Ensemble Pulcinella

Ensemble Pulcinella & Ophélie Gaillard – Bach Arias (2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:07:29 minutes | 1,09 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Aparté

Bach’s cantatas make use of an amazing diversity of instruments, both old and new. Among the ‘new’ instruments was the violoncello piccolo, a rare type of cello that was popular for a brief period at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The addition of a fifth, higher string provided the instrument a unique lightness and delicacy in the upper registers. This collection featuring cellist Ophelie Gaillard and the ensemble Pulcinella focuses on arias from Bach’s cantatas that are scored for the violoncello piccolo. The arias are interspersed with instrumental transcriptions from the Schubler Chorales and the Orgelbüchlein. Vocal soloists include soprano Sandrine Piau, tenor Emiliano Gonzalez Toro and alto Christophe Dumaux.

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