Marion Starkey

This is a delightful, inventive, witty, charming, enchanting, inspiring disc. In the Verbruggen disc, only four of the six sonatas appear together, plus one other trio sonata (BWV 1031). Perhaps Ms. Verbruggen thought that BWV 526 and 528 did not translate well to the recorder. In any event, the recorder and the harpsichord are outstanding here, as is the recording quality. Highest recommendation.

If only for his melodic genius, Handel would have been forever acknowledged as one of history's greatest composers. These delightful sonatas for recorder provide abundant evidence to support that claim, and Marion Verbruggen's warm, resonant recorder and brilliant flute prove the perfect partners for bringing these rarely heard pieces to life.

Fascinated by this Bach/Reich experience, the idea of juxtaposing two monstres sacrés on one album emerged quite naturally as a direct continuation of the work we do in Les Siècles: playing each work on the historical instrument for which it was created and putting into perspective several works separated by centuries but united by one idea.

The year 1919: A point in time, European countries, a young woman, a young man and an elderly gentleman. This is the musical triptych that Marion Leleu and pianist Bertrand Giraud, who plays the wonderful grand piano Opus 102 by Stephen Paulello, have chosen for our CD. These three composers could scarcely be more different, whether in their social situation, their geographical background, or their psychological make-up.