Jean-Marie Leclair wrote two sets of six violin concertos: his op. 7 from 1739 and op. 10 from 1743. This is the third and final release from Glossa of these twelve works with the very fine violinist Leila Schayegh and La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. The works are cleverly arranged on disc, with two from each set per disc; this time we have numbers 4 & 5 from each.
These are scrupulously Historically Informed Performance recordings. Schayegh plays a marvellous Andrea Guarneri: Santa Teresia, from Cremona, 1675. The band is a compact group with four violins (plus a second solo violin), two violas, two cellos, one violone and harpsichord, played at A = 408 Hz.
Leclair's violin concertos show the influence of the Italian masters: Corelli, Vivaldi, and especially Pietro Locatelli. It was Locatelli's presence in Amsterdam in 1743 that caused Leclair to travel to Holland. The two are almost exact contemporaries; the Italian composer was a year and a half older. I'm sure that there was a give and take in Amsterdam between these two virtuoso violinists and wonderful composers. By the way, both composers died in the same year: Locatelli in March of 1764, and Leclair in October. Unfortunately, the circumstances of the French composer's death are grim; he was murdered by an unknown assailant.
Locatelli has long been one of my favourite Baroque composers. I only knew Leclair from his chamber music with violin, and didn't realize how appealing his violin concertos are. I don't think I could have been introduced to this music by a better violinist and orchestra. This is superb playing: stylish and sophisticated. I plan on listening to the first two releases in this series, and I'm definitely up for anything these fine musicians release in the future!
The wonderful album cover design for all three releases is by Rosa Tendero.
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