Muffat: Armonico Tributo / Florilegium Primum

Ars Antiqua Austria; Gunar Letzbor (violin & direction)

Georg Muffat (1653-1704)
Armonico Tributo (1682) / Florilegium Primum (1695)

Georg Muffat (1653-1704) after studying as a youngster with Lully in Paris, was involved most of his life with the Catholic Church. He worked as cathedral organist in Alsace, moved to Bavaria as a law student, and then settled for a time in Vienna. Following employment as organist to the Archbishop of Salzburg, interrupted by a period of study in Rome with the renowned keyboard player, Bernardo Pasquini, he took a final position as organist to the Bishop of Passau.
Among his compositions is the Armonico Tributo of 1682, five multi-movement, five-voice sonatas which Muffat left open as to various instrumental possibilities, even including performance as concerti grossi. One easily hears the influence of Corelli, whom Muffat met while in Rome, but there are also moments when one surmises that Handel knew these scores well. The music, perfectly gorgeous in this smaller instrumental version, mixes the French and Italian styles, as well as chamber-sonata and sonata da chiesa movements. "Of the seven-member Ars Antiqua Austria, one can only bestow the greatest praise for such wonderfully stylish performances, superb
ensemble, a welcome lack of mannerisms, and faultless recorded sound." (Goldberg) Georg Muffat paid tribute to the French dance music in his two collections which he called Florilegium Primum (1695) and Florilegium Secundum (1698). Ars Antiqua Austria here plays the first of these. "Its seven suites, whose five-strand string texture reflects 17th century French practice, have fanciful Latin subtitles, metaphorical rather than depictive. Lively performances with some imaginative touches." (Gramophone)

Price: $27.98