Balestracci L'Amoroso - Schubertiade with Arpeggione - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The arpeggione, invented in 1823 by the Viennese luthier Johann Georg Stauffer, had a curious destiny. As it's alternative names 'guitar violoncello' and 'guitare d'amour' suggest, it is in fact a guitar fitted with a bridge, held between the knees like a cello and played with a bow. The instrument enjoyed some success for around a decade, but, oddly enough, almost nothing has survived from it's specific repertory except one supreme masterpiece the sonata Franz Schubert wrote for it in 1824. The guitar was very popular in Vienna at that time, and Schubert was also fond of it; the original version of Die schöne Müllerin was published with guitar accompaniment! Guido Balestracci and the musicians of L'Amoroso have built a delightful Schubertiad around this famous sonata, combining the arpeggione and the piano with voice and guitars to appropriate a rich selection of the Viennese composer's lieder. Album Tracks 1. Schöne Minka (Traditional) 2. Sonatine N°1, D. 384 3. Allegro Molto 4. Andante 5. Allegro Vivace 6. Ständchen D. 957 (From Schwanengesang) 7. An Die Laute D. 905 8. Sonate FÜR Arpeggione D. 821 9. Allegro Moderato 10. Adagio 11. Allegretto 12. Pause D. 795 (From Die Schöne Müllerin) 13. Liebesbotschaft D. 957 (From Schwanengesang) 14. An Die Nachtigall D. 497 15. Valse Le Printemps VWV 1177