Dall’Oglio: Violin Sonatas

Maria Krestinskaya violin, Grigory Krotenko bassetto, Imbi Tarum harpsichord/organ
63:14
Panclassics PC 10378

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he set of sonatas by Dall’Oglio from which the five pieces on this excellent CD come was published in Paris in 1738, some three years after the composer had settled in St Petersburg; they are, in fact, dedicated to a Russian field marshal, who was very much a court insider. The first two pieces have four movements, while the next two have only three (each with a slow opening movement and two livelier ones to follow); then comes sonata XII which begins with a Grave-Allegro pairing, then a theme and variations. While the sonatas are very much Italian in concept, Maria Krestinskaya is quite right in drawing attention in her notes to a definite Russian flavour to some of the music. She draws some beautiful sounds from her Maggini (especially in some excursions to the very upper limits of its fingerboard), and she is nicely partnered by Grigory Krotenko on a bassetto (a photograph of his instrument – also a Maggini, which has survived in Russia – would have been nice!) which Dall’Oglio’s younger brother is known to have played, and Imbi Tarum on harpsichord and organ. Apart from featuring these fine, stylish performances, this disc also shines some light into the obscurity of music at the St Petersburg court; let’s hope that Kretinskaya goes on to record some of Dall’Oglio’s symphonies and concertos, and continues to seek out lost repertoire from Baroque Russia.

Brian Clark