Benedetto Marcello – Recorder Sonatas Op 2 (1/6) – Works for harpsichord

The poetical character of Marcello’s style doesn’t mean that the music lacks contrast and drama. That is most impressively demonstrated in this recording, where Il Rossignol and its recorder player, Martino Noferi, give very dramatic and gestural accounts of the first six sonatas. These are certainly not without twists and turns, and the players don’t hesitate to explore them. The keyboard works get excellent performances from Ottaviano Tenerani on a beautiful Italian harpsichord. This disc offers an enthralling interpretation of these sonatas by Marcello. This is what I expect from an Italian performance of Italian music, underlining the theatrical character of Italian music. In the booklet the release of the other sonatas from this opus is announced. I can hardly wait. Johan van Veen