In a contemporary obituary it was said that Francesco Barsanti (1690-1775) deserved "the highest esteem of all true lovers of this science" - the practice of music to which Barsanti had devoted himself so enthusiastically in English cultural life over the past five decades.

The sonatas presented here were first published in 1728. A title page suggested their suitability for flute; a later edition, however, allowed them to be played by oboe instead. The seven musicians of the ConSerto Musico ensemble have taken advantage of this flexibility and presented the sonatas in such a way that the top part is played alternately by a violin, a flute and an oboe. Between the sonatas are Scottish folk songs arranged by Barsanti such as "O Dear Mother, What Shall I Do" and "Corn Riggs Are Bonny".

The album thus offers an attractive and varied musical sequence and is also an impressive illustration of Barsanti's versatile talents. He was born in Lucca in Apulia, but came to the English capital sometime in the early 1720s and quickly made a name for himself as an occasional musician, copyist and composer, without ever achieving the fame of a Handel or even Geminiani. He is therefore relatively unknown in our time.

However, the sonatas demonstrate more than just a flowing contrapuntal technique. The melodic lines are always gracefully turned, whether slow or fast, and although they are carefully designed not to require virtuoso playing, Barsanti's art conceals a considerable sophistication of form and construction that makes the sonatas as enjoyable to play as they are to listen to. His fame among his professional colleagues may have been lower, but this seems to have been due to his own reticence rather than a lack of respect.

The sonatas, as well as the rest of his extensive surviving output, aim to combine learned technique (in form and polyphony) with modern trends in taste in order to sell his music and make it accessible to a new audience. Apart from Handel and Geminiani, no composer in 18th century England achieved this goal more than Barsanti himself.

- Francesco Barsanti (1690-1775) was an Italian composer and flautist. Born in Lucca, he moved to London around 1714, where he worked as a performer and composer. Barsanti was closely associated with the musical circles of the Scottish and English aristocracy, particularly through his arrangements of Scottish folk tunes. His works reflect a synthesis of Italian and British musical traditions and combine expressive melodies with complex counterpoint. - Among his most important compositions are the Sonatas Opus 2, a collection of twelve sonatas for a melody instrument and basso continuo, published in 1738. These works are characterized by elegant phrasing, contrasting movements and refined ornamentation. The Sonatas Opus 2, presumably for flute or violin, follow the typical Baroque structure, often with alternating slow and fast movements, emphasizing both expressive depth and virtuoso brilliance and combining Italian lyricism with the more structured and restrained English style of the time.

- Played by a selection of Italy's finest early music specialists: Francesco Padovani (flute), Andrea Mion (baroque oboe), Federico Guglielmo (violin), Francesco Galligioni (baroque cello) and Roberto Loreggian (harpsichord), who together form the ConSerto Musico ensemble.