VI Sonatas For Two Violins With A Bass For The Harpsichord Or Violoncello

Released in 1984 under the Monumenta Musica Bibliothecae Regiae Belgicae label, this recording brings to light the chamber compositions of Pieter van Maldere, a significant figure in the 18th-century Mannheim School style of music. The project was conceived as part of an institutional initiative to document and preserve the rich musical archives held by the Royal Library of Belgium, aiming to provide high-fidelity interpretations of works that had largely faded from the common concert repertoire.

The ensemble, featuring violinists André Siwy and Yaga Siwy alongside cellist Simone Vierset, sought to honor the stylistic elegance of the classical period. The production was critically noted for its scholarly commitment to historical accuracy, focusing on the refined, melodic interplay characteristic of van Maldere’s sonatas. By pairing the two violins with a continuo bass, the recording captures the intimate, conversational nature of mid-18th-century chamber music as it was intended to be performed in both private and public salon settings.