A BAROQUE ODYSSEY

Habits of the Soul

 

Johann Bernhard Bach: Overture in G minor Ouverture, Air, Loure, Passepied

Purcell: Fairy Queen Z629: First Music: Prelude, First Music: Hornpipe, Second Music Aire, Second Music: Rondeau

Vivaldi: Concerto Op.10 No.2 in G minor 'La notte' RV439 Largo, Presto - Fantasmi - Largo, Presto, Largo Il Sonno, Allegro

Dumanoir: Ouverture in F major

Anon: Fantaisie 'Les pleurs d'Orphee aillant perdu sa femme'

JS Bach: Harpsichord Concerto in F minor BWV1056 Largo

Telemann: Suite in A minor for Recorder excerpts TWV55:a2 Ouverture, Rejouissance, Polonaise

Purcell: Fairy Queen Z629 Chaconne - Dance for Chinese Man and Woman

 

Sophie Gent, Olivier Fortin

Ensemble Masques

 

If one assumes rhetoric (i.e., persuasion) as the foundation of the Baroque musical edifice, irrespective of country—and in particular of the secular music this recording documents—one might then place atop it the columns and arches of dance and song-based instrumental fantasy, onto which could be applied extravagant swirls and ornamentation. Indeed, dance makes up this disc’s primary focus, though granted it is dance in its most disembodied form since there is not the remotest hint of dancers here. It remains to be seen whether rhythm alone can make up for their absence, but we remain convinced (and believe the listener will agree) that the persuasive art of the instrumentalists will overcome the distance imposed by the audio-only format. The other focus of the disc is instrumental fantasy, either as a tributary of dance or freed from it completely.

 

Analekta AN29961