The romantic connotations of Tartini's Violin Sonata in G minor, the Devil's Trill, deriving from the composer's account of an appearance by the devil in a dream, have contributed towards making it one of the great morceauxfavoris of the 19th and 20th centuries. Furthermore, it's just about the only remaining piece of Baroque music where a piano accompaniment can still be countenanced without raised eyebrows.
Some traditions die hard. But Tartini never intended anything of the kind; in fact, he probably never envisaged a keyboard continuo part at all, since none of his surviving autographs contains a figured bass for keyboard realisation.
Most include unfigured bass parts, though these were often provided as an afterthought, for reasons of convention. Andrew Manze sees this as a justification for playing all the pieces in his programme without bass accompaniment. On the whole the experiment works well, since the expressive content and structural power of the music lies foremost in Tartini's melodic line.
There are moments, however, where harmonic support from the bass is required, and at such times, above all in the Devil's Trill Sonata, Manze has had to introduce chords in the violin part to compensate for the absence of a cello.
His athletic technique, his musical sensibility and perhaps, too, his engaging sense of fun, ensure fascination and entertainment in equal measure. None will regret the passing of the piano in this context. A stimulating release, beautifully recorded, and rich in fantasy.