Customer Reviews

John Garth: Six Concertos for Violoncello

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Do you like Correlli, Bach, and cello? Do you enjoy period instruments when they produce a warm, earthy timbre? Do you appreciate musicianship of quality and sensitivity? This is a lovely double cd, with a warm human vision at its centre. Richard Tunnicliffe's cello playing is a mellow, earthy delight, equally matched by the playing of the Avison Ensemble, who generate a rich, bouyant 'sprung rhythmn', which lifts the music effortlessly to another level. This is very well recorded, having an immediacy which would have you believe the musicians are in the room with you. Ideal music for relaxation, for mood enhancement, and with sufficient richness and complexity to reward repeat listening. This is a rich little treasure indeed.

I was a bit dubious about this double CD because little-known composers are often little-known for a very good reason, but I tried it because Richard Tunnicliffe and Pavlo Beznosiuk are such excellent musicians and because of the favourable reviews here. I am very glad I did - it is excellent.

I had never heard of John Garth before, but on this evidence he was a very good composer indeed. He was roughly contemporary with Haydn but these cello concertos seem to me still to have a lot common with those of the Baroque, although there are distinct elements of the emerging Classical style. I find them delightful - by turns graceful and elegant, thrilling and gently beautiful, and they are full of melody and excellent harmonic invention. I was extremely pleasantly surprised by how good they were on first hearing, and I have listened to them repeatedly and with great pleasure.

Part of what makes them so enjoyable are the excellent performances. Richard Tunnicliffe excels in this repertoire - he is technically very fine, the sound of his cello is lovely and he shows a great empathy with both Garth's music and his fellow musicians. The Avison Ensemble on this recording consists of just six musicians - one to a part - directed by the excellent Pavlo Beznosiuk. They have a wonderful spring and suppleness which is ideally suited to this music but have plenty of welly when needed. I think it is exemplary playing.

The recorded sound is excellent and the notes are very good (and very readable). I agree with the other reviewers here; this is a terrific recording and very warmly recommended.

This album of six concertos is simply beautiful. You will not regret picking it up. This little-known recording of a little-known Baroque composer is a treasure. You could do much worse than pick up this album.

According to the recording notes of this recording of six (6) Concertos for cello and small orchestra (4 violins viola, and continuo)on two (2) discs by Baroque English composer John Garth, said composer was a very prolific composer of works in all genres in the 1700s. He is almost totally forgotten today; however, this splendid recording, to my ears, is very enjoyable to listen to. The works reminded me a lot of Concerti Grossi and sound, to me, very elegant and lovely although they follow the typical forms of the day. (3 movements--two fast and one slow)

My enjoyment, I am sure, is primarily because of the splendid playing of Richard Tunnicliff on Baroque cello and the outstanding playing of the Avison Ensemble that plays most beautifully on "original instruments". This two (2) disc set has given me hours of listening pleasure.