All Passacaglia’s CDs are now available to buy direct in the Store. We send worldwide, and post-free in the UK.
Quick links:
Prussian Blue
Vivaldi Undercover
Telemann:Time:Travel
Boismortier Suites & Sonatas
Telemann Chamber Music
Dornel – La Triomphante
A Cheerful Collection
New Release March 2022
Prussian Blue
Prussian Blue explores the world of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach at the Berlin court of Frederick the Great in the 1740s. These sonatas – for flute, viola da gamba and harpsichord – are a thrilling mix of classical balance and experimental expressionism, pleasant and charming one moment, and full of turbulent chiaroscuro contrasts the next. Available as a physical audio CD via mail-order, and as an instant audio file download with PDF booklet.
Order your copy and watch video excerpts here
Vivaldi Undercover
Vivaldi Undercover explores Vivaldi’s music as it masquerades in various different guises, including music from Chedeville’s version of The Four Seasons with virtuoso hurdy gurdy (soloist Tobie Miller), along with JS Bach’s wonderful keyboard transcriptions, and Passacaglia’s own take on Vivaldi’s virtuosic ‘La Follia’ Sonata.
‘Passacaglia are renowned for their wonderfully passionate and detailed playing, and for their custom of arranging Baroque music to suit their instrumental ensemble. This CD illustrates both these characteristics… in the hands of the wonderfully virtuosic Annabel Knight and Louise Bradbury, the playing is never less than superbly accomplished. You will enjoy the wonderfully fresh playing on this CD’ Early Music Review May 2018
‘Passacaglia delivers performances replete with polished precision and rhythmic verve while never neglecting to keep the music’s breezy textures centre-stage’
CD Spotlight December 2017
Order your copy of Vivaldi Undercover
Telemann:Time:Travel
Telemann:Time:Travel, Passacaglia’s fifth album, presents seven brilliant trio-format chamber works by Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) for recorder, transverse flute, voice flute, viola da gamba and harpsichord. The instruments combine in countless ways, with gamba and harpsichord sometimes taking exciting solo roles. Includes works from Telemann’s collections Essercizii Musici, Sonate Metodiche and Six Concerts et Six Suites.
‘The best historically informed performances and recordings recreate the spirit as well as the sound of the music and, in ‘Telemann:Time:Travel’, the now well-established group Passacaglia do just that, combining the two to make a performance of irrepressible joy. … Annabel Knight’s phosphorescent top line teases out Telemann’s rhythmic and melodic jokes, idiosyncrasies and brainteasers with such effortless energy…’
Gramophone
‘A beautifully rendered account of Telemann’s inspired compositions for flute and recorder… Knight plays superbly, always with a keen ear for expression and line, never allowing virtuosic writing to obscure her nuanced interpretation. Throughout she is sensitively and expertly partnered by Ichise and Bigwood, the trio blending clarity with warmth of tone. Scholarly and illuminating booklet notes accompany this thoughtfully programmed and elegant offering.’
Early Music Today
‘Isn’t it amazing the range of music that is out there for three players? And all by Telemann! This lovely CD includes two sonatas for recorder and continuo, one each for voice flute and flute with continuo, two for flute, obbligato harpsichord and continuo, and one for flute, gamba and continuo… Annabel Knight, Reiko Ichise and Robin Bigwood have played together for many years now… and there is an effortlessness about the sound – no matter which combination of instruments is involved, there is never a sense of one striving to take the lead: rather the voices balance one another… If you ever hear anyone making derisory remarks about the quantity of music Telemann wrote and questioning its quality, just recommend they buy this CD – the man’s capacity for invention is nothing short of amazing, and these finely crafted performances from a star line-up should put them right!’
Early Music Review
‘Knight is a highly accomplished and expressive player… I found her ornamentation consistently imaginative and tasteful. No less enjoyable here is the continuo playing, and both Ichise and Bigwood distinguish themselves in the trios with gamba and obbligato harpsichord’
Early Music
Boismortier Suites & Sonatas
Witty, elegant and sophisticated music from this hugely under-rated composer that beautiful exploits the varied colours of flute, recorder, gamba, harpsichord, chamber-organ, guitar and theorbo.
‘I fell in love with this disc at first hearing, seduced by Passacaglia’s senusous mix of recorders, gamba, chamber organ and harpsichord. There are so many good things to savour.’
Andrew Stewart, Classic FM Magazine – 5/5 stars
‘While the music of Frenchman Joseph Bodin de Boismortier… is littered with moments of charm and quaint magnetism, it is the exquisite playing of the early music group Passacaglia that makes this new release from Linn Records well worth the purchase.’
Kenneth Walton, The Scotsman – 4/4 stars
‘The catalogue is not exactly overflowing with Boismortier recordings of this calibre, which is one more reason to welcome this splendid disc’
Brian Clark, Early Music Review
‘The members of Passacaglia, in various combinations, play all with a sharp ear for balanced ensemble and for the wealth of little nuances contained within this ingenuous repertoire.’
Nicholas Anderson, BBC Music Magazine
‘Major credits lie with youthful ensemble Passacaglia and, above all, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. Admirably compiled and affectionately played.’
Andrew Stewart, Music Week
Telemann Chamber Music
Telemann Chamber Music includes brilliant pieces from one of the most recorder-friendly composers of the baroque – trio sonatas, obbligato sonatas, a recorder duo and a viola da gamba sonata.
‘This is my disc of the month. From the opening phrase to the end of the disc I was enthralled. … You won’t hear any better playing.’
Brian Clark, Early Music Review
‘Annabel Knight and Louise Bradbury phrase with such unanimity that if they exchanged parts you would never know. Their dexterity is extremely impressive. Beautifully balanced … [a] fine new recording.’
Richard Lawrence, Early Music News
La Triomphante – Dornel Chamber Music
Dornel’s imaginative and dynamic compositional style perfectly suited the lively and ever-changing musical environment of Paris in the first decades of the eighteenth century. His works are here brought vividly to life by Passacaglia, with guest musicians Dan Laurin (recorders) and Eligio Quinteiro (theorbo & guitar).
‘The quality of music on this CD turns out to be extraordinarily high, in no way inferior to the chamber works of Couperin and Rameau. Characterful, expressive playing from Passacaglia certainly does the music justice. The wonderful Swedish virtuoso Dan Laurin joins the group in two works; here he plays among equals. Another Naxos bargain.’
Early Music Today
‘Fine versions of all the works by Passacaglia. A disc that no baroque music enthusiast should ignore.’
Rhythm Magazine
‘The players fully explore the character of these pieces with imagination and zest… very exciting.’
MusicWeb International
A Cheerful Collection
A Cheerful Collection features the sumptuous soprano voice of Julia Gooding in an entertaining and elegant collection of Georgian songs and sonatas as they would have been heard in London’s famous pleasure gardens. Featuring music by Arne, Abel, Geminiani and Oswald.
‘A welcome anthology: delightfully sung and played’
Early Music Review
‘A tantalising glimpse into the eighteenth century pleasure garden’
BBC Early Music Show