JOHANN ROSENMÜLLER (c.1619-1684): Sonate a 2, 3, 4, 5 Stromenti da Arco, Nos. 2, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12, GIOVANNI LEGRENZI (1626-1690): Sonata Prima, Sonata Terza à 3, Sonata Terza à 4, Sonata sesta à 4, ALESSANDRO STRADELLA (1639-1682): Sinfonie XI, XVIII and XXII.

Description: The majority of this disc is taken up by sonatas from Rosenmüller's late period, his polyphonic style now out of fashion but combining Italian elegance and German seriousness. Also conservative is Legrenzi but with colorful harmonies, unusual rhythms and unstereotyped formal schemes. Our third refugee to take cover in Venice is the more notorious Stradella, whose Sinfonie are virtuosic works in the form of the sonata da chiesa. The Rare Fruits Council; Manfredo Kraemer.