Corelli, Handel: Sonatas

Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) – violin sonatas arr. for recorder: Sonata in F major, Op. 5, No. 4, Sonata in C major, Op. 5, No. 6 (orig. in A), Sonata in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 'Follia'. George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) – Sonata in D minor, HWV 367a. Sonata in G major, HWV 363b, Op. 1 No. 5. Sonata in E minor, HWV 359b, Op. 1 No. 1b. Sonata in F major, HWV 371, Op. 1 No. 13 (orig. in D)

Michaela Koudelková – recorders, Monika Knoblochová – harpsichord, Libor Mašek – baroque cello, Jan Krejča – theorbo, baroque guitar

The name of the young Czech virtuoso Michaela Koudelková should be committed well to memory. She has far more going for her than just the names of her teachers (Peter Holtslag, Erik Bosgraaf). She is a winner of the Tel Aviv Recorder Competition and a finalist of the York Early Music International Young Artists Competition in England, and her solo recitals have included an appearance at the prestigious Oude Muziek Festival in Utrecht. Her Supraphon debut, for which she has chosen masterworks by Handel and Corelli, showcases her uncompromising technique, but above all it shows her supreme musical sensitivity and her interpretive stylishness, including the ability to improvise, participating in the recreation of notated works. Of all the sonatas listed on the album, only one is intended for her instrument; the rest were originally for violin or transverse flute. Of course, a characteristic of the baroque era was great freedom in the choice of solo instruments, as is clear from period printed editions, and the recorder was very popular at the time. Besides the most common alto and soprano recorders, the recording also features an instrument with a darker timbre, the voice flute in D, which was popular in England, and the sixth flute, pitched an octave higher and often used for music played between acts of Handel’s London operas. Besides sonatas by Handel, the soloist has also chosen three sonatas from Corelli’s Opus 5. Over the centuries, the art of improvisation has been taught using the passaggi in the slow movements of the twelve violin sonatas in this iconic collection. The last and most famous sonata, “Follia”, is the brilliant and rather experimental climax of the album, combining the creativity of the composer with that of the performers.

Lightness, liveliness, spontaneity, bravura, intoxicating richness of sound – Michaela Koudelková’s exciting Handel and Corelli