Veracini: Sonatas
Veracini, one of the most outstanding violinists of his time and a prolific, versatile composer, is best known for his violin sonatas. The four recorded here come from different collections; obviously written by - and for - a virtuoso, they vary greatly in style and form. Opus 1 No. 1 is somber and dramatic, but three of its five movements are graceful dances; in the final Gigue, the violin imitates a "Posthorn." Opus 2, written 20 years later and entitled "Sonate accademiche," is more subtle and complex. No. 6 begins with a Siciliana, followed by a "Capriccio," a form Veracini favored: free, charming, surprisingly dissonant and chromatic. The minor-mode slow movement, flanked by two light, fast ones, is mournful and intensely expressive. The remaining two Sonatas are more contrapuntal. No. 1 from Veracini's last collection, "Dissertazioni" on Corelli's Sonatas Opus 5, develops Corelli's multiple-voice counterpoint and retains his "Moto perpetuo" finale. The playing is splendid. Holloway tosses off the fast passages, stratospheric flights, double and triple stops with effortless virtuosity; his articulation is crisp, his rhythm supple. Using low tuning and sparing vibrato, he produces a beautiful, warm tone, which he can change instantly to fit mood and character. His embellishments are brilliant and imaginative; his crescendos and decrescendos usually follow the ascending and descending lines, and he rather overdoes the echo effects. Jaap ter Linden makes his prominent cello parts authoritative yet supportive.--Edith Eisler