Affetti & Plaisirs | 30 Anni Barocchisti

Maurice Steger, often called “the Paganini of the recorder,” highlights the subtle expressive possibilities of the recorder in his latest program. The eighteenth-century doctrine of the affections guided composers to convey emotions such as love, hate, joy, and sorrow through music—a role the recorder fulfilled with nobility and elegance at court. Steger showcases key works: Telemann’s Suite in A minor, which blends solo recorder passages with French-style grace; Sammartini’s lively Concerto per flautino for the smallest recorder; Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, where the harpsichord emerges as more than just an accompanist; and Vivaldi’s demanding Concerto in G major, known for its need for careful breathing and liveliness. Through these selections, Steger demonstrates the recorder’s central role in expressing musical emotion.