I recently picked up the recording by Hélène Schmitt of Ignacio Albertini’s sonatas for violin and continuo (Alpha). Both the composer and performer here were new to me.

I had received a recommendation for this recording some time ago from a fellow baroque enthusiast. It just became available via Amazon MP3.

I was shocked, frankly, at first listen: the style and motifs are very Biber-esque. It’s as if this was Biber, or better (because the sonatas are probably one notch less interesting), rip-offs of Biber. This is not to say it’s bad music. The opposite, really. One can hear the influence of Schmelzer and Biber on Albertini’s style.

Schmitt and Company do a good job at the works. A varied continuo is used (favorites, are theorbo and organ) and Schmitt has a delicious, fat tone. There’s drive and panache in her style. While she does ornament, it’s never over-done, and intonation is satisfyingly good.

The recording includes 10 sonatas for violin and continuo, not to mention several solos by other composers for single continuo instruments. Altogether, a very nice recording. Acoustic and sound quality is also very agreeable.