Search - Arcangelo Corelli, Enrico Gatti, Ensemble Aurora :: Corelli: Sonate Da Chiesa Op 3 / Sonate Postume

An absolute masterpiece

S. Romano | Partinico, Sicily Italy | 12/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Try to find this disc, because it is simply a lesson in style. Gatti's Corelli is by far (and i mean *by far*) the best Corelli on record today, and outclasses all the other performances, and not only in the trio sonatas (Purcell Quartet, London Baroque, Manze, the still excellent Banchini and Kujken). A wonderful sense of the corellian ample and noble architectures, relaxed tempi, a mellow and ample vibrato which is exactly what vibrato should be (a rethoric device conveying a melancholic, tender feeling: so, contrary to much other "HIP", vibrato *must* be used, but of course, contrary to the most uninformed "modern" practice, it mustn't be used on all long notes!) Gatti's is a Corelli aiming to an absolute, almost otherwordly beauty, and it's really deserving praise the fact that a philologist like Gatti had the courage and the aesthetic integrity to refuse so much of the current HIP slogans (breakneck tempi, strumming continuo, excessive "messe di voce" - the swelling of all long notes, in imitation of the human voice). And check the most recent of Gatti's recordings, not present on Amazon.com but available on .fr and .de, another "six star", Corelli's op. 5 violin sonatas. Listen to that disc, compare with Manze's edition and realize axactly why the english violinist must be the most absurdly overhyped baroque performer today!"

One of my favorite classical recordings

David Franklin | New York | 07/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Extremely beautiful music featuring the exquisite interplay of the two violins! The tone of the strings on this recording is absolutely extraordinary. Highly recommended!"

About this CD (Informational)

Slobberer | Astoria, NY United States | 07/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Corelli: Sonate da Chiesa

Corelli: Sonate da Chiesa

Opera Terza & Sonate Postume

Ensemble Aurora - Enrico Gatti

Arcana 902 (2 CDs)

Contents:

Sonata Op. 3 II, in re maggiore

1. Grave 2. Allegro 3. Adagio 4. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 V, in re minore

5. Grave - Andante 6. Allegro 7. Largo 8. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 VI, in sol maggiore

9. Vivace 10. Grave 11. Allegro 12. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 VII, in mi minore

13. Grave 14. Allegro 15. Adagio 16. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 VIII, in do maggiore

17. Largo 18. Allegro 19. Largo 20. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 X, in la minore

21. Vivace 22. Allegro 23. Adagio 24. Allegro

Sonata in la maggiore, WoO 5

25. Grave 26. Allegro 27. Adagio 28. Allegro

Sonata in sol minore, WoO 9

29. Largo 30. Allegro 31. Grave 32. Allegro

Sonata in sol minor, WoO 8

33. Adagio 34. Allegro 35. Grave 36. Vivace - Adagio - Vivace - Adagio

Sonata Op. 3 XII, in la maggiore

1. Grave - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio

2. Vivace 3. Allegro - Adagio 4. Allegro 5. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 IX, in fa minore

6. Grave 7. Vivace 8. Largo 9. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 III, in si bemolle maggiore

10. Grave 11. Vivace 12. Largo 13. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 XI, in sol minore

14. Grave 15. Presto 16. Adagio 17. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 I, in fa maggiore

18. Grave 19. Allegro 20. Vivace 21. Allegro

Sonata Op. 3 IV, in si minore

22. Largo 23. Vivace 24. Adagio 25. Presto

Sonata in sol minor, WoO 7

26. Largo - Adagio 27. Allegro 28. Grave 29. Allegro

Sonata in sol minor, WoO 6

30. Adagio 31. Allegro 32. Vivace

Sonata in sol minor, WoO 10

33. Adagio 34. Allegro 35. Adagio 36. Vivace

Sonata in sol minor, WoO 4 (with trumpet)

37. (Adagio) 38. Allegro 39. Grave 40. (Spirituoso)

41. Allegro



Performers: Enrico Gatti (violin), Odile Edouard (violin), Guido Morini (organ, harpsichord), Alain Gevreau (cello), Karl-Ernst Schröder (chitarrone), Gabriele Cassone (natural trumpet)



Playing time: 120'



Recording dates: September 1996 & 1997 (Grancey-le-Château)



Although the Concerti Grossi and solo violin sonatas have been more enthusiastically received today, the true trio sonatas with two soprano (violin) lines must rank as the most central in Corelli's output. The present selection includes the full Opus 3, as well as some remaining sonatas not found in the published collections.



A review of this recording:



About seven years ago the Ensemble Aurora recorded four of the Op.3 trio-sonatas and received, along with praise for their suave tone, criticism in some quarters for ponderousness and mannered style. As if in response, Enrico Gatti accompanies the present disc, for which the personnel has changed, with an extraordinary 18-page Platonian dialogue extolling the virtues of slowness and deliberation-"this is not music to be gulped down, but rather to be sipped drop by drop"-and, since the sonate da chiesa were originally performed in church, keeping ornamentation well within bounds (quoting Roger North, that this has "no use in consort, and for that reason the best masters decline this and sound plane"). Gatti likewise finds chapter and verse (Banchieri and Quantz) for playing quick movements more slowly than usual; and his savouring of Corelli's chains of suspensions perfectly exemplifies Milton's "linked sweetness long drawn out." Daunting as this may at first appear, the results are rarely stolid, but respond to the restraint and buon gusto by which Corelli set such store: slow movements have purity and simplicity, and fugal movements (which include fugued dance forms in the sonate da camera) retain clarity of outline; and the players obviously relish the few opportunities for technical display, as in Op.3 no.12. Dynamics tend to be terraced rather than nuanced, but this is in accord with a sobriety of style that, in the actual experience of listening-aided as it is by realistic recording-proves very persuasive.



LIONEL SALTER



another review:

This set contains two discs of sonatas by Corelli, certainly the most important baroque Italian composer because of the influence his work had on other, later composers. The structure of his sonatas set the standard for later works, with their four movements alternating slow-fast-slow-fast. In addition, the slow movements were often quite simple, allowing the lead violinist to improvise over them.





Corelli's sonatas have a great deal of emotion and feeling, and the music is subtle and restrained. Its simplicity recalls the English viol consort, but the sound is more modern, more incisive. This is not the violin pyrotechnics of Vivaldi, but tasteful music that relaxes and soothes. The rich, lush sound this small ensemble provides is seductive and compelling. The recording is magnificent and intimate, and the strings sound out individually, especially in the slow movements.





The ensemble shows its skills in the occasional contrapuntal writing, as in the allegro of Sonata VI. The sound here is one of a very tight group, playing as almost a Haydn string quartet, yet with that self-effacement that makes baroque music sound so real.



This is a wonderful, almost essential recording to understand the Italian baroque and one of its emblematic composers. With a near-perfect performance and recording, you will net be disappointed. Kudos to Arcana for excellent notes, which give an extensive discussion of the music and its context.



Kirk McElhearn



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