Arcangelo Corelli's sonata, which opens the album, is a transcription for viola da gamba by an anonymous person, featuring an ornate top line in the Italian passaggi style.
Instruments
The bass quartet on this album includes a violone, which is a large six-stringed bass viol with a register similar to a double bass.
Composer Biography
Jean-Baptiste Barrière, a cellist and violist, was the first composer in France to significantly advance the technical possibilities of the cello, an instrument previously confined to accompaniment.
Compositional Technique
Jean-Baptiste Barrière's work for the cello, including four books of sonatas, created a link between French and Italian musical aesthetics.
Interpretation
The performers' sonic approach, described as 'smoky' and 'vaporous,' draws inspiration from the sfumato painting technique to blend the sounds of their bass quartet.
Album & Artwork
The album's title, "Sfumato," refers to a painting technique, theorized by Leonardo da Vinci, that creates a hazy, blended appearance.
