Abel: Orchestral, Concertante & Chamber Works

Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787) was a German composer and virtuoso of the viola da gamba, remembered as one of the last great exponents of the instrument.

Composer: Carl Friedrich Abel
Artists: Nordic Affect (Georgia Brown), La Spagna Baroque Orchestra (Alejandro Marías) and viola da gamba player Marco Casonato and Massimo Marchese (Theorbo).

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Born in Köthen, he was the son of Christian Ferdinand Abel, a musician in the court orchestra once directed by J.S. Bach. Abel’s early exposure to music within this distinguished environment shaped his refined style and command of counterpoint, while his career later flourished in London, where he became a prominent figure in the city’s cultural life.
Abel is best known for his partnership with Johann Christian Bach in organizing the famous Bach-Abel Concerts (1765–1781), the first subscription concerts in London, which greatly influenced the city’s musical culture. These gatherings introduced audiences to both established and contemporary works, laying foundations for the public concert tradition. Abel’s music reflects the elegance and clarity of the galant style, bridging the late Baroque and early Classical periods. His compositions emphasize lyrical melody, balanced phrasing, and transparent textures, qualities that made them appealing to both connoisseurs and amateur performers.
This 3CD set offers reissues of successful Brilliant Classics recordings with works by Abel: works for flute and orchestra, a symphony, concertos for harpsichord, viola da gamba and orchestra, trio sonatas and sonatas for viola da gamba and B.C.
Performers include Nordic Affect (Georgia Brown), La Spagna Baroque Orchestra (Alejandro Marías) and viola da gamba player Marco Casonato and Massimo Marchese (Theorbo).
“Affectionate explorations of seldom performed pieces by mid-18th century composer” (BBC Music Magazine about Nordic Affect).

Complete tracklist can be found in the comment section:
00:00:00 Concerto for Flute and Strings No. 5 in G Major
00:16:21 Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Op. 6
00:25:38 Trio Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 3
00:36:03 Sonata No. 3 in E Minor, Op. 6
00:45:28 Concerto for Flute and Strings No. 2 in E Minor
01:01:50 Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 7
01:12:33 Sonata No. 1 in C Major, WK 141
01:22:34 Sonata No. 2 in A Major, WK 142
01:30:05 Vivace in D Major, WK 190
01:32:41 Piece in D Major, WK 193: Minuet
01:33:48 Sonata No. 3 in D Major, WK 143
01:42:10 Sonata No. 4 in G Major, WK 144
01:50:53 Piece in D Minor, WK 206: [Minuet]
01:53:44 Sonata No. 5 in A Major, WK 145
02:01:22 Sonata No. 6 in E Minor, WK 146
02:10:20 Untitled Piece (Pembroke Manuscript): [in diesen heilig’n Hallen]
02:12:32 Symphony in C Major, Op. 10 No. 4, AbelWV E22
02:21:32 Aria “Frena le belle lagrime” from Sifari, AbelWV A8:1
02:33:01 Concerto flauto traverso concertato in E Minor, AbelWV F14
02:47:20 Concerto violo de gambo in A Major, AbelWV A9:1A
03:00:46 Concerto a cembalo obligato in D Major, AbelWV F7
03:19:04 Concerto a viola da gamba concertata in G Major, AbelWV A9:2


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