The award-winning classical ensemble, the UK's foremost interpreters of Handel's music, will give a special recital at Oxnead Hall next month, a return to where where their new album was recorded.
Award-winning classical ensemble The Brook Street Band are to mark the launch of their latest recording with a special recital back where it was recorded in Norfolk.
Handel: Sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo, which is released on June 1, was recorded at the The Great Barn, Oxnead Hall, near Aylsham, back in January, and the band will be back to perform at the venue on June 4.
Since its formation in 1996 by baroque cellist Tatty Theo, The Brook Street Band has established itself as one of the country's foremost interpreters of Handel's music.
Their name comes from the street in London's Mayfair where George Frideric Handel lived and composed for most of his working life.
Cellist and director Tatty Theo said: 'Over recent years The Brook Street Band has performed and recorded much of Handel's instrumental chamber music. After our 2016 release of Handel Trio Sonatas, which competed our survey of the complete Handel trio sonatas, it seemed the natural progression to explore the violin sonatas.
'These are pieces which we've known and loved and have played together for the past 20 years. They are also pieces with a complicated composition and publication history, which needed a little bit of detective work in unpicking!'
The recording contains all the violin sonatas which carried Handel's name during his lifetime, and presents a vibrant picture of musical life and some of the musicians in Rome and London, the two cities where Handel was living at the time of the works' composition.
In contrast to this, the setting for the four days of recording sessions was the beautiful Great Barn at Oxnead Hall and the band was inspired by the building's historic atmosphere and the quality of the stunning and tranquil Norfolk light.
Violinist Rachel Harris said: 'I love playing these works – they are brilliantly crafted, and conjure up a vivid picture of musical life in Handel's London. It has been fun to research and imagine who might have performed the pieces during Handel's lifetime, and breathe new life into these pieces. Everyone always loves a good detective story!'
• The Brook Street Band will perform at The Great Barn, Oxnead Hall, on June 4, 7.30pm. Full details HERE• Handel: Sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo is released on AVIE Records on June 1.
• More about The Brook Street Band
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