G051 - G056

Viola da Gamba Society of Great Britain Newsletter No. 128, Jannuary 2005:

Erlebach's six Sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and continuo (all published by Edition Güntersberg) are very different from Buxtehude's examples with the same instrumentation, being dance-based (a sequence of Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Ciaconne is enclosed between the Adagio-Allegro-Lento opening and the Adagio 'Final'), and not having the "fantastic" episodes which characterize the other composer's works, although the Final of this sonata features interesting tremolando effects. The set is unusual in having scordatura tuning for the violin in two sonatas (including the Sonata Terza): the violin part is given both in sounding and scordatura notation. Erlebach provides an alternative part for a second violin as an alternative to the viola da gamba, which is reproduced in the edition. The Ciaconne (actually based on an extended major version of the Passacaglia bass) gives both instruments a chance to shine, with some idiomatic chordal writing for the viol.