Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. I Grave/Allegro/Adagio
2. II Allegro
3. III Largo
4. IV Allegro
5. I Grave
6. II Allegro
7. III Vivace
8. IV Adagio
9. V Vivace
10. I Adagio
11. II Allegro
12. III Adagio
13. IV Allegro
14. I Adagio
15. II Allegro
16. III Vivace
17. IV Adagio
18. V Allegro
19. I Adagio
20. II Vivace
21. III Adagio
22. IV Allegro
23. I Adagio
24. II Allegro
25. III Adagio
26. IV Allegro
27. I Preludio - David Watkin
28. II Giga - David Watkin
29. III Adagio - David Watkin
30. IV Tempo Di Gavotta - David Watkin

Disc 2:

1. I Preludio
2. II Corrente
3. III Sarabanda
4. IV Giga
5. I Preludio
6. II Allemanda
7. III Sarabanda
8. IV Giga
9. I Preludio
10. II Giga
11. III Adagio
12. IV Tempo Di Gavotta
13. I Preludio
14. II Allemanda
15. III Sarabanda
16. IV Gavotta
17. V Giga
18. I Preludio
19. II Allegro
20. II Adagio
21. IV Vivace
22. V Gavotta
23. Theme & Variations 1-8
24. Variations 9-14
25. Variations 15-25
26. I Andante
27. II Presto
28. III Adagio
29. IV Allegro

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50763 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-01
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .29 pounds
• Running time: 144 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Francesco Geminiani piggybacked on the vogue for Corelli's music in England by producing these "orchestrations" of his former teacher's op.5 sonatas for solo violin in the 1720s. These days Handel's concerti grossi understandably hog the limelight, but those who dote on the great man (including any captivated by the Manze/AAM recording of Handel's Opus 6 concerti) need have no qualms about spreading the scope of their affections to embrace this new release. The invention may not always approach the levels of Handel's genius, but there is so much to enjoy across a wide range of moods and styles. Dance rhythms abound, of course, pointed deliciously by Manze, not least in his virtuosic display as violinist. But he is also concerned to extract every ounce of emotion and colour from languorous slow movements, occasionally going to the edge on speed. The fascination is hearing how the legendary Manzian individuality as a solo performer translates into the fingers of his players here. The recorded sound (in St John's Smith Square) is first class. Corelli/Geminiani and Corelli chamber works top things up, while extra value is added by a facsimile of the history of the original Academy of Ancient Music, published in 1770. --Andrew Green

Customer Reviews

Marvellous works from a little known composer played beautifully
Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) was an Italian composer, violinist and music theorist. His contemporaries in England, where he spent lengthy spells of his life, considered him the equal of Handel and Corelli (New Grove Dictionary of Music). However, although he was a highly original composer he was not prolific and little of his work survives today. His major musical influence was his teacher, a fellow Italian from a generation earlier, Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713), whose works he often transcribed and arranged (with due acknowledgement to Corelli) for different instrumental combinations. It is 12 of these works that are presented on this 2-CD set, Geminiani's 'Concerti Grossi (after Corelli Op 5)' which are orchestral works based on Corelli's Op 5 sonatas for solo violin.

Although Corelli's work is recognisable, Geminiani's concerti are in some ways strikingly different and represent not simply arrangements or orchestrations, but adventurous explorations and developments of Corelli's original ideas. They are superb works that deserve to be much more widely performed and listened to. The Academy of Ancient Music is one of the longest established specialist early music orchestras, having been founded in 1973. They have an enviable reputation as specialists in all aspects of baroque and classical performance practice, playing with period instruments (or faithful copies) in appropriately sized groupings. Their performance on these recordings, under the direction of Andrew Manze, is superb and the recording and sound quality, as is normal for Harmonia Mundi, are excellent throughout.

If you have never listened to Geminiani, but you do like Corelli, Vivaldi, or Handel, then you will almost certainly enjoy these CDs.