“London Circa 1760”: J.C. Bach, C.F. Abel & Friends – La Rveuse, Florence Bolton, Benjamin Perrot

London, 1760. Handel had just died and George III acceded to the throne. During the reign of this monarch and his queen Charlotte, both discerning musicians, musical life in the British capital was to enjoy an exceptional revival. Virtuosos and composers from all over Europe flocked there, vying with each other in originality and modernity. Now La Rveuse invites us to sample the creative whirlwind of the age, spinning from viol concertos to airs for musical glasses . . .

London circa 1760Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787)
Concerto a Viola da Gamba Concertata G major / Sol majeur
Reconstructed version by Thomas Fritzsch et Gnter von Zadow (Gntersberg publishing, 2020), after the Violoncello Concerto in B flat major WKO 52 and the Flute Concerto in C major WKO 51
Moderato (5’19)
Adagio ma non troppo (4’21)
Allegro (5’08)
Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)
Quartet op. 8 No. 2 D major / R majeur
Edition by Thomas Fritzsch and Gnter von Zadow (Gntersberg publishing, 2017), based on the manuscript in the Kulukundis Collection (on deposit at the Bach-Archiv Leipzig) [Quartetto a Obo Violino Viola da Gamba Basso. Del Sigr: G. C. Bach] (viol part missing), and the period editions of London, Paris, The Hague, Manheim (with flute instead of oboe and viola instead of viol)
Andantino (5’11)
Rondeaux (allegro assai) (3’19)
Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)
Pieces for English guitar D minor / R mineur
The Art of Playing the Guitar or Cittra, Edinburgh, 1760
Andante – Allegro moderato (1’33)
Affettuoso (1’24)
Carl Friedrich Abel
Quartet WKO 227 G major / Sol majeur
Edition by Gnter von Zadow (Gntersberg publishing, 2011) based on manuscripts in the Berlin State Library, D-B Mus. Ms. Klingenberg Nr. 2 / D-B Mus. Ms 253/10
Allegro moderato (6’18)
Allegretto (2’40)
Thomas Alexander Erskine (also known as ‘6th Earl of Kelly’) (1732-1781)
Trio Sonata No. 6 CM 5 G major / Sol majeur
6 Sonatas for Two Violins & a Bass, London, 1769, Welcker
Andantino (3’58)
Tempo di minuetto (3’38)
Carl Friedrich Abel
Viol pieces from the Drexel manuscript
D minor / R mineur
New York Public Library, US-NYp Drexel 5871 / Reconstruction of the basso continuo by Benjamin Perrot
Adagio A1: 30 (3’22)
Allegro A1 : 28 (3’59)
Rudolf Straube (1717-1785) (2’48)
Largo C major / Do majeur
Three sonatas for the Guittar, London, 1768
Ann Ford (1737-1824)
Instructions for Playing on the Musical Glasses C major / Do majeur
By Miss Ford, Instructions for Playing on the Musical Glasses, London, 1761
An Italian Air (Care luci che regnate) (3’20)
Duetto (Siciliana) (1’41)