Corelli and his legacy

Abstract

This varied collection of Italian instrumental music serves as a reminder of the importance of Corelli for successive generations of composers throughout Europe. The first six of Corelli's seminal set of solo violin sonatas op.5 were recorded four years ago by Lucy van Dael, with Bob van Asperen on both harpsichord and organ, in Corelli: Violin sonatas op.5 (Naxos 8.557165, rec 2002, 68′). The organ works well, particularly in some of the slow movements and in those famous cadenza-like passages at the opening of the first sonata where the bass has long pedal notes. Here I was unconvinced by the very short and aggressive final violin notes at the ends of phrases and by the middle section of the second movement, where the tempo sags, but things soon pick up and there is much to admire in van Dael's playing, not least her mastery of the challenging multiple stopping and fugal passages in many movements. Much of the stylish ornamentation closely resembles that found in contemporary editions, and it flows naturally and convincingly, even in the gigue that closes the fifth sonata, where she changes to groups of four notes rather than three for the repeats.