Carl Friedrich Abel
Carl Friedrich Abel left a substantial body of chamber music and works for the viola da gamba, written in the early Classical style. His gamba sonatas and solos form a lasting part of that instrument's repertoire.
A German-born composer who settled in London, Abel wrote and performed as a viola da gamba specialist and became chamber musician to Queen Charlotte. With Johann Christian Bach he founded the Bach-Abel subscription concerts, England's first series of that kind, where many of Haydn's works received their first English hearings. He left some 420 compositions, with chamber music at the centre. Sonatas and solos for gamba give the instrument a Classical repertoire beyond the French Baroque masters. One symphony from his Op. 7 was long mistaken for early Mozart after the boy copied it for study while visiting London.
Compositions by Carl Friedrich Abel appear on
Exquisite Harmonies
Exquisite Harmonies features works for viola da gamba and harpsichord, and several harpsichord solos, largely from the French Baroque. The exceptions are Telemann, Abel and Australian composer Troy Russell. A nice treat is an improvised harpsichord fantasia in the style of Telemann.
Two
Two brings together Marais Project founding members Jennifer Eriksson, viola da gamba, and Tommie Andersson, gallichon, theorbo and baroque guitar. Each plays alternate brackets of solos before they join in a splendid suite by Marin Marais.