Dall Ameri Caruso

Bernardo Pasquini (1637–1710) was born in the province of Pistoia, Italy. Drawn to Rome like many promising young musicians, his first of many posts was as organist at the Chiesa Nouva church, and in 1667 he obtained a good position in the service of Prince Giovanni Battista Borghese, where he composed ceremonial music at the Borghese Palace and spent the rest of his days. Along with Corelli and Scarlatti, Pasquini played a major part in the musical life of Rome, and was famous for his skill as both a harpsichordist and organist.

The name of violinist and conductor Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco does not necessarily spring to one's lips when significant figures of the late Baroque period are under consideration. To summarize, he was a contemporary of Antonio Vivaldi and the Veronese-born master of music attached to the court of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria. As such, Dall'Abaco spent the first 11 years of his tenure in exile with the Elector in the Netherlands, and later, in France.

Italian label Stradivarius is actively recording all 86 known works of Veronese composer Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco and a previous entry consisting of trio sonatas from Dall'Abaco's Opp. 1 & 3 was quite good. This follow-up recording of concertos, Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco: Concerto à più Istrumenti Opera Quinta, taken from Dall'Abaco's Op. 5, though, is really quite outstanding thanks to the performers involved, the Veronese Baroque orchestra Il Tempio Armonico, whose first commercial recording this is. The group has a terrific sense of ensemble dynamics, and the swells of volume in the Allegro of Dall'Abaco's Concerto Op. 5/3 are placed exactly where they should be, flowing right along with the music.