If the Bell’ Arte Antiqua isn’t yet a household name with baroque music lovers, it soon could be. Lucy van Dael and William Hunt, already members of more than one high-profile early music ensemble, join forces here with Jacqueline Ross and Terence Charlston to breathe fresh life into the Italian duo and trio sonata repertory.
Corelli is represented by a Roman sonata da chiesa of great vitality and breadth that demonstrates the high level of technical and musical rapport already established between van Dael and Ross. Van Dael performs a sonata by Corelli’s lesser-known Neapolitan contemporary, Lonati, with equal amounts of verve and sensitivity, bringing to it a superb command of period ornamentation. She infuses Matteis’s virtuoso variations on La Folia with the immediacy of an unfolding drama that will send listeners running to their CD cabinet to make comparisons with Corelli’s set.
Elements of the personal styles of Corelli and Lonati come together in the trio sonatas of their student, Geminiani, in the idiomatic ornamentation of the Andante of the D major Sonata, the seemingly demure opening Grave of the D minor Sonata (deftly characterised by van Dael and Ross with musical gestures akin to raised eyebrows and fluttering eyelashes) and the compelling dialogue between the violins and the bass viol in the Grave of the F major Sonata.
The D minor Trio Sonata of Vivaldi, who represents the Venetian School, is nicely understated. The members of Bell’ Arte Antiqua draw attention to the thematic links between the rhythmically contrasting Preludio and Corrente; then, in the succeeding Grave, stretch and sustain their individual lines while inviting listeners to luxuriate in the glorious suspensions that result.
Veracini’s Sonata, showing evidence of his stay in Britain, completes the picture. Together with his fellow expatriate, Geminiani, he used British folksongs as inspiration for instrumental pieces: Veracini’s Aria scozzese con variazione would impress even the best Scottish folk fiddler and it may come as a pleasant surprise that the charming opening Andante of Geminiani’s F major Sonata was inspired by The last time I came o’er the moor.
These are stylish performances – something to cherish at any time, but especially now, when our ears are being bombarded with special effects in so many new releases. There are no gimmicks here, just good music, beautifully played.'