Radioastronomie Basses Fréquences

With this CD book, Bruno Cocset completes his Nascita del Violoncello . After a first part published in 2011, devoted to Bologna and his first repertoire for the cello (Vitali, Gabrielli, Jacchini) - reissued in this boxed set - he presents, with the musicians of Basses Réunies, a new recording devoted to Naples, from the Renaissance composer Diego Ortiz to the gallant and virtuoso cello of Lanzetti… offering two crossed views, two approaches that provide a better understanding of the identity of this instrument. The instruments used here - Cocset plays ten in all - bear witness both to this journey and to the bond that has bound him for many years to his luthier, Charles Riché.

Acclaimed for their interpretation of Vivaldi and Barriere's sonatas, Bruno Cocset's Les Basses Reunies return to Italian 18th century music in this fantastic new recording. The programmed, comprising sonatas by Francesco Geminiani, calls upon a distinguished guest: theorist and lutist Luca Pianca. Also featured under Cocset is Bertrand Cuiller (harpsichord), Mathurin Martharel (cello), and Richard Myron (double bass).

The cello came to prominence in the eighteenth century by supplanting the viol as both a solo instrument and a favored choice for continuo support. The cello's impressive range and wide variety of tonal colors has inspired composers ever since. Bruno Cocset leads the ensemble Les Basses Re?unies in a recording that takes us back to the origins of the cello and to the instrument's early repertoire.

After the success of 'The Nascita del Bologna & Violoncello', Bruno Cocset and Les Basses Réunies give us a new version of Purcell s 'Fantazias' [British Library manuscript], with violin consort and a harpsichord consort. All the instruments played on this recording borrow from both families, the viols and the violins, taking the best from each: richness of timbre and development of the harmonics, so that each voice plays an equal part in the narrative while retaining its own identity. Henry Purcell s fifteen Fantazias for the viols, which exist in an autograph manuscript source in the British Library, were not published until 1927.

A bit leery of concept records, I wondered what some of my best friends would think of Jim Hall’s latest record, Jim Hall & Basses. Given Hall’s musical philosophy of treating the bass as if it were a fellow guitar, these duets and trio tracks sustain interest throughout.