Graun, Grauel – Concertos for Strings (2 CD, FLAC)

Performer: Modern Times_1800, Ilia Korol, Piroska Batori
Composer: Johann Gottlieb Graun, Markus Heinrich Grauel
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Challenge Classics
Size: 435 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

CD 01
01. Concerto c minor GraunWV C:XIII:68 – Allegro
02. Largo
03. Allegro
04. Concerto G major GraunWV C:XIII:84 – Adagio
05. Allegro molto e con spirito
06. Markus Heinrich Grauel: Concerto A major for violin, strings and continuo – Allegretto
07. Adagio
08. Allegro

CD 02
01. Concerto F major GraunWV Av:XIII:31 – Allegro
02. Mesto
03. Allegro
04. Concerto E flat major GraunWV Cv:XIII:116 – Allegretto
05. Adagio, un poco Andante
06. Allegro

Excellent performances of Graun’s music. Graun’s music bridged the Baroque and Classical styles. He composed many concertos and some Classical style symphonies. The only reason I give 4 stars is that Graun falls just short of being a really great composer. Few of his composition have really memorable melodies like those of the great composers.

Instrumental works utterly dominate the extensive oeuvre of Johann Gottlieb Graun. It is hardly surprising that among them (besides overtures, symphonies, quartets, trios, and wind concertos) he wrote a great number of concertos and solo sonatas for the violin. He composed at least 83 solo concertos, double concertos, and several ensemble concertos with solo violin. The concerto by Markus Heinrich Grauel on this CD may be taken as an example of Graun’s influence.