Air - A Baroque Journey

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FALCONIERI / WESTHOFF / MATTEIS / GEMINIANI
Air - A Baroque Journey
Daniel Hope (violin) / Soloists from the Chamber Orchestra of Europe

[ Deutsche Grammophon / CD ]

Release Date: Thursday 24 September 2009

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"In all, here's a striking demonstration of the sheer variety and invention of Baroque violin composers." (BBC Music)

"In all, here's a striking demonstration of the sheer variety and invention of Baroque violin composers… Although by no means 'period' performances… they are admirably stylish. Hope uses vibrato as a colour and there are some delightful hues in the five continuo options, plucked and keyed."
(BBC Music)

From its creation in the mid-16th century by Andrea Amati to the present day, the modern violin has had an extraordinary and tempestuous history. Arguably its greatest development came during the Baroque era, as violinists and composers, in a sense liberated from the austerity and contrapuntal strictures of The Renaissance, went on a journey, both musically and geographically, avidly seeking more extravagant and original ways in which to express themselves on this fascinating new instrument.

Air sets out to trace one such Baroque journey. It is the story of four unique composers, three of whom were virtuoso violinists, one a lutenist - Falconiero, Matteis and Geminiani from Italy, and Westhoff from Germany. They wandered throughout Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries in search of musical inspiration and crosspollination, and their music and art of performance intrigued and delighted kings, contemporaries and audiences alike.

As well as works by these four composers, this album also features some of the other music of their time, in an attempt to show the cultural exchange taking place, much of it intuitively, between musical minds across borders.
Some of these composers were influenced directly by what they heard, whether it was Geminiani by Handel, Bach by Westhoff or Matteis by the wealth of folk music he encountered on his travels to the British Isles.

This album sets out to show just how diverse the music of the Baroque era was. Air blends the simplest and at times most primitive forms of dance music with the most sophisticated and revolutionary compositions of the day, culminating in a work by Bach - the great master, whose title is my inspiration for this collection, and whose music remains for me today more modern than that of anyone else.
- Daniel Hope

Tracks:

Track 1
Andrea Falconieri (1585/6-1656) Ciaccona
[3'15]

Track 2
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Sarabanda HWV 437
arr.: Olivier Fourés
[3'06]

Track 3
Diego Ortiz
(c. 1510-1570)
Ricercata segunda [1'24]
Track 4 Andrea Falconieri
La suave melodia [3'08]

Track 5
Biagio Marini
(1594-1663)
Passacalio à 3 & à 4
(from Per ogni sorte di stromento, op. 22)
[3'37]

Track 6
Nicola Matteis
(+ after 1713)
Diverse bizzarrie sopra la Vecchia
Sarabanda o pur Ciaccona [4'17]

Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
Canon and Gigue
for Three Violins and Basso continuo
[5'05]
Track 7 Canon [3'41]
Track 8 Gigue [1'24]

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Concerto for Violino Concertato,
Strings and Basso continuo in A minor
[7'01]
Track 9 Adagio [2'58]
Track 10 Allegro [2'22]
Track 11 Presto [1'41]

Track 12
Johann Paul von Westhoff (1656-1705)
Imitazione delle campane
(from Sonate a Violino Solo, Sonata III)
[1'54]

Track 13
Nicola Matteis
Ground after the Scotch Humour
(from Ayrs for the Violin, Book 4, Suite in F major)
[1'50]

Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)
Concerto grosso no. 5 in G minor
(arr. of Arcangelo Corelli's Sonata for Violin and Basso continuo, op. 5 no. 5)
[9'04]
Track 14 Adagio [3'02]
Track 15 Vivace [1'38]
Track 16 Adagio [2'44]
Track 17 Allegro [1'40]

Track 18
Antonio Valente
(fl. 1565-1580)
Gagliarda napolitana
arr.: Olivier Fourés [1'50]

Track 19
Andrea Falconieri
Passacalle à 3
[2'56]

Track 20
Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764)
Tambourin [1'44]

Track 21
Anon.
Greensleeves to a Ground
arr.: Olivier Fourés [4'39]

Track 22
Johann Paul von Westhoff
La guerra così nominata di sua maestà
(from Sonata in A major "La Guerra")
[0'45]

Track 23
Imitazione del liuto
(from Sonate a Violino Solo, Sonata II)
[2'26]

Track 24
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Air
(from Overture BWV 1068)
[5'06]