Accademia Vivaldiana di Venezia:
Stefano Zanchetta, Paolo Fasolo,
Giuseppe Barutti and Michele Liuzzi

Born in 1706 and known as ‘Il Buranello’ after the place of his birth, Baldassare Galuppi
was one of the most sought-after composers of his day. Writing music that appealed to
contemporary taste, the Venetian was especially admired by northern visitors: his trio
sonatas, which form the subject of this release, come from the Gimo collection compiled
by Jean Lefebure.

Galuppi was a prolific keyboard as well as opera composer, and this compilation therefore
offers a new perspective on his output. Like his works for harpsichord, the sonatas for
2 violins and basso continuo tend to adopt a slow-fast-slow format – with each movement’s
subtly altered bipartite structure reflecting the the Italian’s early-Classical idiom. The fact
that the works were conceived as a unified set is obvious from the balance of sharp against
flat keys (all of which are major), and, whereas proto-‘sonata form’ aspects tend to
dominate the opening movements, the finales often make use of triple metre to create
a lighter feel.

From Sonata No.5’s use of pulsating, ‘lombardic’ rhythms to the affecting recitative
which lies at No.6’s centre, these works are full of character and include many poignant
moments. Inspiringly performed by the Accademia Vivaldiana di Venezia, they are a
worthy complement to Newton Classics’ recent release of Galuppi’s experimental
keyboard sonatas.