Handel Violin Sonatas - Cicic & Devine

• Performers: Bojan Cicic, violin; Steven Devine, harpsichord
• Label: Delpian

There’s no shortage of collections of Handel’s works for violin and harpsichord, as the collection will fit on a single CD. While each may vary a bit with how complete they are, Handel’s opus 1 is the source for at least some of these, which were written for a larger collection of solo instruments.

The pieces themselves are all strong efforts, which is no wonder that they were taken up by mainstream artists before the HIP-crowd got to them.

For the most part Handel adopts an Italian style with these, imitating the framework first laid out by Arcangelo Corelli. This album includes some “singleton” tracks in addition to the other sonatas with multiple movements.

The balance on this album seems to favor the violin significantly; listening near-field the balance is less problematic, as I imagine it would be on headphones; however in a larger space, the harpsichord can get a bit lost.

I feel the playing here from Cicic is in line with his former solo efforts. The gist of this album, I feel, is that he does best in the faster movements, despite a resistance to using much rubato, or significant variation in dynamics. There seems to clearly be a metronome tick-tocking in his head which is fine, but ultimately is lacking a genuine, human feel. The slower movements are played with almost all the long notes using vibrato. I feel these lines are more like sung music and should be shaped, especially at the beginning of phrases. Instead, it seems a rule is being applied: when encountering a longer note, apply some vibrato.

The best way to summarize, I think, is that Cicic seems to play by some long-established rules, in a suit, with a tight necktie. My favorite two recordings of these works provide freer interpretations, where you feel the violinist’s shirt collar is loosened by one or two buttons. Check out Andrew Manze with Richard Egarr, in addition to Riccardo Minasi with his Musica Antiqua Roma.

I think the extravagance of those two comparison albums is tempered some by Johannes Pramsholer, who recorded HWV 371 alongside sonatas by other contemporaries. Pramsholer’s sound is close to Cicic (with a little more harpsichord presence), but in terms of what he’s doing on the longer notes, it feels far more rhetorical.

Steven Devine’s contributions I think here are strong; in the few spots we get to hear him alone, his part sparkles.

This recording doesn’t completely lack nuance or excitement, but the effect on me is lukewarm rather than surprising or profound. Cicic is, for sure, a very solid player with good intonation and very clean playing in those long lines of sixteenths, but I simply think there are some more stylish offerings available.