Anner Bylsma, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Jeanne Lamon - Leonardo Leo: 6 Concerti di violoncello (1997)

Leonardo Leo (1694 - 1744) was among the leading Neapolitan composers of his day. He attended the Conservatorio Santa Maria della Pieta dei Turchini in Naples and remained in the city until his death. Leo was also a prominent teacher and held positions at the Conservatorio S Maria della Pietà del Turchini and the Conservatorio S Onofrio. Leo composed mainly operas, oratorios and cantatas with very little instrumental music. Chief among his instrumental works are the six cello concertos on this disc, composed in 1737 - 38. They were presumable commissioned by the Duke of Maddaloni, who was an amateur cello player.

The concertos owe little to the cello concertos of Antonio Vivaldi are and look forward to the Classical style. They are wonderfully melodious works that show the composer experimenting with the concerto form, breaking out of the three movement form. Concerto No. 2 is in five movements and includes a fugue; his sixth concerto is a Sinfonia concertata. Very often, Leo's cello concertos reminded me of the cello concertos of Haydn in their harmonics. The cello is treated in a concerante role with the soloist participating with the orchestra, creating musical textures with the orchestra rather than a virtuoso display of the instrument.

Anner Bylsma plays the concerti beautifully and is ably supported by the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Jeanne Lamon. The recording is crystal clear, and certainly should not be missed by anyone interested in early Classical concerti.