Baroque Legacy [MSR Classics]

McCoy , the Assistant Principal double bassist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and frequent concerto soloist, is renowned for his rich arco tone, making his choice of a Baroque program a sage one. Pairing with organist Matthew Larkin on three Bach sonatas, McCoy showcases all registers of his steel-stringed 1749 Italian bass, with highpoints that include his haunting melody reading of the andante movement of “Sonata in G Major,” trills that thrill during the second allegro of “Sonata in D Major,” and awesome articulation and ornamentation on the closing allegro of “Sonata in G Minor.” Teamed with fellow bass virtuoso Kurt Muroki and harpsichordist Kevin Murphy, McCoy guides their spirited interplay throughout Handel’s “Sonata in C Major” and seamlessly blends his tone with Muroki’s while handling the challenging bowing of the corrente and vivace movements of Eccles’ “Sonata in G Minor.” Finally, joined by Muroki, a cello, viola, and two violins, McCoy comfortably leads the call-and-answer flow of Couperin’s five-part “Pieces En Concert.” In brief, an indelible contribution to the classical double bass catalogue.