Both CPO and Berlin Classics have given serious attention to the music of Johann Fasch (1688-1758), and you can read reviews of several of these recordings in Classicstoday.com’s archives. Rather than rehash the importance of Fasch’s artistic influences and personal friendship with the older Telemann, or his masterful use of French and Italian stylistic devices in his orchestral suites–also called Overtures–all of which is discussed in the previous reviews, I’ll just say that for listeners who enjoy Baroque orchestral music, these three works will prove very satisfying if not particularly revelatory. Most interesting are the timbres elicited by the prominent scoring for oboes (two or three) and bassoon, and the varied manner by which Fasch plays one group–winds or strings–against the other. Especially notable are movements such as the first Aria Largo in the G minor suite, where each component of the orchestra–even the bassoon–gets significant moments in the spotlight.
The melodic writing can be quite lovely in the slow movements and infectiously vivacious in the quicker ones, and it’s all affectingly and effectively written to keep us happily interested. Textures in the French-style opening movements can be on the heavy side–and Il Fondamento, aided by the somewhat hard-edged sound environment, seems to particularly relish a strong-handed approach to the dotted rhythms while emphasizing the reedy timbre of the winds. I had a pleasant time listening to this–and it’s worth mentioning that it was made more so by the well-written, informative liner notes.
