The start of a major new series on Brilliant Classics: historically informed accounts of the violin sonatas by a Classical-era master of Rococo charm and invention.
Boccherini, still in his mid-20s, dedicated his Op.5 violin sonatas to the Parisian keyboard soloist Mme. Brillon de Jouy. As a result, the keyboard is more than an equal partner with the most showy writing, in the style of the sonatas ‘for piano and violin’ by both Mozart and Beethoven. Boccherini himself thought well enough of these works to draw from them many times throughout his career. Movements from these sonatas appear in reworked guises in other chamber works and symphonies.
The other sonatas here came into being later in Boccherini’s career as arrangements of other works by Boccherini made by publishers eager to capitalise on the fame and industry of a composer renowned throughout Europe for his attractive melodic fluency Several of them are transcriptions of his cello sonatas, though whether the arrangements were made by the composer himself remains a mystery. Other sonatas were skilfully put together from his many string quintets; they made Boccherini’s music accessible to those who could not perform the ensemble works in their original versions.
Brilliant Classics has produced the largest ever collection of Boccherini’s works on record with its 37CD edition (94386), which won stunning reviews in the international press. This new set of violin sonatas becomes a vital addition to the Boccherini library of collectors. Each new album by the period-instrument violinist Igor Ruhadze has likewise attracted critical praise, not least in his regular partnership with the Russian-born pianist and harpsichordist Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya. Their recording of F.Geminiani Violin Sonatas op.1 received warm critical praise.
Luigi Boccherini was born in the Italian city of Lucca in Tuscany, on 19 February 1743, the son of Leopoldo Boccherini, a cellist and double-bass player. The young Luigi received his first music lessons from his father and at the Seminario di San Giovanni in Lucca. The cello was to become his instrument. At the age of ten, he was apparently already so advanced that his father sent him to Rome for further studies at the end of 1753, where he possibly remained until 1756. Apart from a brief period in Vienna around 1760, he was in Lucca until he set out to Paris (perhaps the major musical centre of the time) in the spring of 1768. Later that year he would go to Spain, where he would remain for the rest of his life until his death on 28 May 1805.
Composers from the first half of the eighteenth century typically cast their violin music in the form of a sonata for violin and basso continuo: the violin performing the solo role, the continuo the accompaniment. The continuo was realized most often by a harpsichord and a cello, either together or by just one of them. Later in the century continuo practice as an accompaniment gradually disappeared, and was replaced by another model: the sonata for keyboard with violin accompaniment. In such a sonata, the role of the violin was secondary to the keyboard part, but there are numerous examples with quite interesting violin parts (Mozart!).
In Boccherini’s violin sonatas the keyboard style is highly idiomatic, with scales, triads, broken octaves, complementary rhythms, whereas the violin serves as the accompaniment of the keyboard.
Igor Ruhadze’s Brilliant Classics recording of sonatas by Locatelli (94736) won warm praise from Gramophone. ‘The playing is elegantly supple, the string tone warm, and the architecture of individual movements thoughtfully worked out. All this makes for a pleasant mood and enjoyable listening. The more exuberant pieces are brilliantly and at times breathtakingly performed.’ Fanfare extended an equally enthusiastic welcome to Ruhadze’s album of concertos by Jean-Marie Leclair (95290): ‘The playing… is really top-notch… the group’s robust sound belies its small numbers… it’s hard to argue with playing as good as this.’
On this recording Igor Ruhadze plays with Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya, fortepiano.
Critical praise for Igor Ruhadze and Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya:
‘The early-music world needs more performers like Igor Ruhadze… This is some of the most accomplished historically informed violin playing I have heard in a long time.’ Fanfare (Geminiani, 96524)
‘Nepomnyashchaya provides a lesson in how one may realize such sonata bass lines. Her accompaniment is varied in texture and detail, balancing right-hand countermelodies with arpeggiated chordal washes of sound and heavy block chords at cadences. Like Ruhadze, she is a consummate specialist in Baroque style and practice.’
‘These musicians make a strong case for the violin–harpsichord duo as an artistic medium.’
‘Strongly recommended for the music itself and for the dedicated, exciting performances.’ Fanfare (Locatelli, 94376)
