Identifications, misattributions and doubts in editions of Spanish and Portuguese keyboard music of the 18th century
By: Martin Voortman, Walramstrasse 3, D- 65183 Wiesbaden, Germany, Voortman_Westend@gmx.de
Felipe Pedrell, with his collections El organista litúrgico español (1905) and Antología de organistas clásicos españoles. (1908) was the first to make a modern edition of keyboard works of old Spanish masters. In 1927 Higinio Anglés began the series Opera Omnia of the organ works of Juan Bautista Cabanilles. Joaquín Nin edited for the piano in 1925 and 1929 pieces by mostly less-known Spanish composers of the 18th century, opening with the discovery of the sonatas of Antonio Soler. From this edition, the pianist Frederick Marvin was one of the first to offer them to a worldwide audience. He went to Spain to investigate in this field and published a first volume of Soler sonatas in 1957. Samuel Rubio published his first volume of Soler sonatas in 1952 and the second one in 1958. The discovery of Spanish composers of the 18th century and all their music sources has been a slow trail progressing since then, but we still await the publication of more surprising treasures. In the second half of the 18th century, increasing amounts of European editions were sold in Spain and manuscript copies of them either lacking or with false authorial attributions make it difficult to distinguishing foreign pieces from those in fact by Spanish or Portuguese composers. In the 20th century a specifically Spanish style of baroque and preclassical keyboard music was often dismissed, the position being maintained that it was imitating the Italian one and even “inferior” to it. The common thought was rather guided to find the fulfillment of the Spanish musical developments of nearly a century before classicism in the achievement of the all-European classical forms and style. The vast collection of source and transcription pdfs available on IMSLP is of greatest help in confirming authorships, as you may see from the hyperlinks. In the last few years, many libraries and archives have provided scans of manuscripts free to read online. An optimised knowledge and therefore a deeper understanding of the composers and their works, sources and their connections will be possible the day all of them are online, all historical and biographical data published together from their sources and an online searching- by- notes engine of free use will allow us to follow specific musical themes. Even if we admit that musicians are always innocent when performing under the editor’s false attribution, every listener barely experienced with that music may keep impressions of pieces which are not Spanish at all- but often by minor composers, yet another problem making a just appreciation of 18th century Spanish repertory more difficult. The list of identifications and conjectures below is what I have been able to write about it until now. Please accept it as constructive information for this purpose and feel free to contact me.
Wiesbaden, January 2022 last actualization: October 8th, 2023
More about Spanish keyboard music on my main homepage: https://voortman-musik.hpage.com/
Joaquín Nin: Dix-sept sonates et pièces anciennes d'auteurs espagnols : deuxième recueil, Editions Max Eschig, Paris, 1929
Narciso Casanovas, Sonata in F major, is the 3rd movement of Sonata I (Op. 1 /2) of Giovanni Battista Grazioli https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Battista_Grazioli
Cantallos, Sonata in c minor: is the sonata R 60b of Antonio Soler. We don’t know from which source it was edited by Nin, but in the Biblioteca de Catalunya in Barcelona there are two sources with this sonata, including the Cantabile (R 60a): M 932/ 1, p. 11 and M 1964, f. 36v.
Macario Santiago Kastner, Cravistas Portugueses, vol. 1 B. Schott’s Söhne, Mainz, 1935.
João de Sousa Carvalho, Sonata em sol menor: Corresponds to sonata Op. 1 nr. 5 by Mattia Vento for harpsichord and violín, edited in London in 1767. It sounds very Portuguese and its' style is rather outstanding in comparison with similar works of Vento. See the article by João Pedro d' Alvarenga (1995) for more information about Lisbon sources and the authorship of the sonatas attributed to Sousa Carvalho. The F major sonata is an arrangement of movements from two different concertos for harpsichord, two violins and bass, that which the second movement is taken from being attributed to Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi.
José Antonio de Donostia: Música de tecla en el País Vasco. Siglo XVIII, San Sebastián: Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad Municipal, 1953; 2ª ed., Lecaroz: Archivo P. Donostia, 1976.
The José de Larrañaga sonata in C is an arrangement of the harpsichord part of the first movement of quartet opus 3 númber 1 by Joseph Anton Bauer (1725 - 1808). For further confirmation, search for this composer in RISM.
The Larrañaga- sonata in G seems a misattributed harpsichord part as well. His Minué de 5° tono (C major, contained in the same Cartapacio de Urreta 1) is of rather weak quality and seems inspired in the Fischer Minuet (theme for the Mozart piano variations KV 179). In this sense it could be another work of Juan Bautista Antonio Bidaurre, from which we find a piece inspired by works of F. J. Haydn in the Cartapacio de Urreta 4. The Larrañaga-sonata in d minor seems rather a work of Domenico Scarlatti. His sonatas K 1 and 395 are contained in the same source.
José Climent: Rafael Anglés, 2 sonatas, UME, Madrid, 1970
The second sonata in F major is the 1st movement of the Sonatina Op. 6 Nr. VI by Ernst Eichner https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Eichner (notified by Daniel Laumans)
We should doubt about Anglés’ authorship of the first sonata in e minor as well, because it fits more to a Middle European galant style than to any other work of Anglés found until today.
Antonio Ruiz Pipó: Música vasca del siglo XVIII para tecla. Madrid: Unión Musical Española, 1972.
SONATA EN DO MAYOR attributed to José de Larrañaga, included on the pages 5 to 8 of this edition, is based on the harpsichord part of the first movement of quartet opus 3 númber 1 of Joseph Anton Bauer (1725 - 1808). For further confirmation, search for this composer in RISM.
Francisco Civil: Anton Mestres (s. XVIII) Doce piezas para clave u órgano, Unión Musical Española, Madrid, 1972
I. TOCATA: First movement of Sonata III by Domenico Alberti
Gerhard Doderer: Portugiesische Sonaten, Toccaten zmd Menuette des 18. Jahrhunderts, Organa Hispanica Heft 2, Heidelberg, Willy Müller, 1972, pp. 11-21
2. SONATE: This keyboard sonata in F major attributed to João de Sousa Carvalho is an arrangement of movements from two different concertos for harpsichord, two violins and bass, that from which the second movement is taken from is attributed to Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi. See the article of Alvarenga (1995).
J.V. González Valle: Serie de música histórica aragonesa, fascículo I Real Musical, Madrid, 1978
4. Partido de dos bajos, attributed to Ramón Ferreñac: In E-Bbc, M 926 (between Haydm’s sonatas 21 -26 and five other of the same) it appears as the second of a group of three organ works, the third of which was already published as work by Juan de Sessé (Samuel Rubio: Organistas de la Real Capilla s. XVIII, UME, Madrid, 1973). This lets seem more likely the authorship of Juan de Sessé. Works by Ferreñac are rather not found in Madrid sources- and on the other hand, Partidos were scarcely any more written in that time outside Catalonia, and the most prominent Catalan organist working in Madrid before Soler (José Elías) died there around 1755. The rest are works by José Lidón and one anonymous fugue at the end
6. Sonata de sexto tono: Third movement of Giovanni Battista Grazioli, Sonata VII (Op. 1 /2)
7. Sonata de sexto tono: Third movement of Giovanni Battista Grazioli, Sonata I (Op. 1 /2)
Dionisio Preciado: José Ferrer, Sonatas para clave, Real Musical, Madrid, 1979
8.a Allegro: Sonata K 353 by Domenico Scarlatti. Jesús Gonzalo López, on p. 10 and 28 of the foreword of Tecla Aragonesa vol. X, states that Ferrer’s authorship of this and the five following sonatas has not been proven by Preciado on p. IX of the foreword. The group of six anonymous sonatas is written 56 folios further on from the first seven in the source.
Macario Santiago Kastner, Carlos Seixas, 25 sonatas para instrumentos de tecla, serie Portugaliae Musica, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, 1980
II. Sonata do menor: This piece is a shortened variant of the second movement of a Toccata by Francesco Durante (notified by Daniel Laumans).
Dionisio Preciado, Doce compositores aragoneses para tecla (s. XVIII), Editora Nacional, Madrid, 1983
8. Sonata en fa mayor: This is the second movement of Sonata II by Domenico Alberti, here attributed to Juan Moreno from the MV. 2.°, p. 281
11. Tocata de 4.° tono (Juan Moreno y Polo in MV. 2.°): This, with long and stringent sequences, is rather far from the sonatas of Juan Moreno, but close to the style of José de Nebra in his recently published Sinfonías para tecla. The manuscript E-VIG, M 184, dated in 1747, contains this piece as well on folios 9v. – 11r., whithout attribution, under the title “Trompetas Reales, o Corneta y Nasardos, Tocata 3ro Tono Ante” among attributed pieces by Catalan organists, specially of Barcelona. We find many examples of not writing attributions above pieces of well known and prestigious composers, such as Nebra, Elías, Soler…
Rosario Álvarez Martínez: Obras inéditas para tecla, SEdeM, Madrid, 1984
2 SONATA en SOL M of D. Scarlatti. This is a variant of sonata 46 of Carlos Seixas published in Macario Santiago Kastner, Carlos Seixas, 80 sonatas para instrumentos de tecla, serie Portugaliae Musica, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, 1965 (notified by Prof. Lothar Siemens).
4 SONATA en LA M de Francisco Courcelle. This sonata is a variant of one of the unica in the long time missing source (E Bbc M 1964) from which Enrique Granados edited 26 arrangements of Scarlatti sonatas for piano. (modern edition of the unica: https://www.trito.es/product,es/Tres-sonates-inedites/TR00870 ).
Pieces 5 to 9: In the foreword of the edition, the editor decided to attribute to José de Nebra the works printed on pages 37 to 54. At the time of the edition being published, the manuscripts were in possession of the Zárate- Cólogan family (La Orotava, Tenerife) without being catalogued. Piece 5 is written on a single leaf, while the other pieces are together in a manuscript. In both sources the complete name of the author is written: José Blasco de Nebra, cousin of José de Nebra Blasco, organist of Sevilla cathedral and father of Manuel Blasco de Nebra. See the article written about this branch of the family: María Salud Álvarez Martínez, “José y Manuel Blasco de Nebra: la otra casa de la familia Nebra” in Revista de Musicología XV (Madrid 1992), pp. 775-813. On piece 7 only “Nebra” is written, 8 and 9 appear without attribution. In 2019, this manuscript was to be found in the Archivo Histórico Provincial de Tenerife, Fondo Zárate Cólogan, ACZ 301 (provisional signature).
Bengt Johnsson: D. Scarlatti, Ausgewählte Klaviersonaten I Urtext, G. Henle Verlag, München, 1985
This edition includes some very doubtful attributions taken from manuscripts of the Arxiu Històric Musical de Montserrat.
21 Sonate in C very uncharacteristic galant style
22 Sonate in G In its surprising simplicity it still fits the compositional style of D. Scarlatti.
23 Sonate in g This is the second movement of the sonata for organ by Johann Adolf Hasse (notified by Daniel Laumans)
24 Sonate in C Attributable to the Barcelona organist Josep Clausells because of the characteristic bass figure from bar 7 onwards, and the Da capo- form, employed for keyboard pieces almost exclusively in Barcelona.
P. José María Muneta Martínez de Morentín: Música de tecla de la catedral de Albarracín, vol. I , Instituto de estudios turolenses, Teruel, 1981
VII Partido de mano izquierda: At a first glance, this work could be thought to be composed by José Martínez de Arce (ca.1660-1721, chapel master in Valladolid). But the harpist of Pamplona cathedral, Juan José de Arce (1748-1777) was an organist as well. The structure is simple in comparison to Tientos partidos of the former generation. The harmonic development is rather similar to that of the "Lleno" no. 18 in Doce compositores aragoneses para tecla del s. XVIII, work by Diego Llorente y Sola (1751 - 1802).
P. José María Muneta Martínez de Morentín: Música de tecla de la catedral de Albarracín, vol. III, Instituto de estudios turolenses, Teruel, 1986
p. 38 – 43: Bernard Viguerie: Bataille de Maringo [...} pour le fortepiano Op. 8, Paris (modified and shortened)
p. 87 JUETES: F.J. Haydn, Piece 1 from Différentes pièces faciles et agréables published by Artaria, Vienna in 1788 (arrangement of the 2nd. movement of symphony Hob.I:81
p. 91 Adagio: F.J. Haydn, Piece 6 from Différentes pièces faciles et agréables published by Artaria, Vienna in 1788 (movement of Sonata Hob. XVII/ 9)
p. 93 Allegro: F.J. Haydn, Piece 7 from Différentes pièces faciles et agréables published by Artaria, Viena in 1788 (movement of the 2nd part of the overture Hob. Ia:15)
p. 95 Allegretto: F.J. Haydn, Piece 10 from Différentes pièces faciles et agréables published by Artaria, Viena in 1788 (according to Hob. 3/ 41)
Tecla Aragonesa, vol. I/ José de Nebra, Tocatas y sonata para órgano o clave (ed. Romà Escalas, Institución Fernando el Católico,1987)
3. SONATA EN FA MAYOR: The same piece is to be found as a sonata by Baldassare Galuppi (edition: n° 9, Rossi catalogue: https://www.armelin.it/CollanaGOS/105.htm#CONTENUTO R.A.1.8.10 ) in a German source. Notified by Daniel Laumans, who indicated as source: D-B, Mus ms 6998, p. 52 - 55 (in the middle, with neither title nor author https://digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht?PPN=PPN798868325&PHYSID=PHYS_0054&DMDID=DMDLOG_0006 ). The neighbouring Mus ms 6997 attributes all works to Galuppi, but the two “Divertimenti” at the end are the sonatas VIII and XI by .Ludovico Giustini
Dionisio Preciado: Teclado Español s. XVIII, Anónimos Aragoneses Real Musical, Madrid. 1989
14. Lleno de 5° tono punto alto: The same fugue by José de Nebra was published in 1995 from another source in Tecla Aragonesa, volume III.
Tecla Aragonesa, vol. III/ José de Nebra Obras inéditas para tecla (ed. María-Salud Álvarez, Institución Fernando el Católico,1995)
1. Sonata en Fa mayor is most likely by D. Scarlatti
2. Sonata en Sol mayor seems not within the style of the composer, in spite of that the seven last bars of each part may be compared to those of his “1. Tocata en Sol mayor” of Tecla Aragonesa vol. I..
3. Sonata en Mib mayor seems rather a piece by Manuel Blasco de Nebra
5. Tocata en do menor is a sonata by Rafael Anglés, identified in the thesis about Anglés by Carlos Paterson (p. 340). The second part is the Verso 2. de 1er tono of the Psalmodia de Rafael Anglés edited by Preciado, transposed one tone lower.
6. TOCATA EN FA MAYOR seems too plain to be a work by José de Nebra. He had two musician brothers: Joaquín and Francisco Javier.
7. OBRA PARA ÓRGANO The same work, with slight variants and two bars more, has been published anonymous from MV. 2° f. 187r. (Archivo parroquial de Santa María la Mayor de Valderrobles, Teruel) by Dionisio Preciado in the following edition: Teclado Español s. XVIII, Anónimos Aragoneses Real Musical, Madrid. 1989
Tecla Aragonesa, vol. V/ Obras para tecla del s. XVIII (Luisa Morales, Institución Fernando el Católico,1997)
III. SONATA DE 5° TONO [Juan] Moreno [y Polo]: This sonata is in Da Capo form, the second part being in the parallel of the tonica without modifying the main theme- which is almost exclusive to Barcelona organists of the preclassical period (Francesc Mariner, Josep Closells, Anton Mestres, Francesc Vilar, Joan Vila). As a whole, it is most comparable to some works byAnton Mestres (see Civil, 12 piezas) and to “XIV Tocata en Sol major” (Voortman, Francesc Mariner, Obres per a clave)
V. Sonata [en re mayor], Sebastián Tomás: The same piece was edited from an Italian source as a work by Pietro Guglielmi. https://www.armelin.it/AMM185Guglielmi.htm Notified by Daniel Laumans
VIII. SONATA DE 6° [TONO] PUNTO BAJO, Anónimo s. XVIII: A work clearly thought for trumpet stops, good to compare with the style of Barcelona organists, specially some simpler clarin sonatas of Francesc Mariner.
Manuel Narro Campos, Obras de tecla (José Climent y Rodrigo Madrid, Real Academia de Cultura Valenciana, Valencia 2000)
In the source, E-Mc 3/ 205, the sonatas numbered V and IX to XV in the edition, are attributed to Joaquín Pastrana. These sonatas differ considerably from the pieces by Narro (edited in Tecla Valenciana, vol. V) known until now. His name is to be read only on the first of the sonatas. Regarding the style, sonata IV (from which only the first part is written, as of no. I) and maybe even no. II could be attributed to him.
Tecla Aragonesa, vol. VIII/ Música aragonesa para tecla s. XVIII (P. José María Muneta Martínez de Morentín, Institución Fernando el Católico, Zaragoza, 2001
At first we have to note that this edition could not have been transcribed from E-Bbc, M 123, as is stated on page 3 in the foreword.That is an older Italian print of vocal music. But E-Bbc, M 923 contains almost the same pieces, in somewhat different order and with variants. All pieces listed below, except no. 2., are anonymous
2. ADAGIO, Ramón Ferreñac. It is the first part of the 2nd movement of Sonata Hob. XVI:35 by Franz Joseph Haydn, the first eight bars being transposed from F to C. It is just this transposition which could have been made by Ramón Ferreñac.
7. [SONATA]. It is the trio of the Menueto of sonata Op. 1 nr. 1 by José Ferrer. (see article by Luís Antonio González Marín, p. 191 of the edition under the following link). https://ifc.dpz.es/publicaciones/ver/id/3764
16. ADAGIO: In E-Bbc, 923, f. 19r., at the end of the last Pangelingua, is written: “Sige de Laseca” and the same Adagio is copied beginning on f. 19v., just before a “Sonata de Laseca” in C, 4/4. So we understand that both pieces are attributed to Joaquín Laseca. The indication of stops (Corneta, Nasardos) is another sign of Spanish authorship of that time.
17. [SONATA]. corresponds to n°. 44 in vol. II of the complete works for keyboard by José Lidón.
18. SONATA: In two different sources and in Doce compositores aragoneses de tecla by Dionisio Preciado it is attributed to Diego Llorente y Sola.
19. SONATA: It is the first movement of Sonata VII (Op, 1 /2) by Giovanni Battista Grazioli.
20. SONATA: Third movement of Sonata I of Ignazio Spergher, 6 sonate Op. 1, Venice, ca. 1786. Notified by John A. Collins
23. RONDÓ: Franz Joseph Haydn, piece 5 of Differentes pièces faciles et agréables, Artaria, Vienna, 1788 (arrangement of Hob.I; 85 II)
24. [SONATA]: Third movement of Franz Joseph Haydn,Sonata Hob. XVI:35.
26. ALLEGRO: Third movement of Giovanni Battista Grazioli, Sonata IV (Op. 1 /2).
M. Espona (1714-1779) Sonatas para clavicordio o clavecín (Scala Aretina ediciones, 2001)
XVI Allegro: Transposition of sonata in D, K 512 by Domenico Scarlatti.
The sonata is from E Bbc M 921/ 16. The sonata published as no. XV is most likely by Antonio Soler, and together with no. XVI these are the only two in the source which don’t have an attribution. Other sonatas which remind the style of Domenico Scarlatti are: I, II, IX, X, XIV, XXI and XXII.
Edition of Maria Lluisa Cortada, Dinsic, 2011: Sonatas XIV and XV of Scala Aretina are missing and the identified no. XVI is not included. The numbering of the last mentioned of the Scala Aretina edition (without the XIV) here corresponds to the sonatas VII, VIII, XV, XVI, V and VI.
A. Soler, 13 Sonatas y un Rondó para clavecín (Scala Aretina, 2002)
VII [Sonata R 121]: In the source (E-Bbc, M 791/ 12 – number 36 in the Rubio catalogue) it is attributed to Soler, but this sonata has been edited from other two sources in Doce compositores aragoneses para teclado (from the MV 2.° by Dionisio Preciado, 1983) and in Tecla Aragonesa vol. V (from Ms. SPD V, manuscript V of San Pedro de las Dueñas, Luisa Morales, 1997). In both editions it is attributed to Juan Moreno y Polo, which seems far more likely.
Sonata R. 121 is also included in: Enrique Igoa, Antonio Soler (1729-1783) 20 sonatas, PILES Editorial de Música, S.A., Valencia, 2012. This volume contains all sonatas Samuel Rubio would have published in a volume VIII, together with some newly found ones.
In source 23 of the Rubio catalogue, sonata R 142 is to be found incomplete, preceeded by the R 37 In the MF 132 preserved in the Instituto Milà i Fontanals in Barcelona as material of intern work, it is attributed to (Juan) Moreno (y Polo). This should let us allow to discard sonata R 37 to be a work of Soler. Greater affinity it has to the style of .Moreno
Dámaso García Fraile: José Lidón, La música para teclado, vol. II, SEdeM, Madrid 2004)
46. Sonata en re mayor: José Moreno y Polo, “3. Sonata en re mayor 2.°” (edited in Doce compositores aragoneses...)
50. Sonata en sol menor: José Moreno y Polo, “2. Sonata en re menor” (edited in “Doce compositores aragoneses...)
51: Sonata en si bemol mayor: Luigi Boccherini, modified keyboard part of the first movement (Allegro con moto) of Sonata No. 1 of Sei sonate di Cembalo e violino obbligato, Op. 5 (G. 25-30) (1768) (notified by Takanao Todoroki, 31.05.16)
54. Sonata en re mayor: Franz Josef Haydn, first movement of sonata Hob XVI:37, modified
43, 45 and 53 could be works of José Moreno y Polo as well.
48. Very plain and far from the style of Lidón. An additional instrumental part seems to be missing.
Tecla Aragonesa, vol. X/ Juego de 14 flores de música… (Jesús Gonzalo López, Institución Fernando el Católico, Zaragoza, 2011)
This volume includes all remaining unedited pieces with attributions to Spanish composers from the vast source MV 1.° until 2011. In its preface (pages 13 to 32) there is a detailed description with the incipit of each piece contained in the manuscript. The following identifications are missing:
4. Geotg Friedrich Händel, Fugue of the Suite in f minor
22. P. Antonio Soler: Sonata R 48
62. Domenico Scarlatti, Sonata K 353
Marco Brescia: Libro de órgano de MELCHOR LÓPEZ (1781), Consorcio de Santiago, 2011
From page 150 onwards:
Pieza I – Registro igual y suave: José Elias: Pieza I of Obras de órgano entre el antíguo y el moderno estilo, 1749. https://datos.bne.es/edicion/bipa0000179262.html
Pieza II – Para el Ofertorio: Anonymous unedited piece in the style of José Elías.:It is shorter than the 12 pieces of 1749 and employs a similar kind of motifs as in Elías’ “Entrada de 4° tono”
Pieza III – Sobre la Salve [...]: José Elias: Pieza VII of Obras de órgano entre el antíguo y el moderno estilo, 1749.
Pieza IV – Sobre el Alma Redemptoris Mater: José Elias: Pieza VIII of Obras de órgano entre el antíguo y el moderno estilo, 1749.
Pieza V – Sobre el Ave Regina Coelorum: José Elias: Pieza IX of Obras de órgano entre el antíguo y el moderno estilo, 1749.
Transcriptions offered online for free download
Tésis doctoral presentada por Celestino Yáñez Navarro: Nuevas aportaciones para el estudio de las sonatas de Domenico Scarlatti, los manuscritos del Archivo de Música de las Catedrales de Zaragoza, volúmen II, anexos, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2015, pp. 992 – 1024
The last (Y 6) of the six yet unpublished sonatas transcribed in the annex is the second movement of Sonata Op. 1 nr. IV by Manuel Blasco de Nebra. Edition: Robert Parris, Manuel Blasco de Nebra (s. XVIII), Seis sonatas para clave o fuerte piano, Unión Musical Española, Madrid, 1964. See the source: https://imslp.org
Copyright for all contens and pdf: Martin Voortman