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Violinist Rachel Barton Pine always has something new up her sleeve. Her most recent project is one that's been germinating for the past 10 years.  

In 1996, she collaborated on a recording of Handel's violin sonatas with cellist John Mark Rozendaal and harpsichordist David Schrader. They had so much fun they formed Trio Settecento in the following year.  Settecento is a standard Italian term for the 18th century.  

On their new recording, "Italian Sojourn," Trio Settecento gives us a personal tour of violin works written by 17th and 18th century Italian composers.

When Rachel Barton Pine puts together a recording her goal is to prepare a broader, more meaningful experience for the listener. On "Italian Sojourn," the purpose is to show how the voice of the solo violin evolved in the hands of different Italian or Italian-influenced composers during the Baroque era.  

The recording opens with a spritely sonata by Dario Castello, a Venetian composer at the turn of the 17th century. Vocal music was becoming much more dramatic and ornamental during this period. Castello was one of the first composers to apply these new vocal techniques to instrumental music, which made his works more challenging than other composers of the day.

Rachel Barton Pine's violin sings through quick melodic phrases. Her colleagues respond with an instrumental echo that's illuminating. 

Pietro Locatelli's Sonata da Camera Op. 6 No.2, displays several unique features. In the first movement the elegant melody is adorned with petite, quick runs. It adds a special character to the piece as the bow literally skims across the strings.  

Eighteenth century violin virtuosi wanted to thrill their audiences with triple-stopping, high notes and special bowing techniques. Locatelli's sonata makes full use of these techniques, which, for Trio Settecento, seem second nature. 

Rachel Barton Pine plays an original, unaltered 1770 Gagliano violin. This period instrument helps her capture the sound the composer intended. It's assertive and bold, yet clear and resonant in the upper register.

Barton Pine's violin gets a chance to luxuriate a little in the opening movement of Giuseppe Tartini's Sonata Pastorale in A major. The sweeping conversation between violin, cello and harpsichord in the first movement creates rich, warm textures. The finale is interwoven with wild dancing, and the droning bagpipe music of shepherds.

Some of the pieces on "Italian Sojourn" were chosen for their profound beauty, others for their startling originality, or eccentricity.

The repertoire is an exciting journey, but inevitably, it's the members of Trio Settecento that make the most memorable impression. Lucky for us, the excursions with this trio have only begun. They're planning more musical travels to Germany, France and the British Isles in the future.

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Arts and Culture

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Julie Amacher

Author

Italian composers created a new voice for the violin in the 18th century -- technically dazzling, melodically rich. The Chicago-based Trio Settecento explores their innovations on a new compact disc.

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