The turn of the 18th century was an exciting time for music publishing in Northern Europe. Music printers in England and the Netherlands were turning out copious sheaves of fine music for amateurs and connoisseurs alike, often surpassing in production quality even what was coming out of France and Italy. This was, on the one hand, due to the sheer readability of music printed from engraved copper and pewter plates instead of moveable type, and on the other to the craze for concertos as well as solo and trio sonatas by famed Italian masters.

The Ten Sonatas for 2 violas da gamba and continuo by a “Mr Carolo” fall into this last category. Although his name sounds Italian, our Mr Carolo is a real mystery, and no one really knows who the elusive composer was or who (else) may have written these ten sonatas for bass instruments. Indeed, the title page of the original undated printing by the Amsterdam firm of Estienne Roger bears no given name but does expand on the instruments that can be used, stating the works are equally suited to two bassoons or basses de violon.

-From the liner notes by Jacques-André Houle