For Handel's Sonata in C major, the performers chose to replace the harpsichord with an archlute in the third movement to emphasize the viola's melancholic lament.
Composer Biography
Michel Corrette, a prominent French organist and teacher, wrote several textbooks for various instruments, which are now invaluable sources on 18th-century playing techniques and performance practices.
Instruments
The harpsichord used in this recording is a Flemish-French type after Taskin, built in 2013 by Matt Sullenbrand, and is regularly used in concerts at Karlskirche in Vienna.
Composer Biography
Georg Philipp Telemann, a prolific composer with nearly 4000 works, was largely self-taught, secretly learning instruments and composing despite his mother's wish for him to become a lawyer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album's concept was inspired by the search for the dark, melancholic sound of the original viola, selecting pieces that capture the instrument's essence rather than focusing on superficial classifications.
Historical Context
The viola da braccio, an arm-held viola, was depicted in frescoes around 1535, showing its perfect form with three strings and in sizes corresponding to modern violins, violas, and cellos.
Critical Reception
Georg Philipp Telemann, highly celebrated during his lifetime, suffered a decline in reputation after his death, with his prolific output being scorned as 'excessive writing' by later critics.
