Using melodies to develop tone and interpretation skills.

 The Adagio from the Oboe Concerto in D minor by Alessandro Marcello is the perfect melody for this. It demands a beautiful tone, expression, and incredible control over the musical line and ornamentation. Bach wrote a keyboard work based on the Marcello Adagio, it is numbered BWV 974. This is the version I performed but adjusted some ornamentation to suit the flute as an instrument and my own personal music taste.

 Before diving into this we need to take a few steps first to get the most from it.

 Step one: Who was Marcello?

 Alessandro (1669-1750) and his younger brother Benedetto (1686- 1739) Marcello were born in Venice of a noble Venetian family. Alessandro sang, played the violin and composed music under his academic pseudonym, Eterio Stinfalico. Both brothers were taught to play by their father, a Venetian senator, and took part in the weekly concerts held in their home. Later they were admitted to the Accademia dell’ Arcadia in Rome. There however, their careers parted. 

Although an amateur, Alessandro was well equipped as a composer: he is best known for his oboe concerto in D minor, which Bach transcribed for keyboard (BWV 974). In about 1740 he also published at Augsburg a collection of violin solos and wind concertos entitled La Cetra (for two flutes, oboe, bassoon, strings and continuo), which represent the late Venetian Baroque concerto style. 

Meanwhile younger brother Benedetto was forced by his father to pursue a career in law, and he was to become influential politically. After being chosen by lot in 1707 to sit on the Grand Council of the Venetian Republic, he held a series of important posts in public service: he was governor of Pula from 1730 to 1737, and chamberlain of Brescia from 1738 until his death; he also worked as an advocate and magistrate. 

In spite of these responsibilities, he found time for composition, it being fashionable for noblemen in public service to exhibit talents in various aspects of the arts. His Opus 2 was published in 1712 when he was 26 years of age by Sale of Venice in a version for recorder and harpsichord. The Opus 2 Sonatas were clearly well received and popular, for they were re-printed in about 1715 by Vivaldi’s publisher Estienne Roger of Amsterdam, and again subsequently by John Walsh of London in a transcribed version for the German Flute which was then becoming fashionable. The Sonata in F from Opus 2 can be heard on CD (BMC 35) and as a download, performed on harmonica with harpsichord accompaniment.

Marcello’s music is characterised by:

1. Elegance and refinement
2. Emotional depth
3. Innovative use of instruments
4. Blend of Venetian style with personal innovation

His works span various genres, including concertos, cantatas, arias, canzonets, and violin sonatas.

Oboe Concerto in D minor

Undoubtedly Marcello’s most famous composition, this concerto showcases his gift for melody and orchestration. Its popularity is evidenced by Johann Sebastian Bach’s transcription of it for harpsichord. The concerto, especially its hauntingly beautiful slow movement, remains a staple of the oboe repertoire.

In recent decades, there has been a renewed interest in Alessandro Marcello’s works:

1. Increased performances and recordings of his compositions
2. Scholarly research into his life and musical style
3. Inclusion of his works in Baroque music festivals and educational programs

This resurgence has led to a greater appreciation of Marcello’s unique voice and his place in the Baroque musical landscape.

Marcello lived and worked during a pivotal time in music history:

1. The late Baroque period was seeing the development of new forms and styles
2. Venice was a center of musical innovation, particularly in opera and instrumental music
3. The role of the nobility in artistic patronage was evolving

Marcello’s work reflects these broader trends while maintaining his unique voice.

As we continue to rediscover and appreciate Alessandro Marcello’s contributions, we gain a fuller understanding of the Baroque era and the diverse voices that shaped it. His music, elegant and expressive, continues to speak to us, a testament to the enduring power of artistic creation.