Testimonials

‘an impressive recording and some infectious music-making from two performers who clearly take great pleasure in playing together.’

‘So infectious is the enthusiasm of these gifted players for their Baroque master that you will find it hard to suppress a smile at the sheer energy and effervescence’

‘The Brook Street Band has a trademark playing style that’s communicative, energetic and very very zingy in every department… in chamber music from this period, you won’t find more winning and winsome playing.’

‘Finely balanced, deliciously spiced, infectiously musical!’

‘The Brook Street Band plays stylishly, with well-nigh impeccable intonation and tremendous verve… Delightful.’

‘The band members] approach everything with a spring in their step, relishing the harmonic crunches and keeping everything vital and vivacious.’

‘Hijinks from Handel … Lovely playing from the first sonata right through the last … the performances convince absolutely as does the recording. Add it to The Brook Street Band’s previous albums with complete confidence.’

‘This release is a thorough pleasure … Sample one of the fast movements…to hear the vigorous, strongly rhythmic, rather edgy approach favoured by these musicians. Especially noteworthy are the slow-movement gestures of violinist Rachel Harris, which convince the listener that they were the work of a master of opera. More than an album for Handel completists, this is a strong release from a British group that has consistently issued historically informed Baroque performances of passion and commitment.’

‘erudite, intimate music, not without violinistic fireworks. The BSB include cello alongside harpsichord for the continuo, satisfyingly grounding the texture. Rachel Harris delivers these eloquent expressions of the violinist’s art with stylish sweetness, her embellishments beautifully measured.’

‘none finer than this outstanding recording of Handel’s Sonatas for violin and basso continuo played by The Brook Street Band. The BSB brings the sonatas to life with fresh, eminently stylish accounts, performed with impressive audible detail…Handel’s violin sonatas could hardly receive finer advocacy than these exceptional performances here from The BSB.’

‘As a trio, the [BSB] perform superbly and wonderfully sympathetically, with Theo and Gibley supporting Harris in an admirable manner…period performances full of musicality and great style. The BSB bring a lovely combination of virtuosity and vibrancy to the performances, really engaging the audience and making you want to listen for more.’

‘For me, this new offering from The Brook Street Band – as intoxicating and spirited as it is sensitive and feeling – will now be the new benchmark for others to aspire to.’

‘I’m very glad that the BSB have given us all nine [Handel violin sonatas], and all the more so, given the life with which they’ve imbued them… The various ornamentation, articulation and repeat decision have come off brilliantly. You simply don’t know what’s coming next, which I mean in the best possible way. Bravo!’

‘Readers familiar with [The BSB’s] invigorating recordings of Handel’s Trio Sonatas Opp. 2 and 5 will not be disappointed by this new release. The finest music, of which there is much reaches a peak with the D Major sonata HWV371 coming across with natural grace and effective articulation’

‘It’s all sung with a suitable lightness of touch, with sparkling accompaniment from The Brook Street Band, all artfully directed by John Andrews.’