Gamba

For some time now musicology has widely reviewed the previously long held belief that Johann Sebastian Bach’s chamber output originates mostly from his Köthen period (1717-1723). Although precise dates are still lacking, various clues have led many of his works for one/two instruments and basso continuo or concertante harpsichord to be moved forward to his Leipzig years (1723-1750) and in particular to the decade 1730-1740. This group of works also includes the three sonatas for viola da gamba and ‘obbligato’ harpsichord BWV 1027 in G major, BWV 1028 in D major and BWV 1029 in G minor, again assigned on the basis of clues to the period 1736-1741.

This musical project was born in the very first meeting with Luca Guglielmi, the night before a concert in Geneva when, through the music of J. S. Bach, a sincere human and musical affinity was revealed that needed neither words nor looks. Now, at a distance of a time made fluid by the hours of listening to the tracks, I see that we had met in Bach's profound italianness, in the singing of the melodies that danced in counterpoint, in the rhythmic undulation of his writing, but above all in the composer's human and eternal spirituality. Although in the manuscripts the three Sonatas for Viola da Gamba are accompanied by the harpsichord, we imagined the Viola da Gamba conversing with different keyboard instruments that Bach had at his disposal: Matthias Griewisch copy of a Mietke harpsichord (kindly loaned by the Bach Museum in Leipzig), Kerstin Schwarz copy of a Silbermann piano and the organ in the Frankenstein Dorfkirche, built by Gottfried Silbermann in 1753, few years after Bach's death.

This musical project was born in the very first meeting with Luca Guglielmi, the night before a concert in Geneva when, through the music of J. S. Bach, a sincere human and musical affinity was revealed that needed neither words nor looks. Now, at a distance of a time made fluid by the hours of listening to the tracks, I see that we had met in Bach's profound italianness, in the singing of the melodies that danced in counterpoint, in the rhythmic undulation of his writing, but above all in the composer's human and eternal spirituality.

Buxtehude’s Opus 1 and 2 Sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord belie the composer’s common image as austere and sober.

Even though Abel left behind a sizable oeuvre, including many symphonic works, he is maybe best remembered for his extraordinary compositions for the “queen of all instruments”, as he called it: the viola da gamba.

“the music here is really quite wonderful and played (the occasional lapse of ensemble notwithstanding) with palpable affection and devotion and is recorded with clarity and dynamism…

Hailed as ‘remarkable’ by The Daily Telegraph, Matilda Lloyd is a young instrumentalist with exceptional poise and musicality. She studied music at the University of Cambridge, Royal Academy of Music, and with HAkan Hardenberger at Musikhogskolan i Malmo.

Hailed as ‘remarkable’ by The Daily Telegraph, Matilda Lloyd is a young instrumentalist with exceptional poise and musicality. She studied music at the University of Cambridge, Royal Academy of Music, and with HAkan Hardenberger at Musikhogskolan i Malmo. She has since captivated audiences and critics alike with her artistry, communication, and, in the words of Saarbrucker Zeitung (March 2020), ‘flawless sound and virtuosic technique’, with which she brings a unique flair to every performance. She won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Brass Final in 2014, and in 2016 made her debut at the BBC Proms. Casta Diva is Matilda’s debut album on Chandos, about which she writes: ‘Every trumpet player has studied the ultimate technique book, by Jean-Baptiste Arban – a monumental tome affectionately known as ‘The Trumpet Bible’. At the end of the book are sets of theme and variations – my favourite, the Variations on Bellini’s Norma, became the point of departure for this album inspired by nineteenth-century Italian opera, as it uses the aria ‘Casta Diva’, from Bellini’s 1831 opera, as its theme. The album explores the voice of the trumpet in that golden age of opera, highlighting works by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. I hope that the album showcases the beauty, musicality, and technical brilliance of the instrument, and that you find as much enjoyment in listening to, as we did in arranging and recording, these fantastic pieces of music!’

Sofia Diniz was born in Lisbon, where she first studied cello at the conservatory. During her studies in Lisbon, she attended early music courses in Portugal at the Academia de Música Antiga de Lisboa and the Casa de Mateus, where she first came into contact with the historical performance practice of music from the 17th and 18th centuries and with musicians such as Rainer Zipperling , Anner Bylsma, Jaap ter Linden and Paolo Pandolfo learned and was inspired.