Francisco Luengo & Xurxo Varela

viola da gamba

Sonata II

Allegro; Allemanda; Corrente

Sarabande; Giga: Vivace

Sonata VII

Adagio; Allegro

Adagio con Affetto; Allegro

Sonata VI

Adagio; Allegro; Adagio; Allemanda: Largo

Corrente; Sarabanda: Adagio; Giga

Sonata XI

Allegro - Adagio; Aria: Allegro; Adagio; Ciacona

Sonata XII

Allegro - Adagio - Allegro  Adagio

Aria: Allegro; Corrente; Allegro - Presto

Le Nymphe di Rheno

        Jean Schenck is one of the main baroque composers for viola da gamba.

         Contemporany of the well known Marin Marais or Antoine Forcarey, Schenck was born in Amsterdam, and developed his life as virtuoso viol player and composer in the refined court of the Elector Palatine Jan Wellem, established in Dusseldorf.

        The "Opera Ottava", as Schenck himself subtitles his collection of duets, is a set of twelfe "sonate da camera", with alternating allegros an adagios of italian inspiration, often related to those of Corelli who dedicated his "Conceti Grossi" to Elector with dances that combine italian and french styles.

        Hence the title, Le Nymphe di Rheno, that intends to explain the synthesis of national styles that these Nordic Nymphs inspired the author.

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