The Avison Ensemble - Corelli: Opus 5 - Blog.codaex.de

This year, 2013, the music world does - it has already been mentioned several times here on the blog - two really great composers Benjamin Britten and Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713). On such occasions on one CD! What quality reach to other publications, timely anniversaries, I can not properly judge honestly. Recently some of Britten's finenest titles have been released - and now the British Avison Ensemble with Baroque violinist Pavlo Beznosiuk have released the next part of their recording of the complete chamber works of Arcangelo Corelli, more precisely, Opus 5 - the twelve sonatas for violin and continuo. I am enthusiastic for the recording of Opus 6 (Concerti Grossi) which was released last October. This new CD is definitely "a must-have for active string" and for those who have any wire to baroque chamber music. 

Let's start at the very end of this double SACD as the Concerti Grossi, at Linn Records has been released. Quite a few will hear the last six tracks on the second CD first because this is the most well know piece. And do not say that the bait has the fish? If so, then have Beznosiuk Pavlo and his Mitfischer Richard Tunnicliffe (cello), Paula Chateauneuf (playing the lute, and a surprise) and Roger Hamilton (harpsichord, organ) Sonata No. 12 in D Minor are peppered so temptingly. We are talking about the famous "La Folia", which gives the most popular entry point. The hook is where one likes to be dragged into Corelli's violin world. But what makes this special time so catchy and attractive? Of course, the great game Beznosiuks, intuitive, joyful-range celled interaction of the musicians - especially but the point of a animated by Iberian fire guitar, Chateauneufs surprise he not only plucks but where it needs to be, schrammelt with crackling energy. 

So alive, like Captain Corelli's violin sonatas heard here, it becomes clear at once, why these compositions could have such an effect on the history of European music. More, one hears echoes its historical formally, and not only in Bach and Handel. It is a very transparent view of Corelli's "virtuosity" that still had to build quite a bit of playing techniques and could confidently leave it for some fast-paced runs, reckless broken triads, ornate decorations and little more magic tricks. No, the high art of the violinist Corelli, who has logged in this literature itself, proves just that so much is said so beautifully here in the language of music. Beznosiuk shows exactly this in the sense that he is a phenomenally good baroque violinist, and how intimatly he has mastered this kind of expression. This includes extensions of the printed Corelli confident in this recording program, whether through four variations of the Irish virtuoso Matthew Dubourgto Gavotte Sonata No. 11 in E flat major - or six variations to Gavotte from No. 10 in F major Beznosiuk itself.

Not least demonstrates the deliberate, changing instrumentation, the harpsichord at the time, sometimes the organ, sometimes the sounds and sometimes the guitar play out, historical information and playing on baroque instruments must have to do with museum-dust. Had Corelli not written something for "Harpsichord or Bass" in the first edition of the sonatas of 1700? Inspiring here is not the deviation from this historic recommendation in itself, which indeed has never prohibited the sensitivity to timbre and melodic character that affectsthe aptly selected use of organ and guitart.Tunnicliffe, Chateauneuf and Hamilton play on replicas of instruments from Corelli's time which show the most beautiful way, reaches what level of instrument in this genre now.

Conclusion: This old music is alive! The Avison Ensemble has succeeded with their second Corelli release for the year, a stunning continuation of a great beginning. Our CD of the Month April 2013.