The 18th century was the golden age of the mandolin. The ensemble Artemandoline presents world premiere recordings of forgotten masterpieces written in Florence and Rome for mandolin and basso continuo. A music full of energy, beauty and virtuosity.

This disc is a real plucker’s delight featuring not only the skills of three leading mandolinists – Juan Carlos Muñoz, Mari Fe Pavón and Alla Tolkacheva – but also a continuo section consisting of baroque guitar, harpsichord and (anachronistically) Renaissance lute; even the violone and gamba are usually played pizzicato. Together they romp through a programme of concerti and sonatas by Dall’Abaco, Arrigoni, Matteis, Domenico Scarlatti, Johann Sigismund Weiss (rather than his more famous brother Sylvius Leopold), Fasch and of course Vivaldi; with a doffof their tricorns in the direction of earlier baroque composers Castello and Uccellini. This is joyous, glorious music-making.

The baroque ensemble Artemandoline and the renowned soprano Nuria Rial are set to release their new album Venice’s Fragrance on June 12th, on the German label Sony, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi and on the French label Sony France.

An invitation to the intimate setting of an Austrian or Italian Court at the beginning of the XVIIIth century.
Contrasting voices and instruments performing as a solo or together will compete with charm and impetuosity to conjure up the vivacity and the beauty of the Italian music at the time. In the early years of the 18th century the mandolin was an integral part of the Baroque musical scene. As such, it is found in a hundred or so operas.