Boismortier: Six Sonatas, op. 51: Jeay, Grégoire; Brault, Olivier

Certainly, if the admirable part of Boismortier's work can be compared to an ingot, his opus 51 alone constitutes a generous nugget. These six sonatas for two, written specifically for transverse flute and violin playing most often by chords, are quite singular in the general repertoire and quite successful among the abundant production of Boismortier. But what commands admiration above all in these sonatas is the quality of the two-part writing, where the violin ensures, thanks to its double and triple strings, the obligatory basso continuo function. In short, the violin plays the harpsichord, while sharing the melodic pleasure with the flute. Their timbres mingle and complement each other like threads of silver and tin intertwining and merging to form a new and marvelous alloy with this gold from Boismortier.