DA VINCI PUBLISHINGJ. Montelli: Three Trios for Flute, Clarinet and Viola

Additional information

Artist(s)	Elena Cecconi, Luigi Magistrelli, Matteo Fedeli
Composer(s)	J. Montelli
Edition	Da Vinci Classics
EAN Code	0746160919744
Format	1 Cd
Genre	Chamber, Instrumental
Instrumentation	Clarinet, Flute, Viola
Period	Classical
Publication year	2026

Description

A Rare Soundworld: Flute–Clarinet–Viola Trios in the Late-Classical Era and the Case of “Montelli”
Trios for flute, clarinet and viola are vanishingly rare in the later eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. While Classical chamber music tended to favour string ensembles or, following Mozart’s example, the clarinet–viola–piano constellation, music written expressly for flute, clarinet and viola scarcely surfaces in the historical record. The timbral logic of the combination is, however, striking: the clarinet’s mellow middle register overlaps the viola’s range, while the flute supplies a luminous soprano line—a palette that privileges colouristic interplay over sonorous weight and draws a subtler chiaroscuro from the inner parts than the more familiar Parisian wind trios (for instance, flute–clarinet–bassoon).
Three trios for this unusual combination were published under the name ‘Montelli’ around the turn of the nineteenth century; they survive in multiple issues from Paris and Offenbach, notably with Sieber, Imbault and the house of André. Printed in Paris between c. 1799 and 1801 and in Offenbach, the set circulated widely enough to imply a degree of contemporary esteem. Their design and practical details place them squarely in the late Classical idiom: first movements of ample span that distribute principal themes among all three instruments; concise central slow movements with an unabashedly cantabile profile; and finales in lively rondo forms, sometimes with dance colouring (one explicitly marked Rondo Polonese). The parts show that Montelli wrote not merely for three players but with them—granting each instrument genuine concertante agency. Accompaniment figures migrate between parts; material is rotated with a keen sense of balance; the viola line, in particular, is more than an inner-voice convenience and at times technically demanding. The choice of A clarinet in one trio (and B♭ in another) appears calculated to shift the ensemble’s centre of gravity, the A instrument yielding a darker blend with the viola and subtly altering the colour of the whole. Older notices also report a Toulouse issue bearing ‘Op. 1’ on the title page; while plausible, this attribution awaits confirmation from surviving exemplars. André—renowned at the time for its Mozart holdings—was evidently alert to such chamber novelties.
The name Montelli itself remains elusive. Elsewhere it is associated with a set of Three Piano Sonatas, Op. 1 (Paris, Lemoine, c. 1811), bearing a dedication to Louis de Grimaldi and giving only the initial ‘J.’ as forename. Older claims linking the trios to further regional prints are historically plausible but, to date, unconfirmed by accessible title pages or catalogues. As matters stand, the composer’s identity resists positive identification. The notion that Anton Reicha might lie behind the mask has been aired in modern editorial circles—notably in a Kunzelmann preface—yet, absent documentary proof or unmistakable stylistic fingerprints, it remains an elegant conjecture rather than a conclusion.
What can be said with confidence is that these trios open a rare soundworld. By substituting the flute for the piano of Mozart’s Kegelstatt archetype and by dispensing with a dedicated bass voice, Montelli privileges a chamber texture in which resonance, resonance-in-miniature and dialogue are everything. The clarinet and viola form a darkly resonant core, the flute tracing lines of brightness above or cutting discreetly through the ensemble. The writing invites a style of playing that is both conversational and finely balanced: equal parts lyrical poise and poised virtuosity. The clarinet–viola–piano lineage later cultivated by Schumann and Reinecke offers an instructive parallel, as do lateral experiments such as Küffner’s trios for clarinet, viola and guitar, and the Archduke Rudolph’s serenade for clarinet, viola, guitar and bassoon—ensembles that share Montelli’s ear for inner-voice colour and conversational equilibrium.
From an editorial and performance perspective, the surviving sources allow practical choices to be made with confidence, not least regarding the intended clarinet (A or B♭) in the respective trios and the distribution of material among the parts. Modern editions have facilitated renewed access to the music, and performers attuned to the period’s idiom will recognise the blend of craft and invention that animates these pages. Recorded together here, the three trios invite renewed attention to a composer who, though still veiled by a pseudonym, speaks with a distinctive and quietly individual voice. Whether ‘J. Montelli’ conceals a known figure or an otherwise lost voice of the age, these works deserve their place—not as footnotes to better-known traditions, but as a quietly original contribution to the late Classical chamber repertoire.
DV

Artist(s)

Elena Cecconi has captivated audiences in concert halls and Festivals in Italy, Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Hong Kong-China, Thailand, USA and Russia. As soloist she has performed with several Orchestras including the Budapest Chamber Orchestra, UCS and OSPA Brazil Orchestras, Scarlatti of Napoli and Cremona Soloists, Albanian Radio Television, Catania and Sicilian Symphony Orchestras. She recorded 5 stars international CD for Edipan, Ricordi-Stradivarius, Bayer Records, Talent, Tactus, Brilliant, La Bottega Discantica, Urania records. She was Principal Solo Flute of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra until 1994 and also performed as Principal Solo Flute in the Orchestras of Venice, Parma , Vicenza, Piacenza, Alessandria. Elena is Flute Professor at the Music Academy G.Nicolini of Piacenza, and she also conducts and performs with The Joyful Flute Ensemble, founded by her. She teaches Masterclasses in Music Academies in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Weimar and Osnabrück -Germany, Krakov- Poland, Alicante, Valencia, La Coruña, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Vigo - Spain, Libon, Aveiro-Portugal and in USA: Florida, Louisiana, Illinois Universities, and NFA and FFA flute Convention; in Porto Alegre and Vale Veneto-Brazil and Maimonodes University in Buenos Aires-Argentina, at the International Flute Festival in San José- Costa Rica and Abraf 2014 , Porto Alegre 2016 flute convention- Brazil; Mendoza world flute. Convention 2017- Argentina. She was Guest Artist at International Wind Festival 2019 in Novara. She is Guest Artist at Gazzelloni Festival in Roccasecca and International Wind Instruments Festival in Corfù-Greece, with recitals and Masterclass. Elena performs with several chamber groups as Ensemble La Variazione, Il Cuore che pensa, the Soulsight duo and Les Cordes Soufflantes. She specialized at the Hochschule für Musik of Vienna with W. Schulz after graduating in Italy at Conservatorio of Frosinone with the highest marks. Elena performs in the project Donatori di Musica and she is Dama Magistrale of Knights of Malta. Elena was in the Jury at the Mozart International Competition - Berlin 2018 and at Rospigliosi International Competition 2019. Recently her book of poems " Inquietudini fra Musica e Silenzio" has been published by Aracne publisher. More poems by Elena has been published in Poems Anthologies by several publisher. Next poems publishing: “Arabeschi e Geometrie” by De Ferrari- Genova, including a solo flute live CD; “Ironie della sorte, Tempo e Destini” by Albatros.
Elena plays a Haynes gold flute 14 K which belonged to the famous Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni.
www.elenacecconi.it

Magistrelli, Luigi (Clarinettist), Luigi Magistrelli was born in S.Stefano Ticino, near Milan,Italy. He studied clarinet at the Conservatory of Milan with Prof. Primo Borali and attended some master classes with D. Kloecker, K.Leister and Giuseppe Garbarino. He has performed as a soloist with the Orchestras of Pomeriggi musicali , Angelicum, Teatro Litta ,Radio of Milan,Città di Magenta ,Vivaldi Val Camonica, Haydn Chamber Orchestra, Grande Orchestra Romantica , and others. He has also performed with many chamber groups (from duo with piano to large ensembles also of contemporary music). He played as principal clarinet with Sanremo Symphony Orchestra and as extra player with the orchestras of Pomeriggi Musicali, Angelicum, Gaspare da Salò, Cantelli, Radio Orchestras of Milan and Turin, La Scala Strings , Orchester der Jahrhundert in Germany, Musica Aeterna of Perm (Russia) and Moldova Radio Symphony and many others. He has participated in some tournèes with the International Orchestra of Italy. He has won some prizes at the Competitions of Genoa and Stresa. He has performed in the principal cities of Italy and also in Swizerland, Malta, Austria, Belgium, Latvia, ex Jugoslavia, France, Spain, Africa (National Theather of Nairobi), India, Germany, Finland, Israel, Mexico, U.S.A, Canada, Russia and in duo with the pianist Sumiko Hojo in the Czech Republic, China and Japan. He has recorded 55 Cd’s of chamber music and also as a soloist, for Pongo Classica , Bayer Records , Nuova Era, Stradivarius, Arta Records (on early clarinets) , ASV, Clarinet Classics,Urania/Leonardo, Centaur Records, Talent Records, Gallo, Brilliant Classics, MDG and Orfeo with the well known clarinetist Dieter Kloecker, with the orchestra La Scala Philharmonic conducted by R. Muti for Sony Classical, with Milano Classica Orchestra for Dynamic and with Cremona Barock Orchestra for Tactus. He has recorded also two Mozart Cds for Camerata Tokyo with Prof. Karl Leister, well known solo clarinet player of Berlin Philhamonic for 34 years. He recorded for the Italian Radio and BBC of London. He edited unknown clarinet works for Eufonia, Accolade, Trio Musik, Poco Nota Verlag and Musica Rara. He is the chairman for Italy of the International Clarinet Society and performed in many clarinet congresses around the world. He held master classes and lectures in Italy, Bulgaria, Belgium (Brussels Royal Conservatory), Austria (Mozarteum Salzburg, Vienna University), Germany, China, Latvia, Spain, Czech Republic, Israel (Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Music Academy), South Korea, India, Mexico and USA (Mississippi Southern University, South California University). He has a personal clarinet collection of 240 instruments of any kind. He is Professor of Clarinet at the Conservatory of Milano.

Matteo Fedeli's artistic mission is to bring the voice of the instruments of the famous Cremonese luthiers Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri to the largest possible audience.
He performed as a solo violinist, and as a violist in chamber ensembles in venues such as: Teatro alla Scala (Milano), Gran Teatro La Fenice (Venezia), Teatro Filarmonico (Verona), Teatro Ponchielli (Cremona), Teatro Del Monaco (Treviso), Teatro Regio (Parma), Teatro Politeama Greco (Lecce), Teatro Carignano (Torino), Teatro Farnese (Parma), Teatro Olimpico (Vicenza), Teatro Fraschini (Pavia), Teatro Sociale (Como), Teatro Sociale (Bergamo), Sala Verdi del Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Milano, Conservatorio di Venezia, Sala dei Teatini di Piacenza, Museo del Violino (Cremona), le chiese cattedrali Duomo di Milano, di Parma, di Modena, la Sala Mozart dell’Accademia Filarmonica a Bologna, la Società del Giardino (Milano), la Assembly Hall presso le Nazioni Unite di Ginevra, il Winspear Theatre Centre of Music di Edmonton (Alberta - Canada) il Rozsa Centre, Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall a Calgary (Alberta - Canada) il Playhouse Theatre a Vancouver (British Columbia - Canada), Madinat Theatre di Dubai (UAE), Hunter College (New York), Severance Hall – Reinberger Hall (Cleveland - Ohio - USA). Thanks to the great sensitivity to others shown by his coupling of charity work to great artistic events, and in acknowledgement of his artistic career, Matteo was bestowed the Croce di Cavaliere dell’Ordine di Malta, the Croce di Cavaliere di merito del Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano, five Paul Harris Fellowships. He often performs in charity concerts and events for Unicef, Telethon, FAI Fondo Ambiente Italiano, La Nostra Famiglia, AISM Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association and Fondazione Veronesi, and dozens of local welfare associations. He is Testimonial of Associazione ‘Piccole Figlie’ (Hospice di Parma) together with Amanda Sandrelli. He is currently promoting the projects ‘Suoni d’Autore’ Masterclass and Music Festival, ‘Musica sul Filo’ dedicated to the world of RSA with the participation of young musicians and ‘OnTheStage’ aimed at students of primary and lower secondary schools. He is currently a violin teacher at the Antonio Scontrino Conservatory in Trapani.