Con Chitarrone - Italian Sonatas from Early Renaissance to Baroque

The Leupold Trio is three musicians -- Sören Leupold, Eva Stegeman, and Wouter Mijnders -- who each have active careers of their own, but come together with a similar passion for early Renaissance and Baroque music. It is clear upon first hearing that the musicians are well-informed about the period in which they play and each other's musical personalities, as they play very well together and capture the spirit of spritely dances and somber sonatas. The instruments seem to be slightly tuned down (as is appropriate, given contemporary understanding of early music) and the artists maintain a light touch; sometimes, however, Stegeman's bow pressure seems just too light on the strings, such as in the first couple of tracks on the album. Leupold is the most versatile of the three, playing the chitarrone and Renaissance lute, while Mijnders' cello sets the harmonies of each piece. The repertoire on the album is well-chosen, as it varies between trios, duos, and solos, though one could argue that there is a small degree of monotony in the selection of pieces. The Dowland lute solo is a nice interlude, and the conversation between the violin and cello in Rosenmüller's Sonata No. 3 is indeed an enjoyable musical dialogue between two skilled artists. At times the low register of the cello in pieces like Gabrielli's Sonata in G and Rosenmüller's sonata is odd; it sounds too low and rather bass-like, especially when contrasted with the violin and chitarrone. Especially noteworthy on the album is the lute solo of Dowland's Lachrimae, which is a departure from the previous pieces on the album, even if played a bit too squarely on the running passages. Leupold plays it with such elegant intimacy that it is simply beautiful to listen to. The Allegro from the Vivaldi sonata is exciting with its syncopations and rhythms. Finally, the trio keeps varying the tempi in Corelli's Sonata No. 12, better known as "La Follia," with its theme and variations, but nobody lags behind or pushes the beat; they all play with perfect awareness of each other. One even hears the fire they are capable of, especially in Stegeman's violin. Despite some oddities and questions of musical taste, there is much to appreciate in the Leupold Trio.