A Baroque viola borrowing given with real panache
The Strad Issue: August 2025
Description: A Baroque viola borrowing given with real panache
Musicians: Misha Galaganov (viola)
Works: Telemann: Fantasias for bass viol
Catalogue number: NAVONA RECORDS NV6692
The discovery ten years ago of Georg Philipp Telemann’s long-lost set of 12 Fantasias for unaccompanied viola da gamba was greeted enthusiastically, and not just by gamba players: several transcriptions for viola have already appeared in print, and more are on their way, including one by Misha Galaganov (see his article in The Strad, November 2023), who has now recorded the complete set.
In his arrangement, numerous passages have been transposed upwards to preserve the original’s wide range while accommodating the viola’s register. Although this results in higher positions than the average violist of Telemann’s time might have encountered, the composer – who, by the way, wrote the very first viola concerto – I’m sure would certainly not have minded at all!
Galaganov uses a warm-sounding instrument in modern set-up and strung with gut, which nicely underlines the individual strings’ colours, to particularly beautiful effect in the many fugato passages. He is alert to the underlying dance rhythms, which he characterises with great agogic freedom. His decision to omit practically all repeats results in some movements (such as the concluding Vivace of Fantasia no.3) not being allowed enough time to make their mark. This policy also means that there are very few embellishments, which is a pity, since those that are included – as well as Galaganov’s cadenzas and lead-ins – are lovely, and I would have welcomed more of them.
CARLOS MARÍA SOLARE
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