Arshavir Ter Hovannessian

Francesco Geminiani - 6 Cello Sonatas opus 5 - Jaap ter Linden
Classical, Baroque | 1 CD | EAC | FLAC, CUE, LOG | Scans | 306 MB | RS
Recorded: Apr. 2007, Hervormde Kerk, Rhoon, NL
Released: 2008 | Label: Brilliant 93646 | TT: 54:32
Jaap ter Linden - cello, Lars Ulrik Mortensen - harpsichord,
Judith Maria Becker - cello continuo

In this set of six sonatas for cello and continuo, Geminiani [1687-1762] follows the Corellian model […] of movements—except for the last, which is in three movements. Geminiani’s writing for the solo instrument shows an advance on Corelli in the brilliant figuration in the fast movements. Slow movements can sometimes be a bit perfunctory, lasting less than a minute, though this is not always the case. Geminiani apparently enjoyed working with the sonorities created by two cellos, and in his contrapuntal movements sometimes allows the solo and continuo cellos to cross lines.
Jaap ter Linden […] handles Geminiani’s elaborate music with ease. His smooth and rounded tone serves the music well. The continuo players provide able accompaniment. The performers are recorded in close perspective in excellent sound. (Ron Salemi, Fanfare)

Andrew Manze has been called "the Grappelli of the Baroque violin" because of the improvisatory liveliness of his approach. But he might with equal appropriateness be called the Rory Bremner of period playing, because he seems to be able to inhabit different musical personalities, and move between them with astonishing ease.

It's hard to believe this CD was done with only a violin, viola da gama and harpsichord. This is polyphonic music at its finest. It does tribute to Buxtehude, who preceded Bach. The ensemble is perfect - the instruments complement each other. When they go from slow to fast, it is remarkable to hear the contrast. These are expert musicians with a complete mastery of their instruments. They use loud-soft as easily as any masters of the Baroque. The result is joyous, lively and entertaining.

For Wilbert Hazelzet’s second disc for Glossa, the stylish Dutch flute player covers a selection of pieces of music by composers who, with varying levels of certainty, can be regarded as having been pupils of Johann Sebastian Bach: Abel, Kirnberger, Krebs, Müthel and Goldberg – whose C major Sonata was for a long time regarded as being by Bach himself (as his BWV 1037). Cellist Jaap ter Linden and harpsichordist Jacques Ogg accompanied Hazelzet on this beautiful recording.

Andrew Manze has been called "the Grappelli of the Baroque violin" because of the improvisatory liveliness of his approach; however, he can just as easily change personalities. Sometimes he pads along with sinewy grace like a panther ready to spring (the Preludio to BWV 1023, for example), sometimes he goes for a much more relaxed cantabile line, and sometimes he plays with a sparkling and infectious sense of fun (Presto, BWV 1021).

The music industry sees artists come and go on a regular basis. Plans change, life gets in the way and bands fade away. Occasionally we’re lucky enough to see an important band return from their silence: enter At The Drive In. While At The Drive In was quiet, the members (Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Tony Hajjar and Paul Hinojos) were incredibly busy, selling millions of albums, winning Grammys and putting out a lot of quality music with their other projects (The Mars Volta, Antemasque, Gone Is Gone and many more). After a 15 year break, the band returned to the studio to create the follow-up to 2000’s Relationship of Command.