This is the second of a planned series of eight discs promising to trace the development of the trio sonata, the archetypal Baroque chamber form. The first, devoted to music from London Baroque’s home country, was reviewed in Fanfare 28:3 with considerable enthusiasm by Laura Rónai, and by myself elsewhere in a review that largely mirrored my colleague’s findings. Now London Baroque has turned its attention to what was happening during the same period across the English Channel, with equally commendable results.


The ambivalent French attitude to the sonata, an Italian invention, was famously and sardonically expressed in the words of playwright Fontenelle: “Sonate, que me veux-tu” (literally “Sonata, what do you want from me?”). A more balanced view came from the theorist François Raguenet who, although a stern critic of Italian opera, declared that he had “never met with a master in France but what agreed that the Italians knew much better how to turn and vary a trio than the French.” A number of French masters, indeed, sought to integrate the spirit of the Italian sonata, specifically the Corellian sonata, into their own style, among whom François Couperin attempted a fusion that reached a climax in the two sets of L’apothéoses , dedicated respectively to Corelli (1724) and Lully (1725). (Both have already been recorded by London Baroque on BIS CD1275, not reviewed in Fanfare. )


The selection made by London Baroque provides a representative cross section of writing in trio style, taking us chronologically from Lully to Clérambault (one assumes the series will include a second French disc devoted to the 18th century), and managing to include at least one unfamiliar name in the shape of Jean Nicolas Geoffroy (?–1694), a shadowy figure whose obscurity is not helped by the fact that there was more than one composer of that name working in Paris at the time. According to gambist Charles Medlam’s note, his Dialogues were probably originally intended for organ, but they work well enough in this form, if too diffuse to lay any claim to the structural balance of the true trio sonata. Much the same can be said of the little pieces by Louis Couperin, which provide no indication as to instrumentation. Lully’s trios for the ceremony of Le coucher du Roi , performed daily at Versailles by the petits violons , do achieve true equality between the two violins, but, true to form, the Italian-born Lully firmly implanted French style on the music. Although Marais’s Pièces en trio (1692) were the first works to be published in France in trio form, they are in fact a collection of mostly dance movements that following tradition could be arranged in suites. As such, they too bear little relationship to the true trio sonata, preferring to explore the French love of varying sonorities rather than the symmetrical balance of the Italian sonata, an observation that applies equally to the Suite by Gaspard le Roux (1660–1707).


It is only with the next generation that an awareness of the Italian model emerges. François Couperin’s La Superbe is well named, being a majestic work that pays overt homage to Corelli in the suspensions of its opening movement, and the fugal writing of the second, while Jean-Féry Rebel’s tombeau in honor of Lully largely remains loyal to native style, but also betrays Italian leanings in some dazzling solo violin-writing and furious tremolandos in its fourth movement. Most Italianate of all is the work by Louis-Nicolas Clérambault, significantly the only one included here to bear the name “sonata.”


With the proviso that, as with the disc of English works, London Baroque’s style of playing manifestly owes more to the 18th than the 17th century, these performances can be thoroughly recommended. The technical expertise, splendid sense of balance between the players, finesse, and spirited approach are by now all familiar assets, while the music is of generally high quality and well worth hearing. The engineering occasionally imparts a glassiness to the violins’s upper register, but is otherwise fine. I look forward to further issues in this interesting series.


FANFARE: Brian Robins

Those who enjoyed the London Baroque's 1985 Harmonia Mundi recording of Bach's trio sonatas needn't worry about duplication on this new BIS offering. This time violinist Richard Gwilt has transcribed six of Bach's sonatas BWV 525-530 that survive in manuscript form for organ (which scholarship has since revealed were transcriptions themselves). Also unlike the London Baroque's previous recording, Gwilt has scored no wind parts in favor of a more straightforward "classic combination" of two violins and continuo. What has not changed is the evident passion and plain joy the group still continues to bring to Bach.

A comparison of Gwilt's transcription of Sonata BWV 525 with the equally lovely though very different recent BMC offering by the Gyöngyössy-Hadady-Lakatos-Dobozy ensemble (see review Q5061) not only testifies to the versatility and durability of Bach's music, it also explains why because of those possibilities so many musicians return to it. First, the London Baroque account is performed on period violins while the G-H-L-D ensemble utilizes a modern flute and oboe. The tempos also vary, with the London Baroque favoring slightly swifter tempos throughout, particularly in the opening and closing movements. Both of these widely differing interpretations are equally captivating and offer much to enjoy; choice will depend strictly on whether you prefer the more crisp-sounding, sprightlier performance on BIS or the gentler, more pensive wind account on BMC. My advice is to not miss out on either; and while you're at it, add the sumptuously diabolical Rare Fruits Council recording on Astrée/Naïve for a trilogy of Bach trio sonata heaven!

BIS's sound is up to its usual audiophile standards. Gwilt's engaging notes are on par with his equally stylish fiddle playing and the shining performances of veteran colleagues violinist Ingrid Seifert, cellist Charles Medlam, and relative newcomer, harpsichordist Terence Charlston. A winner!
--John Greene, ClassicsToday.com

Formed in 1978, London Baroque enjoys the position of being one of the most experienced and long-lived baroque chamber groups. Combining 8 albums originally released between 2003 and 2013, the present set of trio sonatas can be seen as the fruit of all those years of research, experiment and discovery. The trio sonata was the primary vehicle for chamber music in the seventeenth and at least half of the eighteenth centuries. Its history mirrors other developments throughout the whole of the baroque era. This set is chiefly concerned with those for two violins and continuo, with occasional digressions into those for violin, bass viol and continuo, and one with viola replacing the second violin. Like the string quartet in later ages, most composers (with some notable and regrettable exceptions) tried their hand in the form. The customary addition of a figured bass part played on a harpsichord or organ around 1600 meant that middle parts of the old contrapuntal style could be excluded and chamber music soon began to favor the trio sonata texture. 150 years later, with the string quartet, the process was reversed as the viola took over the middle ground previously occupied by the keyboard.

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Excerpts from reviews of previously released volumes included in this set:

The Trio Sonata In 18th-century Germany

London Baroque is one of the older ensembles in the world of historical performance practice. It is still going strong, and it is remarkable how it has kept its high standard over so many years. That also applies to the Bis trio sonatas series: eight discs, intelligently put together and forming a lively documentation of an important part of music history. The playing is again of the highest quality.

– MusicWeb International

The Trio Sonata In 18th-century Italy

London Baroque’s program-opening performance of Albinoni’s Balletto in G features a fresh, unsentimental treatment of the composer’s characteristically slow first-movement Preludio Largo, followed by sprite deliveries of the second and third movements and a dashing Vivaldi-esque concluding Gavotta Presto. Their performance of Giuseppe Sammartini’s Sonata V is equally inspired. Locatelli’s Sonata in D major also receives a captivating, distinguished performance featuring plenty of thrilling fiddling, especially in the Allegro molto finale. London Baroque performs Vivaldi’s famous Op. 1 No. 12 trio sonata “La Folia” with the leaner continuo of just a cello and harpsichord backing the two violins originally specified by the composer. How refreshing!

– ClassicsToday

Trio Sonata In 18th Century France

Listening to these virtuoso performers swing through much of Couperin’s glorious music is often dazzling. It’s been more than a decade since London Baroque began its European trio sonata recording odyssey for BIS, with by and large great success. And here is another wonderful installment, warmly recommended.

– ClassicsToday