Arcangelo Corelli: 12 Concerti Grossi Op. 6

I cherish these two disks. The performance of this music by the Brandenburg Consort led by Roy Goodman is simply wonderful. The playing is full of energy, ease, and a wonderful, well, self-belief and commitment to the music. None of the, "Well, this is just Corelli after all" we get from some others. Here, everything is given over to getting everything out of the music, and there is a lot of fun, enjoyment, and beauty to be had.

By the time Corelli died at sixty years of age in Rome, he had achieved world wide fame and respect. He had a tremendous impact on the development of violin technique including the playing of double stops and chords as well as they way violinists used the bow in their playing. While the concerto grosso form existed before him, it was he who put the form on the map, so to speak. His concerti were widely imitated (although the Opus 6 here was not printed in his lifetime - remember there were no meaningful copyrights in those days) and next generation composers such as Handel wrote sets of concerti in homage and imitation (for Handel, these were his Opus 3 concerti).

Corelli's complete known works comprise only six opus numbers, although these are all collections of works. Again, his influence and importance go far beyond this seemingly small output. However, these twelve concerti and simply wonderful. Some of the tunes you will already know, but you will be amply rewarded for your attention to all these works.

The first eight do not contain dance movements because they are ostensibly for the chapel. However, they are quite bright and energetic and full of movement. Nine through twelve do contain standard dance suite movements, but for all intents and purposes are not any more full of dance than the first eight. However, they do follow more strictly the formal strictures of the dance names given to the movements.

What a wonderful set that I am delighted remains in print.

I recommend this set with my strongest recommendation and encourage you to enjoy these disks over and over again.

This is an excellent collection of twelve concerti grossi by Arcangelo Corelli. This recording hooked me on to baroque music for life. I recommend this recording to anyone who loves "classical" music and this collection is a must have for a baroque fan. The musicianship of Trevor Pinock and the English Concert is stellar. This is baroque music at its finest.

Arcangelo Corelli is a Founding Father of Baroque music and Pinnock offers an almost patriotic fervour in this performance of his finest work. Certainly, Pinnock's deep scholarship is reflected in his manner of presenting Corelli. In this early example of the original instrument genre, the English Concert gives an enchanting presentation of 17th Century music. It's a captivating performance, leading the listener to a historical journey to Corelli's time. One could almost feel it's the master himself leading a group of musicians in a villa salon. Pinnock's control of the music and performers comes through, but their collective joy in performing Corelli's work is plainly evident. The sound penetrates the listener, lifting the spirit with the Baroque era's discovery of that musical power.

Compiling a list of indispensable music brought a re-awareness of the value of this CD. Having purchased the original release on LP, then tape [for backup] and finally the digital version, the ongoing value of this release is firmly apparent. With the ability to compare the three formats directly, it demonstrates the sound quality of the CD issue as superior. Anyone who wishes to understand why the Baroque was such a revolutionary era in musical expression would do well to begin by obtaining this fine collection.