of the most notable opera singers of her time, Luigia Caravoglia (1782-1869), born to another distinguished Italian singer who was on tour in The Hague when Luigia was born. Luigia was then brought up in Messina, where she had small roles beginning as young as 14. She later appeared as a substitute for the prima donna Rossini (mother of the composer) in Bologna, and arrived as the leading lady for the Italian company of Guardasoni in Prague in 1802. She continued with the German opera of Liebig after Guardasoni’s death. She married Sandrini in Prague, and was called to be leading lady of the Italian court opera in Dresden in 1808. She performed for Napoleon several times there in 1813. In 1832, when the Italian opera in Dresden was dissolved, she became a voice teacher at the Conservatory in Prague. Sandrini and Caravoglia were the parents of a notable daughter, the composer and singer Marie Börner-Sandrini (b. July 14, 1809), who published her memoirs (Erinnerungen einer alten Dresdnerin), in 1876, though unfortunately there is not a word about her father, of whom he may not even have had a memory. Sandrini must have been a very skilled performer, for there is much in the columns of the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung about his work. Datelined Prague, April 20 (published in the May 1808 issue, columns 501-502): Prague, April 20. The concerts for this year’s Lenten season were begun on March 8th by Herr Sandrini, the husband of our leading lady singer, whose departure for the Royal Saxon Court Theater has aroused general regret. Mr. S plays oboe and English horn almost equally well; but the first yet more assures him a place among the excellent virtuosi. Mr. S presented three new products of Bohemian composers, and seems thus to be one of the few foreigners who know how to appreciate the talent of the Bohemians. The compositions which he performed, are by Wittasek, Rösler and Weber. From the first we heard the Adagio und Allegro from a concerto for the English horn, from the second a double concerto for flute and oboe, and for the last, in conclusion, a Potpourri for the oboe. Herr Wittasek this time took on a very difficult and not very rewarding job; it was indifferently received, as the composer and the performing artist deserved, although one must understand, that it belongs to most successful works of the former. The reason for this cold reception was probably simply the unfavorable organ through which the art spoke here. The English horn has long since been supplanted by the lovelier bassett horn (as a concerted instrument) and at most be tolerated still as accompaniment of an aria. From the second concerto we already heard the rondo several years ago, with a preceding or rather introductory Adagio, played by Fladt and Metzger from Munich, for whom it was written; only the first Allegro was new to us. Herr Sandrini (oboe) and Mr. Bayer (flute) fought an honorable competition, and presented their parts with considerable purity and precision. It was only a pity that the object of their combined efforts was an entirely everyday product, which was only saved from being a complete flop through their excellent interpretation. Herr Weber’s potpourri is a quite excellent piece of moderate scope, the only goal of which seems to be to place the talent of the virtuoso into the full spotlight. However, it is also rich in Harmony, and the instrumentation is brilliant and surprising. It demands considerable precision in the execution. We must also regret on the part of all three composers, that the orchestra accompanied without any sense; an unfortunate result of the lack of rehearsals. Madame S. sang two arias (one from Paer’s Sophonisbe, and a second by Nasolini); very fine. And from Dec. 1809: Leipzig. On Dec. 28 Herr und Madame Sandrini (née Caravoglia) gave a concert. Herr S. is employed a virtuoso on the oboe, Madame as first chamber and opera-singer in Dresden. All the good things which had been earlier reported in these pages from Prague regarding these two were confirmed. Herr S. handled his instrument with much delicacy and great dexterity. The voice and vocal style of Madame S. certainly seem to be more for the theater than for the concert: but both her performances, and those of her husband were entirely correct. The concerto which Herr S. played on the first half was written by J. Schubert in Dresden with insight and to good effect. Regarding Sandrini’s compositional production, the Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich notes: S. was not only a virtuoso on the instruments which he played, he also composed many thigs for these, for example, duets for flute and guitar, variations for guitar, cavatine with guitar accompaniment, and his compositions were considered pleasing by musical connoisseurs.

Tracklist:
01. Six Variations on Wann i in der Früh aufsteh in C Major
02. Sonata concertata for Guitar and Flute in A Major: I. Allegro moderato
03. Sonata concertata for Guitar and Flute in A Major: II. Andante sostenuto
04. Sonata concertata for Guitar and Flute in A Major: III. Rondò allegretto
05. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: I. Andante sostenuto
06. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: II. Polacca
07. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: III. Andante
08. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: IV. Allegro moderato
09. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: V. Andante sostenuto
10. Six Cavatinas for Soprano and Guitar in A Minor, Op. 13: VI. Allegretto
11. Duo Concertante for Flute and Guitar in C Major, Op. 12: I. Allegro moderato
12. Duo Concertante for Flute and Guitar in C Major, Op. 12: II. Andante sostenuto
13. Duo Concertante for Flute and Guitar in C Major, Op. 12: III. Minuetto. Allegro assai
14. Duo Concertante for Flute and Guitar in C Major, Op. 12: IV. Allegretto


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