The continuo forces in Vivaldi's cello sonatas are rarely specified, allowing musicians to imagine and create their own accompaniment textures.
Instruments
Bruno Cocset's decision to record these sonatas was strongly motivated by the cello made for him in 1996 by luthier Charles Riché, which was modeled after a Stradivarius.
Recording & Production
This 1999 recording of Vivaldi sonatas was the first disc Bruno Cocset made with his ensemble Les Basses Réunies, founded three years prior.
Interpretation
Bruno Cocset prefers new instruments, like his cello by Charles Riché, because period instruments have been transformed over centuries and no longer possess their original characteristics.
Composer Biography
Vivaldi was one of the most prolific composers for the cello in Venice, writing twenty-four concertos that gave the instrument a significant solo function.
Interpretation
For this recording, the performers chose a double bass instead of a second cello for the continuo, which was considered original at the time and has since been widely copied.
Interpretation
Bruno Cocset, the cellist, chose to record these sonatas partly because new manuscripts from Count Schönborn's library and the Naples Conservatory had recently become accessible.
