The twelve sonatas for flute op.2 appeared in Venice in 1712, reappeared in Amsterdam in 1715 and finally in London in 1730. All these sonatas were constructed using the Chiesa sonata (or church sonata) mould, divided into four or even five movements. The first movement is slow and they then alternate between serious episodes and lighter, quicker ones.

Benedetto Marcello followed in the tradition of Corelli, nicknamed the prince of musicians, successfully uniting polyphonic tradition and the new demands for diverse forms of expression. With his genius equal to that of the greatest musicians, he made the decision to just follow his enthusiasm and inspiration born out of his admirable imagination. This first volume presents 6 of the 12 sonatas.

Christian Mendoze started the Musica Antiqua orchestra in 1981 but has always been known for pursuing many different avenues: an international flute teacher, director of many festivals and events, including the Festival of Early Music and the ‘Soirées Musicales’ season in Toulon.… Over the course of these festivals he has welcomed the best international artists, including soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic, the Clement Janequin Ensemble, P Herreweghe’s Royal Chapel, T Pinnock’s English Concert, Koln Concerto, Mario Bayo, Teresa Berganza – just to name a few!

As well as this, he has helped Musica Antiqua rise to an international level, performing prestigious concerts and collating a rich and ambitious repertoire (they are the only French baroque ensemble to have recorded Bach’s six Brandenburg Concerti in their entirety).

And to top it all off, he still pursues his soloist career performing with many of his musician friends, including the Koln Concerto, Davitt Moroney, Charles Brett (with whom he has three albums), John Elwes and Georges Zamfir (who dedicated one of his works to Christian). His career as a soloist and conductor continues to bloom, performing at various prestigious European venues from Midem to the Salle Gaveau, from the Chatelet Theatre to the Cracow Philharmonic, from Rome to Vicenza, from Paris to Aix-en-Provence.