Customer Reviews

Johannes Schenck: Les Fantaisies bisarres de la Goutte

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lorenz Duftschmid plays a viola da gamba with other period-instrument musicians in a recording of viola da gamba pieces with and without accompaniment by Johannes Schenck (c1656-c1712).

"CPO is always willing to take a chance on a rare composer, and this gamble hits the jackpot. This is among the most brilliant, sophisticated music to come out of the Baroque, and Schenck's mastery of the possibilities of the viola da gamba surely rivals Saint-Colombe and Marais. Lorenz Duftschmid is a marvelous musician, and he plays this music at the highest imaginable level (10/10)." (David Preiser - classicstoday.com)

The works on this recording:

1. Suite in G major for Viola da Gamba: Chaconne from Scherzi Musicali, Op. 6
2. Suite No. 6 in G minor for 2 Viola da Gambas from The Nymphs of the Rhine, Op. 8
3. Sonata No. 1 in D major for Viola da Gamba from L'echo du Danube, Op. 9
4. Partita in D minor for Viola da Gamba (1705) from a Vienna manuscript
5. Solo in A minor for Viola da Gamba (1705) from a Vienna manuscript

This is an absorbing collection of Schenck's sonatas and suites, with the viola de gamba sounding elegant and clear (rather than mushy or morose, as it sometimes can in music of this period). These are quiet but complex and rewarding pieces which hold my interest even after multiple playings. The two Schenck 'Nymphs of the Rhine' discs by Naxos are also very good, but those contain only two viola de gamba's throughout, whereas this disc offers a little more variety of sound.

highly recommended !

This is music at a very high level, and is well played as the two previous 5 star reviews have said. Some music of this era is dull and lacking in emotion. This is not. CPO are to be congratulated for recording yet another little known composer who is outstanding and is the equal of Marais and Sainte-Colombe. Born almost 30 years earlier than J S Bach, this luminous music foreshadows the great master.