Giuseppe Tartini - Palladians - The Observer

Legend has it that Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770) dreamt that the Devil appeared at the foot of his bed, playing an extraordinary sonata. On waking, Tartini attempted to write it down. The result is certainly devilishly difficult to play - so tricky that a myth arose that Tartini had six digits on his left hand. It's no myth that Rodolfo Richter rises to the challenge with ease, both in this piece and the Veracini sonata. He is wonderfully accompanied by his fellow Palladians, formerly the Palladian Ensemble, whose award-winning series for Linn has recently been rereleased.