Marco Pedrona: Vanhal

The Strad Issue: March 2026

Description: Charming accounts of ultimately unmemorable music

Musicians: Marco Pedrona (violin) Matteo Bogazzi (fortepiano)

Works: Vanhal: Three Sonatas for violin and fortepiano op.30

Catalogue number: INDESENS/CALLIOPE IC093

Although Vanhal’s op.30 Sonatas were originally described as fortepiano works with violin obbligato, their melodic interest is shared fairly equally between the two instruments. The musical weight of each sonata lies in their first movements, convincingly structured on sonata-form principles.

Apart from moments of dubious intonation, most prevalent in no.1’s opening Allegro moderato and no.2’s rondo, Marco Pedrona plays his Alessandro d’Espine violin (1815) accurately and stylishly, introducing tasteful ornamentation as appropriate.

He displays strong chemistry with fortepianist Matteo Bogazzi, both performers enjoying these works’ antiphony and musical dialogue and elegantly mirroring each other’s phrases, as in no.3’s opening Allegro moderato.

Although of lesser musical consequence, the central slow movements and final rondos have their attractions, notably Pedrona’s fluent, expressive lyricism in no.3’s Cantabile, Bogazzi’s neat executive skills in no.1’s Adagio and the finales of nos.1 and 3 and the impressive range of colours that he coaxes from an 1824 Johann Fritz fortepiano.

Tempo choices are intrinsically suited to the music, and the performers are recorded at sufficient distance for well-calibrated balance in a gentle, but enhancing acoustic.

However, purchasers will pay a high price for a somewhat meagre helping (only 41 minutes) of charming, yet ultimately mediocre early 19th-century Viennese domestic salon fare.

ROBIN STOWELL