Hyperion Records

The first sonata begins with a rather Corellian gesture which develops into a dialogue between high and low voices. A minor-key Lento then leads into one of those running-semiquaver fugues that are so characteristic of Buxtehude. In the following Adagio and 6/8 Andante the viola da gamba parts company with the harpsichord to produce a true trio texture, with much use of broken chord figurations and offbeat entries. A concluding Presto follows the style of the first two fast movements, now with an emphasis on repeated-note semiquavers.

from notes by Francis Knights © 2002