From the library of Pisendel

Johann Georg Pisendel (1687–1755), one of the greatest violinists of the 18th century and renowned Konzertmeister of the Dresden court orchestra during the reign of the enlightened monarch Frederick Augustus II (1696-1763), is considered a pivotal figure between the Italian and German violin schools. Among the hundreds of compositions for various ensembles that Pisendel left behind, the sonatas for violin and basso continuo stand out in both quantity and quality. This collection is remarkable for its extraordinary stylistic diversity, reflecting his cosmopolitan and eclectic musical education. During my years of study at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, having developed a deep fascination for Pisendel - his figure, his works, and his life - I gradually analysed, transcribed, and catalogued a significant portion of his valuable archive. From this collection Julio Caballero and I have selected some of the works that we found most interesting and representative, thus creating the programme contained on this CD - Claudio Rado