One part of Glossa’s new approach to recordings with the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis is to bring back selectively into the catalogue some of the recordings made under the auspices of the SCB in the past.

Among the many notable recordings, a strong impression was made with the music of Giuseppe Antonio Brescianell, as played by La Cetra Barockorchester Basel when it had David Plantier as its konzertmeister. This recording was made with harmonia mundi in 2002.

Brescianello comes from the time of an illustrious generation of composers active in the first half of the 18th century, being born a few years later than figures such as Bach, Handel, Telemann and Rameau. Hailing from Italy, he spent much of his active career as the kapellmeister at the southwestern German Würrtemberg courts of Dukes Eberhard Ludwig and Karl Eugen in Stuttgart.

The Baroque Concertos and Sinfonias (and a Chaconne) performed by La Cetra demonstrate Brescianello’s command of music from his own country (there are certain echoes of Vivaldi, for example) and also of the French orchestral language in the tradition of German composers of the time, including Kusser and Bach himself. Much of Brescaniello’s biographical origins and much of his compositions have been lost, which has forcibly hindered either a full evaluation of his musical merits or merely placing him in the context of other Baroque luminaries.

La Cetra’s recording, played with skill, musicality and spirit, sought – in the best traditions of the SCB – do something about that unfortunate historical assessment, and it is a pleasure to welcome this recording back to the catalogue.