Fire Beneath My Fingers

CD: Fire Beneath My Fingers
Composers: Various
Musicans: Musica Pacifica Baroque Ensemble
Label: Dorian
CD No: DSL-90704

This disc presents six highly virtuosic concertos in which the Musica Pacifica Baroque Ensemble displays extraordinary skill. Each individual soloist excels in their particular work, often tackling particularly difficult feats of rhythm and pitch, especially for the recorders. Likewise the continuo and ritornelli players do not shirk from their task, but instead give full-blooded commitment producing a rich, well-rounded sound for such a small group.

The Vivaldi works, naturally, have been recorded many times, the Tartini not quite so much and the Sammartini hardly at all. Despite this glowing praise of technical efficiency, the works are all very similar in style, structure and harmony. There is no great variety and the discs only real appeal is the virtuosity of the playing.

This, I feel, is worth recommending on the grounds of the musicianship but not on the choice of the repertoire - the repetitive and relentless high recorder tessitura might just drive you a little bit insane.

Andrew King

This review was submitted by a Muso reader and the opinions expressed reflect solely the opinions of the writer, not those of Muso magazine or its publisher. Muso cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided

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