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The Baroque Virtuoso
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Concerto for two violins and orchestra in D minor, BWV1043 (c. 1717-23) [13:30]
Orchestral Suite in A minor for violin and strings, after BWV1067 (c.1717-1723) [17:22]
Francesco GEMINIANI (1687-1762)
Concerto grosso in C major, after Corelli, No.3 (pub. 1726-27) [9:26]
Concerto grosso in D minor, Op.2 No.3 (pub. 1732 rev 1755) [6:45]
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerti Grossi, Op.8, Nos.1-4, Le quattro stagioni: Concerto for violin and orchestra in G minor, Op.8 No.2 'Summer'(1725) [10:33]
Johann Heinrich SCHMELZER (1620/23-1680)
Sonata 3, from Sonatae unarum fidium [6:39]
Heinrich Ignaz Franz BIBER (1644-1704)
Partita V, from Harmonia artificiosa-ariosa (1712) [8:58]
Jeanne Lamon and Linda Melsted (violins)
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra/Jeanne Lamon
rec. 1990 onwards
TAFELMUSIK MEDIA TMK1026CD [74:28]
 
The 2013/14 season marked the end of Jeanne Lamon's tenure as Music Director of Tafelmusik and henceforth she will serve in an advisory role. To mark this in a more permanent form her record label asked her to compile a disc that reflected her solo and leadership responsibilities on disc. That label, incidentally, derives its name from her ensemble, and is in fact the group's own, though it recorded for Sony and Analekta in past years and their recordings are here too. Incidentally I'm never sure what the words 'Limited Edition' mean on a commercial CD like this but tend to assume, unless there's evidence to the contrary, that they mean nothing.

This, then, is a seven-piece retrospective. It includes two pieces by Bach, as one would have expected. The Double Concerto also features another distinguished player in the ensemble, Linda Melsted, who reappears in the performance of Biber's splendid Partita V from Harmonia artificiosa-ariosa. The Bach is finely articulated and the historically informed playing remains elegant, precise and never outlandish. There are no tempo concerns, and there's clarity and sufficient vigour in the finale The other Bach piece is an arrangement of the Orchestral Suite in B minor, which is reborn as the 'Suite in A minor for violin and strings, after BWV 1067', in the spirit that 'Bach might, had he had the chance'. It is hardly authentic in that sense but flies a kite nicely. There are two (genuine) pieces by Geminiani even if the Op.5 No.3 Concerto grosso is 'after Corelli'. This ensemble plays the composer well - somewhat middle-of-the-road when it comes to sonority and accents, but effectively nonetheless, with an especially beautiful body of tone.

It's good to be reminded of their performance of Schmelzer's delightful, folklorically-infused Sonata 3, from Sonatae unarum fidium. Their Four Seasons is remembered via Summer, which is refined, athletic but not volatile or out to make theatrical gestures. It remains on the expressive side, well-judged.

There's a nice booklet note from Lamon and this may make a suitably effective envoi from her, though the ensemble naturally carries on.

Jonathan Woolf
 




Masterwork Index: Bach double concerto

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