Venetian Art 1600: The new instrumental style by G.B. FONTANA AND G.G. BUONAMENTE – Le Concert Brisé/William Dongois – Accent ACC 24253, 76:00 (Distr. by Harmonia mundi) ****:
Prior to 1600, instrumental music was considered to be support for vocal music. Instrumental music without singing evolved around the beginning of the Baroque period with the emergence of the violin as a major instrument. The violin displaced the instruments of the viol family.
Le Concert Brisé (or Broken Consort) was assembled in the early 1990s by William Dongois. It is an ensemble of representative instruments from different musical families. Being a cornet player himself, Dongois developed programs around that instrument. Other instruments include the violin, dulcian, archflute, organ and harpsichord. The sonatas on this disc have varying combinations of these instruments.
Above too much adherence to the score, Le Concert Brisé employ some improvisation, but in keeping with the spirit and intent of the composer and an understanding of the period performance practices as we understand them today. For those who are interested in such matters: a=425Hz meantone temperament here.
This compact disc is splendidly recorded by Accent which centers its repertory on early music. It may be for specialist collectors, but anyone with an interest in the early Baroque compositions of Fontana and Buonamente would be hard put to find better performances.
—Zan Furtwangler
