Gunar Letzbor & Ars Antiqua Austria - Lonati: Sonate da camera (2017)

Tracklist
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01. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major: I. Sostenuto-Largo
02. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major: II. Alemanda. Adagio-Variato
03. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major: III. Spiritoso-Presto
04. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major: IV. Vivace-Variato
05. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major: V. Menuet
06. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Minor: I. Sostenuto-Spiritoso-Largo-Spiritoso-Largo
07. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Minor: II. Alemande. Largo
08. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Minor: III. Allegro
09. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Minor: IV. Gigue
10. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor: I. Largo-Spiritoso-Largo-Spiritoso
11. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor: II. Alemanda-Varatio
12. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor: III. Largo
13. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor: IV. Giga
14. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor: V. Menuet
15. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: I. Ciaccone. Largo-Spiritoso-Allegro-Largo-Piu adagio assai-Vivace-Allegro
16. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: II. Largo-Allegro-Sostenuto-Arpeggio
17. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: III. Sostenuto-Spiritoso-Largo-Sostenuto
18. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: IV. Adagio
19. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: V. Corente
20. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: VI. Gigue
21. Sonata No. 6 in A Minor: VII. Sarabanda-Variato

Carlo Ambrogio Lonati, a flamboyant character in the Italian violin scene, was born in Milan and moved to Rome at age 25, where he became known as the 'hunchback of the Queen' Christina of Sweden. His stature predestined him as a singer for roles of gnomes and dwarves at the Rome Opera.

Corelli played for a few years in the orchestra directed by Lonati, as its concertmaster. One can only marvel at the fact that the virtuoso didn’t publish his collection of 12 sonatas before the year 1701, possibly motivated by the success of Corelli’s own violin sonatas (1701). At his point in time however, Lonati’s compositions were already a few years old and had been copied a number of times. Had he published his works at the time of their creation, his success would have been distinctly greater. These masterpieces were dedicated to the Emperor, Leopold I. Lonati’s virtuosity comes close to that of Biber whose works Ars Antiqua Austria have also championed. The power of expression in his music is surprising, although he cannot disavow the sunny origins of his Italian soul.

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