Yay!
Jonathan J. Casey | the twin cities | 11/03/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm so glad to see this become available on Amazon.com, finally. If you only buy one CD of baroque violin sonatas then let this be the one. Corelli was a master of the instrument and this is an incredibly important document. Not merely a dry treatise on violin technique, these works abound with beauty and feeling, virtuosity and craftsmanship. Banchini and her cohorts (Jesper Christensen, Luciano Contini, and Kathi Gohl) do a marvelous job with Op. 5. Banchini is a master of baroque fiddle technique and displays great sense and precision in her performance. The group performs on period instruments, which may or may not be a positive to some people. Rest assured: this is a great, great recording and you will not be disappointed. If you have not heard Banchini before than this is a good time to find out what you've been missing. And for only $10! The five-star rating isn't an exaggeration. They don't come much better than this."
Lively and beautiful chamber music
Daniel F. Pinkerton | Minneapolis | 07/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An Austrian friend played this for me and I was knocked out by it. This is some of the most beautifully played small ensemble music you're likely to run across. They are playing on period baroque instruments, but the sound is full, crisp, and detailed. The harpsichord neither woefully underrecorded nor overly dominant. Corelli's music is in the same Italian Baroque vein as Scarlatti and Vivaldi. However, you may be less familiar with the pieces on this disc, and that can be a distinct advantage. Finally, it's ONLY $6.98! The best $7 you'll ever spend."