Call 800-543-5429 VIV 1807

Working at the court of Frederick the Great, Anna Bon (1739-?) wrote these six sonatas when she was a teenager. The sonatas reflect the transition from late Baroque to the early Classical style. These three-movement sonatas feature charming melodies, elegant ornamentation, and unexpected melodic twists. Of medium difficulty, these pieces are a wonderful addition to early Mozart and Haydn sonatasElisabetta de Gambarini (1731-1765) was an English composer, soprano, and orchestra conductor who published three volumes of harpsichord works. These six sonatas are imaginative compositions—mostly with three movements. They often feature a final movement based on one of the exuberant dance rhythms typical of the Baroque period. The middle movements are often chromatic, and filled with pathos and ornamented melodies. The subscription list from the original 1747 publication, attests to the popularity of Gambarini’s music—it names over 200 subscribers, including G. F. Handel. For a compact disc recording see Sonatas by Elizabeth, Hester Park CD 7702.
VIV 1807, 36 pages, $16.95

“The Allegro Moderato (Sonata No. 3 in F) that opens this piece is one of Gambarini's best moments . . . full of character and intelligence.”

Dr. Barbara Harbach, Professor of Music at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, has toured extensively as both concert organist and harpsichordist. She holds academic degrees from Pennsylvania State University (B.A.), Yale University (M.M.A.), Musikhochschule (Konzertdiplom) in Frankfurt, Germany, and the Eastman School of Music (D.M.A.). In 2002, Harbach received an honorary doctorate in music, honoris causa, from Wilmington College, Ohio for her lifetime achievement as a composer, performer, editor, and publisher.

Her lively performances and recordings have captured the imagination of many American composers, and the body of work written for and dedicated to Harbach is substantial. Musical America has called her "nothing short of brilliant" and Gramophone has cited her as an "acknowledged interpreter -- and, indeed, muse -- of modern harpsichord music."

She was host of the weekly television music series Palouse Performance seen throughout the Inland Northwest.

As a composer, Harbach has written symphonies, works for chamber ensemble, string orchestra, organ, harpsichord; musicals, choral anthems, film scores, modern ballets, and many arrangements for brass and organ of various Baroque works. She is also involved in the research, editing and publication of manuscripts of eighteenth-century keyboard composers as well as historical and contemporary women composers. Her work is available in both recorded and published form through Naxos Records, Gasparo Records, Kingdom Records, Albany Records, Northeastern Records, Hester Park, Robert King Music, Elkan-Vogel, Augsburg Publishing, Agape Music and Vivace Press. In addition, Harbach is the editor of Women of Note Quarterly.

Harbach initiated Women in the Arts-St. Louis, a celebration featuring over 800 events with various cultural organizations in the St. Louis region. This initiative heightened the awareness and understanding of the achievements of women creators while providing audiences with new and historical examples of the work of women writers, composers and artists.