Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739) was a mere eight years younger than his fellow Venetian Antonio Vivaldi and uses a similar musical language, readily heard in the 12 Flute Sonatas, Op 2, of 1712. His keyboard works are virtually unknown. All 12 of his Sonatas for harpsichord, Op 3, which appeared some time between 1712 and the Op 4 Madrigals of 1717, were given their world premiere recordings in 2000 by Italian keyboardist Roberto Loreggian, played on the harpsichord and using an edition prepared by Alessandro Borin. To hear any of the sonatas played on the piano is, in my experience, unique.

For this recording Andrea Bacchetti, in conjunction with Mario Marcarini, has prepared his own new edition from the manuscripts housed in Venice’s Marciana Library, and uses a Fazioli grand, taming its lively nature for music of tranquil intimacy. The result is one of almost pure delight. Anyone familiar with Bacchetti’s acclaimed recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach and Baldassare Galuppi (and if you haven’t heard them, you really should: 4/08, 3/09, 10/09, 9/10) will respond once more to the cool, patrician poise of his playing, quietly voiced, unassuming and, in the slow movements, intensely introspective. Repeats marked in my (no doubt outmoded) edition of a handful of the sonatas are observed only in No 9, with ornaments played discreetly and kept to a minimum. The only movement which does not readily lend itself to the piano is the opening of Sonata No 10 with its alternating passage of thirds and sixths, better suited to the plucking of the harpsichord. The booklet is silent on the music. For information on this you must download a pdf file from the CD.