Couperin, F - Pieces de Violes - Pierlot, Balssa, Eguez, Hantai

 

Release Date: 09/09/2008 Label: Mirare Number of discs: 1 Composer: François Couperin Performer: Hantaï,  Pierlot,  Egüez,  Balssa cd info/ buy

Review:

This is a spectacular chamber music recording of the great Francois Couperin, featuring viols, harpsichord and lute. There is a surprising amount of variety in these suites and pieces, in which the viola da gamba is the featured instrument. Most of the tempos are fairly slow, as is typical of the genre, but there is quite a bit of moderate or moderately fast pieces too. I am simply blown away by the music, the performances, and the recording quality. Not to be missed.

 

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Telemann - Viola di Gamba – Lorenz Duftschmid, Armonico Tributo Austria

 

Release Date: 01/11/2011 Label: Arcana Number of discs: 1 Composer: G.-P. Telemann Performer: Lorenz Duftschmid cd info/ buy

Review:

Throughout his life, from his very beginnings right up to the end, Telemann wrote for the basse de viole (as the French called it) and especially in chamber music. Of course, the viola da gamba also plays an important role in works intended for larger formations, such as concertos and orchestral suites, church cantatas and, lastly, oratorios. According to the custom of the time, Telemann also used the viol in funeral cantatas. Furthermore, he wrote for it as a solo instrument: for example, the Sonata in D major, TWV 40:1, recorded here, or sonatas for two viols or for viol and basso continuo. The present recording brings together various works with solo viol, selected from different periods of the master's output. Here one will find a double concerto for recorder, viol, strings and continuo, two solos with basso continuo, a sonata for solo viol and two quartets. Brit Reipsch, Telemann Zentrum Magdeburg, from the liner notes Telemann and the Viola di Gamba. Lorenz Duftschmid is one of the most celebrated gambists of our time. Here he has selected a group that highlights some of the most original and beautiful compositions of Telemann's compositions for the viola da gamba: a double concerto for recorder, viol, strings and continuo, two solos with basso continuo, a sonata for solo viol and two quartets. Lorenz Duftschmid is accompanied by an allstar Armonico Tributo Austria including Gunar Letzbor, Alfredo Bernardini, Eduardo Egëz, Guido Morini...

 

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Graun - Concertante Music with Viola da Gamba - Ensemble Baroque de Limoges

 

Release Date: April 14, 1998 Label: Astree Number of discs: 1 Composer: Johann Gottlieb Graun Performer: Ensemble Baroque de Limoges cd info/ buy

Review:

Johann Gottlieb Graun 1702-1771 studied with J.G. Pisendel in Dresden, and Giuseppe Tartini in Prague. He taught violin to Bach's oldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann. After briefly serving as Konzertmeister in Merseburg (1726), Johann Gottlieb joined his younger brother, Carl Heinrich, in the employ of crown prince Frederick. Johann Gottlieb composed overtures, symphonies, solo concertos (mainly for violin and harpsichord), concerti grossi, trio sonatas, quartets, cantatas, and songs. J. G. Graun is mentioned in a letter (1775) from Carl Philip Emanuel to Forkel as one whose works his father had especially valued in his later years. Ensemble Baroque de Limoges (Limoges Baroque Ensemble) (EBL), which Christophe Coin took over in 1991, provided him with the means to go still further in his personal research. Since then, Christophe Coin has shaped the ensemble to his requirements, with regular musicians who are eager to go along with him in his exacting re-reading of instrumental practice and Baroque scores.

 

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