Search - Arcangelo Corelli, Bob Van Asperen :: Corelli: Violin Sonatas Op. 5, Nos. 1-6

Elegance, Wit and Sheer Skill

Leslie Richford | Selsingen, Lower Saxony | 03/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713): Violin Sonatas Op. 5, Nos. 1-6. Lucy van Dael, baroque violin; Bob van Asperen, organ and harpsichord. Recorded in November 2002 in the Dutch Reformed Church in Bennebroek, the Netherlands. First published in 2004 as Naxos 8.557165. Total playing time: 67'47".



During his lifetime, Arcangelo Corelli was Europe's most famous violinist. After receiving his training in Bologna, he settled in Rome, where he entered the service of various Cardinals and became not only famous but also quite rich. As a composer he wrote comparatively little, the few works which he did publish, however, were honed out in fine detail. Today, his best-known and probably best-loved works are his 12 concerti grossi Opus 6, which were only published after his death. These were preceded, however, by five collections of violin sonatas, and these were the works which made him famous during his lifetime. His sonatas Opus 5 (there are 12 all told, but Naxos had the second set, Nos. 7 thru 12, recorded by two other artists: Corelli - Violin Sonatas Op. 5, Nos. 7-12 / Fernandez, Wilson) were first printed in 1700 under the title "Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord or Violone". Many interpreters understand this as a licence to play these pieces as trio sonatas; Lucy van Dael and Bob van Asperen, on the other hand, take the Italian "or" literally and have decided to accompany the solo violin with an organ in the first three sonatas and with a harpsichord in Nos. 4 thru 6. The organ accompaniment, in particular, is able, because of its obvious quality of loudness, to give the music the fullness of sound which is generally appreciated in the baroque trio sonata. The harpsichord accompaniment of sonatas 4 thru 6, on the other hand, appears rather "thin", although this may be due to the Naxos engineering which concentrates fully on the solo violin, making Bob van Asperen's congenial accompaniment a victim of the acoustics and relegating it to so much background noise. This is a pity, because the two famous Dutch musicians perform both the lyrical slow movements as well as the witty and often dance-like fast ones in such a way as to allow the listener to comprehend perfectly why Corelli was so famous as a violinist - and to make this listener, at any rate, wish for more! Lucy van Dael's violin tone is never nasal or sharp und lends the music just the right degree of elegance and wit. On comparison, I think I would prefer her achievement to that of Sigiswald Kuijken (now re-released: Arcangelo Corelli: Sonatas 1, 3, 6, 11 & 12 "La Follia" for Violin, Cello & Harpsichord, Op. V), although Kuijken is possibly the more "historical" of the two violinists. Van Dael's choice of pitch (A=415 Hz) corresponds rather with German customs of the time; it is generally accepted that in Rom pitch was more like A=395 Hz. at this time. - The recording quality is acceptable, but the first three sonatas in particular are beset by a clearly perceptible rushing noise in the background."

Soul of baroque

A. Andric | Italy | 09/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A very emotional, involving performance, true soul of baroque. I listen to this CD very often."

Italian Baroque for Sunday brunch!

Peter Chordas | Portland, OR USA | 03/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very warm and fine recording of Corelli's violin sonatas. Lucy van Dael plays sweetly with crisp precision and warm tone. Bob van Asperen accompanies her perfectly on harpsichord and organ. It's the perfect compliment to a Sunday breakfast; peaceful, tranquil, and beautiful. It really puts you in a pleasant mood before you face the day, or go on to read the NY Times and listen to more music and stay in your pajamas without ever getting out of them the rest of the day. A very nice period piece!"