Hats off to Montreal cellist and gambist by adoption Elinor Frey, who, over the course of her releases, convinced the Belgian label Passacaille to perform world premieres of old repertoires. Angelo Maria Fiorè, Antonio Vandini and Giuseppe Dall’Abaco preceded the Moselle Jean Baur, born in 1719 and died in Paris in the 1770s. Antoine Malette-Chénier on the harp and Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde (2e cello). This sharing is more than a generous idea, because the Sonata for harp and pianoforte is the jewel of the CD, interpreted with a confusing intelligence in the balance (rather pianoforte and harp) of the two instruments. Baur’s harp work begs to be dug up, judging by the formidable minuet of the 6e Sonata for solo harpat the end of a disc which also includes three cello sonatas and a sonata for two violins transcribed for two piccolo cellos.
To see in video