In the early part of the 18th century, when these sonatas were written, the cello was still in its infancy having just superseded the viola da gamba within the stringed family of instruments, but it seems that Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), the consummate musician and teacher that he was, instinctively knew how to draw on the instrument's potential for use by both the novice student and the seasoned performer. Bereft of technically challenging virtuoso passages like his Cello Concertos but exacting enough to command proficiency and depth of expression, they helped establish the cello's stature promptly as the instrument of choice for the sombre and melancholy features of baroque music in general.

These six sonatas are scored and performed here on solo cello (Jean-Guihen Queyras), harpsichord/organ (Michael Behringer), theorbo (Lee Santana) and cello (Christoph Dangel). A few years ago Jean-Guihen Queyras released a recording of Vivaldi's Cello Concertos to wide acclaim, and he dispatches these sonatas with the same degree of expressive and melodious playing within the slow movements, and dancing and rhythmic sharpness in the fast movements. The instrument is a 1690 gut string Italian cello highly appropriate for Vivaldi's music. The delivery is intimate, with the continuo players recessed just enough to allow the solo cello part to dominate the sound stage. From one sonata to the next, Queyras finds each one's key emotive perspective, and always brings out their unique inner narrative and projects their deeper essence despite their intrinsic simplicity.

Jean-Guihen Queyras has made several successful recordings for harmonia mundi and, following the success of his much anticipated recording of Bach’s complete solo Suites in 2008 for which he received immediate acclaim (Diapason d’Or and CD of the month in Diapason, CHOC du Monde de la Musique etc), he has released many more recordings featuring a wide array of composers including Beethoven, Dvorak, Vivaldi, Elgar, Schumann, etc ... to name but a few. His account of Beethoven's "Ghost" Trio is one of my personal favorites.