Paolo Pandolfo

Bach, C P E: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Basso Continuo

Paolo Pandolfo - Improvisando ...

Paolo Pandolfo returns centre stage after nearly two years of silence, with a new disc of a practice that has virtually disappeared from 'Classical' music: improvisation. Turning back to a tradition which, in the 16th century counted upon practitioners as famous as Diego Ortiz, Christopher Simpson and Girolamo Della Casa and that continued with significant names such as Frescobaldi, Corelli, Mozart and Brahms, these musicians unleash their imagination to regale us with 80 minutes of touching beauty, captured over four days of recording by Glossa's microphones. Pandolfo is one of the greats, one of today's essential musicians. His dazzling virtuosity and a musicality means he is a true mover and shaker in an early music world that grows stuffier by the day.

Monsieur de Sainte Colombe - Pieces for Viol

Bach, J S: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012

Originally released in 2001 but unavailable for almost 2 years, Glossa has designed gorgeous new packaging for this most important of Paolo Pandolfo's projects, possibly a milestone in the recording history of Bach's music. Everybody seems to know these discs - despite almost no marketing effort, they are perceived with such benchmarks as Glenn Gould's or Gustav Leonhardt's renderings of the Goldberg Variations or Anner Bylsma's performances of the original cello suites.
 
The fact that these suites sound so well on the viola da gamba is of course to a great extent due to Pandolfo's magic touch. The rich sonority of the viola da gamba truly seems to enrich these pieces and Pandolfo's remarkable transcription gives weight to his theory that Bach originally composed them with this instrument in mind. The argument is further developed by Pandolfo in the sumptuous booklet notes.

Travel Notes

New music for viola da gamba

A Solo

Music for viola da gamba