Europa Galante’s first volume of Vivaldi concertos ‘for many instruments’ (5/03) was a typically joyous romp, full of nervous energy and the kind of inspired quirks that make Fabio Biondi’s music-making so distinctive. Now here is a second release offering seven concertos for a combined total of 13 different soloists from his band, ranging from a noisy concerto for 10 instruments including the rather un-Vivaldian sound of kettle drums, through various other ingenious combinations of winds and strings, to a boisterous concerto for four violins that maybe had a little too much ‘estro’ to get into the L’estro armonico set. Taken as a whole they are not really on the same level of quality as those of the first volume but they have their Vivaldian moments: RV566 is great fun, RV569 puts two horns splendidly on display, while RV540 for lute and viola d’amore is one of its composer’s loveliest creations.

For once, Biondi plays things fairly straight – perhaps he finds these works less inspiring than some others – but that is not to say that there is any lack of energy or fire. The first movement of RV566 scoots along with delicious bustle and elsewhere tempi are often on the brisk side. What is surprising is that Biondi seems reluctant to revel in the sheer range of orchestral colours on offer: as soloist in RV540 he adopts in the outer movements a rather clipped and pushy style instead of allowing the viola d’amore to warm us with its gentle caresses, and there are other places where his articulative clarity and sure ear for rhetorical detail have seemingly gained too much of an upper hand over sheer tonal beauty, which in the end is the main thing these works have got going for them.

His own violin-playing is typically fervent and loving, however, even if a rather close recording strips it of some of its loveliness, and none of his fellow soloists makes anything less than a bold and strong contribution. Not a must-have Vivaldi selection this time but rewarding enough on it own terms.