Del Cinque: Sonatas for Three Cellos

Little is known about Ermenegildo Del Cinque, except that he was an 18th-century Italian clergyman who played the cello. Del Cinque wrote copiously for the instrument, and this selection of his sonatas for three cellos reveals a considerable talent. Each piece is in four short movements, ranging from the breezy Vivace con brio of Sonata No. 11 to No. 9’s melancholy Grave introduction. Weaving the rich textures of three cellos together is tricky, but Del Cinque conjures a deft, amiable interchange between them. Baroque specialist Ludovico Minasi leads the solo trio, with sprightly support from Andrea Buccarella’s harpsichord and Simone Vallerotonda’s archlute and guitar.