Castello, Fontana: Sonate concertate in stil moderno – review

In the gradual emancipation of the violin from its role as a downmarket fiddle to that of one of the leading instruments in western music, the early 17th-century sonatas of Dario Castello and Giovanni Battista Fontana, published in Venice, play a vital role. Their serious eloquence is beautifully captured in John Holloway' s incisive playing, but what is equally remarkable here is the virtuosity of the lower parts for the dulcian, an early bassoon. Jane Gower commands their flights of fancy with such skill that the violin is sometimes overwhelmed, but in Castello's Sonata Decima they achieve a perfect match. Lars Ulrik Mortensen's gentle harpsichord complements discreetly.