This album is a story of family and friendship. Positioned between homage to a father figure and modernity, the viola da gamba sonatas of Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian Bach are a revealing element in the history of the Bach family and it's ties of friendship with two families of virtuoso instrumentalists, the Abels and the Hesses, who had already inspired the work of Johann Sebastian. Carl Philipp Emanuel was active in Berlin, encouraged by the presence of the violist Ludwig Christian Hesse and the enthusiasm of his patron Frederick the Great ("When I am not reading, I am writing, and when I am not writing, I am playing the viol" wrote his nephew, the future Friedrich Wilhelm II). The friendship between Carl Friedrich Abel and Johann Christian gave rise to the latter's sonatas in London. This Arcana release is not only a continuation of Guido Balestracci's recording of J.S. Bach's viola da gamba sonatas that was awarded a CHOC by Le Monde de la Musique, but is also a celebration of one of the greatest families in the history of music. Guido Balestracci, together here with keyboard player Paolo Corsi, presents another instalment of his long-term project with the l'Amoroso ensemble: the re-evaluation of the viola da gamba and the other members of it's family, with a special focus on the lesser-known post-baroque repertoire. His programmes of music for viol by Schaffrath, Haydn's Divertimenti for baryton, and a Schubertiade based on the arpeggione all bear witness to this.

Tracklist:

Sonata in C major, Wq 136 / H558 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~I. Andante
Sonata in C major, Wq 136 / H558 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~II. Allegretto
Sonata in C major, Wq 136 / H558 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~III. Arioso
Sonata in G major, Warb B 4b for keyboard and viola da gamba~I. Allegro
Sonata in G major, Warb B 4b for keyboard and viola da gamba~II. Rondeaux
Sonata in D major, Wq 137 / H559 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~I. Adagio ma non tanto
Sonata in D major, Wq 137 / H559 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~II. Allegro di molto
Sonata in D major, Wq 137 / H559 for viola da gamba and basso continuo~III. Arioso
Sonata in F major, Warb B 6b for keyboard and viola da gamba~I. Allegro
Sonata in F major, Warb B 6b for keyboard and viola da gamba~II. Rondeaux. Tempo di Menuetto
Sonata in G minor, Wq 88 / H510 for viola da gamba and keyboard~I. Allegro moderato
Sonata in G minor, Wq 88 / H510 for viola da gamba and keyboard~II. Larghetto
Sonata in G minor, Wq 88 / H510 for viola da gamba and keyboard~III. Allegro assai
Sonata in B flat major, Warb B 2b for keyboard and viola da gamba~I. Allegro
Sonata in B flat major, Warb B 2b for keyboard and viola da gamba~II. [Allegro assai]
Sonata in F major, Warb B 15b for keyboard and viola da gamba~I. Allegretto
Sonata in F major, Warb B 15b for keyboard and viola da gamba~II. Pastorale [Allegretto]

UPC: 3760195735435
Label: Arcana Records
Release Date: 4.28.23
Format: CD

C Bach .P.E. / Balestracci / Corsi - Virtuosity & Grace - Sonatas For Viola Da Gamba (CD)