George Frideric Handel:
Prelude in G major, HWV 571
Sonata in C major, HWV 365
Flourish
Sonata in F major, HWV 369
Prelude in G minor, HWV 572
Sonata in G minor, HWV 360
Sonata in B flat major, HWV 377
Prelude in A minor, HWV 576
Sonata in A minor, HWV 362
Sonata in B minor, HWV 367

Henry Purcell:
Prelude in B minor, ZN 773

Anon.:
Fantaisie No. 1 in B flat major

The Six Recorder Sonatas by George Frideric Handel are a compendium of the recorder original literature, and have an exceptional position because of their beauty. They’re typically Handelian in character, in that the upper voice is very vocal, like his operas. The melodies are truly captivating and remarkable for their “simplicity” which demands far more virtuosity than simply moving the fingers quickly.

The striving of Stefan Temmingh, one of Germanys most renown recorder player of the younger generation, is to come as close as possible to the greatest of all instruments – the human voice.

The bass line makes an equal counterpart to the recorder part; it’s opulent, virtuosic and full of variety – much more than in comparable pieces. It’s executed without cello only by harpsichord, performed in an outstanding way by Wiebke Weidanz.

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Recording: 13-15 August 2018, Church St. German, Seewen (Switzerland). Instruments: Harpsichord after Pascal Taskin, 1769; Alto Recorder in F’ after Bressan; Voice Flute after Bressan; Tenor Recorder after Bressan.