John Holloway, the renowned British violinist, has released several acclaimed recordings of works such as sonatas by Biber, Schmelzer, and Veracini, as well as all of Bach's solo pieces. For his latest project, he has reunited with Jaap ter Linden and Lars Ulrik Mortensen to release an album of rarely heard Baroque chamber music. Jean-Marie Leclair (1697–1764), the French composer, was not only a violinist but also a dancer, lacemaker, and composer, and he significantly influenced the French violin school. Leclair skillfully combined Italian and French styles, creating melodies of great beauty and dance-like freshness. For this recording, Holloway selected sonatas from Leclair's so-called classical period, in which the composer achieved a perfect balance between expression, proportion, and virtuosity. Leclair died in Paris under circumstances that remain unclear to this day.
