Great Violins, vol. 3 (1685 Stradivari) – The Klagenfurt Manuscript
As well as being internationally recognised as a leading interpreter of music new and old, Peter Sheppard Skærved is the only violinist to have performed on the personal violins of Viotti, Paganini, Joachim, Kreisler and Ole Bull. In this new series, he plays music on these and many more instruments, many of which only he has access to.
This double album contains 96 (short) pieces which are all of the works for solo instrument contained in the Klagenfurt Manuscript, a substantial folio dated circa 1685 and which the violinist believes may have been composed by a nun – we will probably never know.
He plays these works which mainly consist of individual movements of a style typically found in the baroque Dance Suite; some seem to ‘fit’ into multi-movement suites, others clearly do not. For the purposes of this recording each movement is listed and tracked separately. This is the world premiere recording.
Peter plays a wonderful Stradivari instrument of 1685 (thus exactly contemporary with the music). In those days violins were made in several sizes and this one measures 328mm (the modern standard being 350mm). Its design and construction is clearly influenced by Nicola (or Niccolò) Amati. Though ‘modernised’ in the 19th century, it is here played with a period-design bow and gut strings for authenticity. The violin is from the historic instruments collection of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, England.
Track Listing
- The Klagenfurt Manuscript of circa 1685: solo works
- Praeambulus in A major (1:09)
- Allemande in A major (1:03)
- Minuetto in A major (1:51)
- 'Finale' in A major (1:13)
- Allamand in G major (1:17)
- Courent in G major (1:32)
- Sarabande in G major (1:08)
- Gigue in A major (2:21)
- Praeambulus in G major (1:16)
- Courent in G major (1:33)
- Sarabande in G major (1:17)
- Gigue in G major (1:21)
- Preludio in G minor (1:07)
- Allemande in G minor (1:53)
- Sarabande in D minor (1:43)
- Allemande in G minor (1:42)
- Minuetto in G minor (2:13)
- Sarabande in G minor (2:10)
- Gigue in G major (1:53)
- Minuetto in E major (1:33)
- Praeludium in D minor (1:24)
- Allemande in D minor (1:26)
- Courrente in D minor (1:23)
- Sarabande in D major (1:05)
- Minuetto in D minor (1:08)
- Sarabande in D minor (1:21)
- Minuetto in D major (1:14)
- Preambulus in A major (1:33)
- Minuetto in A major (1:55)
- Gigue in A major (1:22)
- Allemande in A major (1:50)
- Passepied in A major (2:02)
- Sarabande in A major (1:24)
- Courent in A major (1:01)
- Double in A major (1:11)
- Double in A major (1:47)
- Minuetto in A major (1:05)
- 'Finale' in A major (1:25)
- Pfefferstossl in D major (1:01)
- Sarabande in D major (1:14)
- Praeludium in D major (0:47)
- Gigue in D major (1:20)
- Marcia in D minor (0:36)
- Minuetto in D minor (0:34)
- Gigue in D minor (0:54)
- Courent in D minor (0:47)
- Aria in D major (1:05)
- Courent in D major (0:52)
- Sarabande in D major (1:20)
- Sarabande in D major (1:19)
- Gigue in D major (0:48)
- Gigue in D major (1:46)
- Praeludium in D minor (1:32)
- Minuetto in D minor (1:20)
- Courent in D minor (1:47)
- Double in D minor (1:44)
- Praeludium in D major (2:14)
- Allamande in D major (1:22)
- Courent in D major (1:24)
- Gigue in G minor (1:05)
- Sarabande in G minor (1:21)
- Double in G minor (1:23)
- Gigue in G minor (1:13)
- Minuetto in G minor (0:47)
- Double in G minor (0:53)
- Courent in G minor (1:39)
- Gigue in G minor (1:29)
- Gigue in G major (1:43)
- Gigue in G major (1:12)
- Praeludium in A major (3:20)
- Sarabande in A minor (1:27)
- Siciliana in A minor (1:43)
- Gigue in A minor (1:32)
- Praeludium in A major (1:27)
- Gigue in E minor (1:13)
- Minuet in G minor (1:26)
- Gigue in C major (1:45)
- Gigue in D minor (1:33)
- Tema con varizioni in A major (2:04)
- Gigue in A major (1:27)
- Gigue in D major (1:22)
- Gigue in G minor (1:26)
- Gigue in C minor (1:51)
- Gigue in D major (1:26)
- Gigue in D major (1:28)
- Gigue in A major (2:25)
- Allemande in G minor (2:19)
- Allemande in B minor (1:00)
- Courent in B minor (1:52)
- Minuetto in B minor (1:14)
- Sarabande in C minor (1:25)
- Gigue in G minor (2:06)
- Gigue in A minor (1:52)
- Sarabande in A minor (2:16)
- Minuetto in G minor (1:15)
- Courent in F major (1:48)
Reviews
“Sheppard Skærved’s performances are an excellent way to get to know this collection. He delivers outstanding performances, and I am also very satisfied with the rather intimate recording. No lover of the violin music of the baroque period should miss this production.
” —Johan van Veen
“A marriage made in heaven. On the one hand, we have a violin of unusually small dimensions made by Stradivari (and dated 1685); on the other, we have the entire content for unaccompanied violin from a large volume of music from exactly the same period. [A] fascinating recording… it and the accompanying booklet have much to teach students of organology and violin-making, devotees of the South German-Austrian-Bohemian school of violinist-composers and anyone interested in the history of the partita or suite and its constituent movements.
” —Michael Talbot
“Peter Sheppard Skaerved has performed a valuable service with this release. This is some of the most important and best music written for solo violin of its time. The performances are heartfelt and spontaneous. Very good sound and superb booklet notes.
” —Joseph Magil
“These CDs make a wonderful addition to our stock of German Baroque solo violin music on record. Skærved’s playing is unfailingly pure and beautiful.
” —Tully Potter
“Peter Sheppard Skærved gets to play on a great violin. The album contains 96 short tracks. Violinists may enjoy raptures at the sound… Sheppard Skærved obviously plays well and enjoys himself.
” —Jeremy Condliffe
“A record of a quite remarkable personal journey of discovery… an absolute mine of information for anyone interested in the violin music of the period.
” —Terry Robbins
“This is a lovely disc, and listening to it continuously makes you realise there is something rather concentrated and cumulatively meditative about the music. The music is complex and elaborate, but the dance measures clearly come through. Here we have a lovely intersection between the sacred and the secular, between period performance and modern exploration thereof.
” —Robert Hugill
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