Album Notes

'Archipelago' offers a sampling of different composers, forms, national styles, instruments, arrangements, players and therefore a significant variety of musical expression within the framework of early 18th-century chamber music. Played on period instruments, the repertoire includes Corelli's Sonata in F, op. 5 no. 4; Bach's Trio Sonata BWV 525; Telemann's entertainingly unusual trio for recorder, horn and b.c.; and suites and sonatas for flute and harpsichord by Hotteterre, Boismortier and John Stanley. Alison Melville, recorder & traverso (baroque flute); Michael Jarvis, Charlotte Nediger & Borys Medicky, harpsichord; Derek Conrod, natural horn; Mary Cyr, viola da gamba. "There are many recorder players around who can do phenomenal things with their seemingly simple instrument - Melville is certainly one of these, as is evident from her lightning-fast and superbly controlled playing...her playing is always centred, full of telling detail, and sympathetically integrated with her assisting artists." (Classical Music Magazine) "I think she's excellent." (Steven Barker, Grade 5)