Catalogue

Summary:

“Masterly performances” – David Vickers,  Gramophone Magazine

“[The band members] approach everything with a spring in their step, relishing the harmonic crunches and keeping everything vital and vivacious.” ★★★★ – Erica Jeal, The Guardian

“A birthday release that will invite many happy returns. The musical language is so second nature to the Band that its playing has the unbuttoned relish of musicians relaxing in a mother tongue. …an incisive verve prevails throughout the disc, buoyed up by a conversational attentiveness that never flags, and ensemble so pin-sharp it merits a safety warning.” ★★★★ – Paul Riley, BBC Music Magazine

“… These performances … are committed, lucid and enjoyable. Period violinists Rachel Harris and Farran Scott interact neatly and spiritedly throughout, bringing to these works a natural feeling for style and an unobtrusive sophistication that cannot help but charm.” – Robin Stowell, The Strad

“An absolute cracker of a disc!…One to be treasured!” ★★★★★ – Alastair Harper, Early Music Review

“… top-notch playing of Baroque chamber music which combines thoughtfulness with vivacity …” – Mark Sealey, Classical Net

“… The playing of these works, which span the breadth of Handel’s career, is both lively and affecting.” ★★★★ – Michael Dervan, The Irish Times

“The Brook Street Band bring some spectacularly fine playing to these works, lithe, and beautifully shaped with some lovely sonorities and terrific ensemble, not to mention moments of terrific spontaneity.” – Bruce Reader, The Classical Reviewer

“They bring out a vivacity and joy in all the works, with highly charismatic performances. There is a liveliness and immediacy in their playing of the faster movements, and a nice sense of lyricism in the slower ones…You sense the players great enjoyment of the music and their eagerness for you to enjoy it to. Technically these are very fine, but it is this sense of joy which makes the disc a must.” – Robert Hugill, PlanetHugill

“The Brook Street Band were born to play Handel. Fresh, lively performances” – David Fay, The Big Issue

“The Sonatas are played with delightful ease and elegance… an exemplary recording where Handel’s inexhaustible inventiveness, even on a smaller, intimate scale, springs wonderfully into life.” – Curtis Rogers, MusicWebInternational.com

“Life-enhancing stuff, and beautifully recorded too” – The Arts Desk

“… a useful addition to the recorded repertoire… They play with vigour and panache …” – Andrew Benson-Wilson, AndrewBensonWilson.org

The Brook Street Band celebrates its 20th anniversary as a leading light and champion of the music of Handel with another imaginative album that completes the ensemble’s survey of Handel’s Trio Sonatas for two violins and continuo. A bonus is an arrangement for two violins and basso continuo of the overture to Handel’s oratorio Esther.

Tracklist:

GEORGE FRIDERIC Handel (1685–1759)

Sinfonia in B flat, HWV 339 (11.07)
1. I. Allegro (4.06)
2. II. Adagio (4.42)
3. III. Allegro (2.19)

Trio Sonata in F, HWV 392 (12.09)
4. I. Andante (3.18)
5. II. Allegro (2.36)
6. III. Adagio (3.35)
7. IV. Allegro (2.40)

Trio Sonata in B flat, HWV 50a ‘Esther’ (7.29)
8. I. Andante (2.09)
9. II. Larghetto (2.53)
10. III. Allegro (2.27)

Trio Sonata in G minor, HWV 393 (10.13)
11. I. Andante (3.06)
12. II. Allegro (2.25)
13. III. Largo (2.20)
14. IV. Allegro (2.22)

Trio Sonata in E, HWV 394 (10.58)
15. I. Adagio (3.14)
16. II. Allegro (2.29)
17. III. Adagio (2.14)
18. IV. Allegro (3.01)

Trio Sonata in C minor, HWV 386a (11.19)
19. I. Andante (3.46)
20. II. Allegro (2.40)
21. III. Andante (2.41)
22. IV. Allegro (2.12)

Trio Sonata in C, HWV 403 ‘Saul’ (9.22)
23. I. Allegro (4.13)
24. II. Andante larghetto (1.08)
25. III. Allegro (1.53)
26. IV. Allegro 2.08

Total time: 76.10

Recorded 7–10 September 2015, Raveningham Church, Norfolk
Producer, balance engineer and editing: Simon Fox-Gál