Handel: Sonata in G major for violin and continuo, HWV358

Riccardo Minasi, born in Rome in 1978, has performed both as soloist as well as concert-master with many important orchestras. Riccardo Minasi is a conductor and a musicologist as well as a leading violinist in the early music field. His critical edition of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma” has been used for the recording of the work with Cecilia Bartoli and Giovanni Antonini.

Musica Antiqua Roma, founded in 2007 by violinist Riccardo Minasi, unites the solo, chamber music and orchestral experiences of some of the most active young musicians on the international scene today. Besides Riccardo Minasi the ensemble is formed by Marco Ceccato (cello), Giulia Nuti (harpsichord) and Luca Piancha (archlute).

This collection represents a selection of Handel's most popular violin sonatas. The eight sonatas recorded here span more than four decades and bear witness to Handel’s broad stylistic range. They all contain wonderful music and have been loved by players and listeners since they were written. Six are well known. Two are unfamiliar, and the second of these, in G major, is quite unlike all the others: two brilliant fast movements separated by a brief, highly dramatic slow recitative. The rest are cast in the customary four-movement form, but they still have extraordinary diversity; no two of them sound alike.

Since the musicians have a strong relation to Italy (“Musica Antiqua Roma”) and since Handel’s sonatas are very much influenced by Italien composers of the Baroque period, the artwork is based on works of the famous Italian photographer Mario Giacomelli.

The coupling of the sonatas on this recording is unique, and the 28-page booklet has elaborate liner notes in English, French, German and Italian.

As a bonus extra, the ‘hidden track’ “Credete al mio dolore” (from the opera “Alcina”, arranged for violin by Riccardo Minasi) has been included.

Handel’s violin sonatas have been staples of the repertoire for generations, but there has been considerable confusion about their authenticity. Early editorial practice saw to it that several authentic works were published for instruments such as flute and oboe, but more recent scholarship has established that originally they were written for the violin. All the sonatas are full of Handel’s dashing bravura and his gift for expressive slow movements, providing a series of beautifully proportioned masterpieces. Ariadne Daskalakis’s recording of the Tartini Violin Concertos (8570222) was welcomed with acclaim for its ‘grace and lyrical poetry’. (MusicWeb International)

Handel’s sonatas for recorder were composed in the years 1724–6. What is remarkable is that he found the time to concentrate on such work at a time when his operas were in great demand in London: this is the period of Scipione and Agrippina. The young composer was the toast of the town, and had become a naturalised Englishman having followed his old employer the Elector of Hanover, Georg to London. Georg became King George I, and Georg Frideric Handel became George Frederick Handel. It will come as no surprise that the sonatas contain a lot of ‘operatic’ material, from Handel’s own operas, and those of his contemporaries such as Georg Muffat.

Many of the most popular arias from Handel’s operas had been published in transcriptions for recorder and keyboard – the ancestors of the operatic paraphrases by Liszt and Henselt in the 19th century. Although they can be considered as domestic music, the keyboard parts are quite virtuosic (Handel was an excellent harpsichordist), and the composer’s markings are detailed lending credence to the view that these works were also used as exercises. Handel enthusiasts will find much that is familiar in these works, sprightly fast movements and operatic larghettos, the latter no doubt influenced by the operatic workload Handel faced at the time.

New recordings from 2008

‘Bosgraaf ’s virtuosity is stunning, as is his artistry’ Gramophone review for Bosgraaf ’s 3CD set of music by van Eyck

Erik Bosgraaf has also recorded Bach and Telemann for Brilliant Classics

Franceso Corti studied with Bob van Asperen, and has worked with Marc Minkowski and Jordi Savall

Comprehensive booklet notes on each sonata, the instruments and the composer