Concerto Grosso Émigré to British Osles

This CD sketches a portrait of the musical reality of the British Isles during the first half of the 18th century. The eight concerti grossi in this programme have been chosen for the features they possessin common, a primordial position being accorded to the work of Francesco Scarlatti. These are pieces of Italian origin in sonata form; the concerto grosso being the émigré of this programme.

While the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams continue to enjoy performances in concert halls and recording studios, some of his lesser well-known works languish. Such is the case for the 'Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra', a magnificent work for large ensemble that probes the depths and heights of Vaughan Williams powerful orchestration skills as well as any of the symphonies.

I Musici here performs the concerti grossi of Alessandro Scarlatti and his flute concerti. Scarlatti tended to be rather conservative in his compositions by adhering strictly to Corelli's concerto grosso model. He is not Vivaldi, Locatelli, or Torelli, but his pieces have somewhat of a pastoral warmth to them.

Although at least one of the three oboe concertos on this recording is almost undoubtedly spurious, this is still one of the loveliest Handel recordings ever made - gorgeous melodies, elegant but energetic playing and sound engineering that can hardly get any better.

The Ensemble Musica Antiqua is dedicated to performances of Renaissance and Baroque music on historical instruments. Christian Mendoze has performed with the most important early music specialists. He is a renowned recorder virtuoso and artistic director of the «Saison de Musique» at Convent Royal in Saint-Maximin.