Les Plaisirs du Parnasse - Johann Paul von Westhoff: Sonates pour Violon et Basse continue (2005)

Today almost ignored by musicologists and performers, and totally unknown to music-lovers, Johann Paul von Westhoff [1656-1705] was nonetheless an outstanding figure in late seventeenth-century musical life. He is one of those composers with an endearing personality who achieved a synthesis of the multiple trends in European music. He was held in high esteem by his contemporaries, including the Sun King himself, before whom he appeared in 1682. Though he left only two collections to posterity, he nevertheless helped violin music through decisive phases in its development. His … six sonatas for violin and continuo of 1694, recorded here for the first time, reveal him as an innovative composer in every respect. The virtuosity, stylistic boldness and formal mastery of this collection, combined with a high level of inspiration, make it one of the most exciting in the repertoire.