Cheron / Ensemble Matis - Sonatas from the French Baroque - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Delve into the captivating compositions of Johann Friedrich Fasch with Accentus Music's latest CD , InchFasch SonatasInch interpreted by Austrian baroque ensemble Barucco. Fasch, renowned as a composer even before assuming the prestigious role of court Kapellmeister in Anhalt-Zerbst in 1722, left an indelible mark on the musical landscape of the Baroque era.This meticulously curated collection offers a glimpse into Fasch's diverse repertoire, showcasing his skillful fusion of form and melody. It presents the intricate structures as well as the melodic richness of his sonatas, each piece encapsulating Fasch's innovative approach to composition.Listeners will be enthralled by the intricate interplay of instruments, as exemplified in works like the Sonata in B-flat, where recorder, oboe, violin, and continuo engage in a spirited dialogue. Meanwhile, the Sonata in F presents a delightful blend of two oboes and two bassoons, reflecting Fasch's mastery of chamber music instrumentation.Performed with precision and passion by Barucco, this recording offers a faithful interpretation of Johann Friedrich Fasch's compositions, allowing audiences to experience the music as it was intended. InchFasch SonatasInch is a testament to the composer's enduring legacy and a valuable addition to any classical music aficionado's collection.A recording of osterreichischer Rundfunk (Radio osterreich 1).

The works in this collection emerged from the genre of duo concertant initially conceived as showcases for the virtuosity of Nicolò Paganini and his successors in the Franco-Belgian school of violin playing, notably Henry Vieuxtemps. He and Louise Farrenc remain attractive outliers in the chronology of French violin sonatas, which began proper in 1877 with the first performance of Fauré's First Sonata, followed in short order by comparably significant works by Saint-Saëns and Franck. These three works considered together form a trinity linked by features which came to define the character of the French violin sonata as a genre over the next few decades recitative-like sections, cyclical form, modal techniques and organ-like pedal points, especially in the piano part - all three composers having spent a good part of their career as titular organists at landmark churches in Paris. A further spur to the flood of of violin sonatas from Paris during the first decades of the 20th century was the abundance of superb performers who had made Paris their home foremost among them Pablo Sarasate, Eugène Ysaÿe, Georges Enescu and Jacques Thibaut. The Wagnerian shadow falling over works by Roussel and Lekeu is decisively dispelled by Debussy's late and sinuous masterpiece, and then more radically by Ravel in the lazy, seductive Blues of his Sonata. The collection evolves further with a bold Sonata of 1932 by André Jolivet, whose movement titles advertise his rejection of the classical forms honoured by previous rarities - not only Louise Farrenc but also Rhené-Emmanuel Bâton, who composed in a richly mystical but traditional idiom as an outlet for the creative urges accumulated and repressed like Mahler during his occupation as a conductor.

Although François Couperin (1668-1733) is best known today as a composer of harpsichord music, he remained deeply involved in chamber music throughout his career. - Les Nations is a vast project in which the virtues of both the French and Italian styles are set next to each other. - Each of the four ordres celebrates a Catholic power of Europe - France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the Savoy dynasty of Piedmont - and each is a combination of an Italianate trio sonata with it's free-form virtuosity and a large-scale and elaborate French dance suite. - Led by the Julliard School's Historical Performance Program artistic director and violinist Monica Huggett, the period instrument specialist Juilliard Baroque ensemble, featuring nine of the world's most respected and accomplished early music instrumentalists, is a faculty grouping committed to lively, passionate performances of 17th - 18th c. music.