Many listeners will be unfamiliar with the name Georg Benda, but in his day this Bohemian Kapellmeister enjoyed international fame – chiefly on account of his opera 'Ariadne auf Naxos', a product of the melodrama that Benda was instrumental in developing and which influenced, among others, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Benda’s skill was not just limited to musical stage entertainment, however. Attracting more than 2000 subscribers upon the publication of its first part, the 'Sammlung vermischter Clavierstücke für geübte und geübte Spieler' quickly became a bestseller, an anthology containing keyboard music, chamber music with strings and vocal pieces.

Benda belonged to a transitional period, which was full of innovations and attempts to be experimental, and the Sammlung does not fall short of this mark - from the irregular, unpredictable vocal line of Jesus am Creuze’s recitativo to the witty drinking song whose two‐bar recitativo leads to an unexpected keyboard sonata in the same key – a suggestion for public performance? – the set abounds in surprising twists and turns, making for a delightful source of entertainment.

Performing this engaging and often overlooked music is Ensemble Arcomelo, a period‐instrument group whose members share a passion for research, aesthetics and Baroque rhetoric. This release marks their first recording for Brilliant Classics. Founder Michele Benuzzi plays the harpsichord, deftly supporting soprano Elena Bertuzzi and tenor Paolo Borgonovo who carve up the vocal arias between them.

Track Listing:
CD 1
Part I
Sinfonia in F
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andante mesto
3. III. Allegro

Sonata in G with accompaniment for 2 violins, viola and cello
4. I. Allegro
5. II. Andante con moto
6. III. Allegro assai

7. Sonatina in D (Rondeau -- Andante)
8. Sonatina in F (Andantino)
9. Sonatina in A minor (Allegro)
10. Sonatina in C (Mezzo allegro)

Sonata in C minor
11. I. Allegro moderato
12. II. Andante sostenuto
13. III. Allegro

14. Sonatina in E minor (Allegretto)
15. Sonatina in D minor (Allegretto)
16. Sonatina in B flat (Allegro moderato)

Sonata in G
17. I. Allegro
18. II. Andante quasi allegretto
19. III. Andantino

Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Ensemble Arcomelo
Total time 68'13

CD 2
Part II
Sonata in A minor
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andante con moto. Arioso
3. III. Presto

Jesus am Creuze - from a Passionmusik
4. Recitativo
5. Aria

Sonata in G for violin and obbligato harpsichord
6. I. Mezzo allegro
7. II. Andantino
8. III. Allegro

9. Arie: Stolz auf Gott
10. Sonatina in D (Allegro assai)
11. Sonatina in F (Andante quasi allegretto, tempo di minuet)
12. Sonatina in F (Allegretto)
13. Menuet in C

Elena Bertuzzi (soprano), Paolo Borgonovo (tenor), Ulrike Slowik (violin), Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Ensemble Arcomelo
Total time 53'13

CD 3
Part III
Sonata in C
1. I. Mezzo allegro
2. II. Largo
3. III. Allegro assai

4. Sonatina in D (Andantino quasi allegretto)
5. Mit Lauretten, seiner Freude
6. Sonatina in C minor (Allegro non troppo)

Sonata in C with accompaniment for 2 violins, viola and cello
7. I. Allegro
8. II. Andante con moto
9. III. Allegro

10. Mir Armen, den des Fiebers Kraft
11. Sonatina in A (Allegretto con spirito)
12. Du fehlest mir, wie einsam
13. Sonatina in B flat (Andante con moto, quasi un poco allegretto)
14. Von nun an, o Liebe
15. Sonatina in G minor (Allegro)
16. Venus, wenn du willst mich rühren

Elena Bertuzzi (soprano), Paolo Borgonovo (tenor), Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Ensemble Arcomelo
Total time 53'36

CD 4
Part IV
Sonata in F
1. I. Allegro assai moderato
2. II. Andantino un poco larghetto
3. III. Allegro

4. Hüpft, ihr wollenreichen Herden
5. Sonatina in D (Presto)
6. Ich war bey Chloen ganz allein
7. Sonatina in E flat (Andante, quasi allegretto)
8. Ob ich morgen leben werde
9. Sonatina in C (Allegretto)
10. Mein Geliebter hat versprochen
11. Sonatina in G (Andante con moto)
12. Hier ist das Thal
13. Sonatina in F (Allegretto moderato)
14. Belise starb, und sprach im Scheiden
15. Sonatina in B flat (Allegro)
16. Du, kleine, Blondine
17. Romanze: Ein Mädchen, das auf Ehre hielt

Sonata in C minor
18. I. Allegro non troppo
19. II. Un poco largo
20. III. Allegro

Elena Bertuzzi (soprano), Paolo Borgonovo (tenor), Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Total time 52'56

CD 5
Part V
Sonata in E flat
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andantino
3. III. Allegro

4. Der Neid, o Kind 1'57
5. Sonatina in G minor (Andante un poco allegretto)
6. Ein trunkner Dichter leerte sein Glaß
7. Lieber Amor, leihe mir
8. Menuet in G
9. Ich liebte nur Ismenen
10. Sonatina in D (Allegro)
11. Faulheit, itzo will ich dir

Sonata in F
12. I. Allegro non troppo
13. II. Andante con moto
14. III. Allegro

15. Philint ist still, und flieht die Schönen
16. Sonatina in C (Andantino quasi un poco allegretto)
17. Wenn man mir ein Mädchen nennt
18. Sonatina in G (Un poco allegretto)
19. Heraklit, gleich stumpfen Greisen

Elena Bertuzzi (soprano), Paolo Borgonovo (tenor), Antonio Papetti (cello), Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Total time 49'05

CD 6
Part VI
Sonata in C minor
1. I. Allegro, ma non troppo
2. II. Andante
3. III. Allegro

4. Cantata: Cephalus und Aurore
5. Sonatina in C (Tempo di Minuet)
6. Süßes Mädchen, holder Knabe
7. Sonatina in E flat (Allegretto)
8. Philint stand jüngst vor Babets Thür
9. Sonatina in G minor (Andante, un poco allegretto)
10. Schön ist Selinde
11. Sonatina in G (Allegretto)

Sonata in C
12. I. (Allegro)
13. II. Andante un poco vivace
14. III. Allegro

15. Rondo in A (Andante con moto, quasi mezzo allegretto)
16. Sonatina in F (Allegro)
17. Sonatina in D (Presto)
18. Ariette: Mein Thyrsis!

Elena Bertuzzi (soprano), Paolo Borgonovo (tenor), Antonio Papetti (cello), Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord)
Ensemble Arcomelo
Total time 58'58