Vivaldi Edition - complete
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Antonio Vivaldi
Label: Vivaldi Edition
Magazine Review Date: 7/1991
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
ADD
Catalogue Number: 426 925-2PM19
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (12) Trio Sonatas for 2 Violins and Continuo |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Bruno Canino, Harpsichord Franco Gulli, Violin Rohan de Saram, Cello Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Sonatas for Violin and Continuo |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Bruno Canino, Harpsichord Rohan de Saram, Cello Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti grossi, '(L')estro armonico' |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Roberto Michelucci, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(La) strava |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Felix Ayo, Violin |
| Sonata for Violin and Continuo |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Bruno Canino, Harpsichord Rohan de Saram, Cello Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| Trio Sonata for 2 Violins and Continuo |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Bruno Canino, Harpsichord Rohan de Saram, Cello Salvatore Accardo, Violin Sylvie Gazeau, Viola |
| (6) Concerti for Violin and Strings |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Pina Carmirelli, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 2 in C, RV188 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 3 in Gminor, RV326 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 4 in A minor, RV354 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 5 in F, RV285a |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 6 in B flat, RV374 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 8 in G, RV299 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 9 in B flat, RV373 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 10 in F, 'Il ritiro', RV294a |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 11 in D, RV208a |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 12 in D, RV214 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Salvatore Accardo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 1 in B flat, RV465 (oboe) |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Heinz Holliger, Oboe |
| (12) Concerti for Violin/Oboe and Strings, Movement: No. 7 in B flat, RV464 (oboe) |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Heinz Holliger, Oboe |
| (12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(Il) cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione' |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Felix Ayo, Violin |
| (12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(La) cetra' |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Felix Ayo, Violin |
| (6) Concerti for Flute and Strings |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
(I) Musici Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Severino Gazzelloni, Flute |
Author: John Duarte
In 1978 Philips marked Vivaldi's birth tercentenary with their family-size Edizione Vivaldi, ten box-sets of LPs; the first five contained Opp. 1-13, though not in sequence. Vivaldi died in 1741, so a little simple arithmetic will reveal the raison-d'etre of this reissue of Opp. 1-12 as separate CDs or two-disc boxes, as their duration demands. The whole set comes in a stout flip-top (or -side) box, which will appeal to those who value orderliness, but each opus is available separately—which may be more attractive to those with more demanding criteria. The original issue was a compilation of recordings of which some (Opp. 1, 2, 5, 6) were then new, whilst others were not—that of The Four Seasons was made in 1959.
In terms of repertory the main interest focuses on the works of which there is no other available recording: the two- and one-violin Sonatas, Opp. 1 and 2 are clearly in the wake of Corelli in da camera mode, with a preludial movement (often of considerable length) and a variety of dances, in some cases admixed with abstract movements (Op. 1 No. 3 is the sole exception—two dances and nothing else). The Trio Sonata, Op. 1 No. 12 is another exception, a set of variations on La follia, 'after' but also 'longer than' Corelli's Op. 5 No. 12. These sonatas were products of the atelier in which Vivaldi learned to develop his materials and to give his movements greater stamina than Corelli's. Accardo and his colleagues give them refined and stylish performances, and the balance allows Canino's imaginative contribution to be heard clearly. The sonatas of Op. 5 were published as Nos. 13-18, presumably a follow-up to Op. 2; the last two are trio sonatas. They follow the same da camera pattern as those of Opp. 1 and 2 but are more restrained, the bass has less contrapuntal function, and they are more compact; here they enjoy the same admirable standard of performance.
The six concertos of Op. 6 have their moments but they are collectively less riveting than many others, a view that is mirrored in I Musici's plodding account of them; this single disc, their only recording, is recommendable only to 'archival' collectors. Three of the other sets of concertos lack other integral recordings: of Op. 7, which contains much sturdy and expressive music, only No. 7 (an oboe concerto, here finely played by the Heinz Holliger) and the alternative form of No. 11 (Grosso Mogul) are otherwise to be had. Both the music and the playing of it by I Musici are well worth a place on anyone's shelf. The beguilingly persuasive soloist is Accardo, as also in Opp. 11 and 12, both of which have been greatly underrated—perhaps because they lack name-tags, for there seems no more reasonable explanation; neither opus has any other complete recording, and when you hear them you too may wonder why.
I Musici have long been famous for their energy and enthusiasm, if not always for the stylishness of their articulation and ornamentation—and for allowing a recording balance that does not turn the harpsichordist into a third-class citizen; the briskness of many of their outer movements anticipated present-day 'authentic' practice, but their slow-motion dreaming in many central ones did not—that of Op. 8 No. 12 is an extreme case of somnambulism. The world of alternative versions is your oyster with Opp. 3, 8 and 10, and though they would not be my own first choices those by I Musici are serviceable enough for most tastes, and as a middle-of-the-road version of Op. 8 (Il cimento) theirs is to be preferred to that of Toso and I Soloisti Veneti (Erato/Warner Classics). The two other recordings of Op. 9 (La cetra) are 'authentic' performances, of which I prefer that by Monica Huggett and the Raglan Baroque Players (EMI, 11/87); in this, as with the rest, your own choice may be governed by your reaction to 'authentic' performances, and by your readiness to accept conservative ones of almost two decades ago, albeit cleanly recorded and with very informative annotation in four languages.'
In terms of repertory the main interest focuses on the works of which there is no other available recording: the two- and one-violin Sonatas, Opp. 1 and 2 are clearly in the wake of Corelli in da camera mode, with a preludial movement (often of considerable length) and a variety of dances, in some cases admixed with abstract movements (Op. 1 No. 3 is the sole exception—two dances and nothing else). The Trio Sonata, Op. 1 No. 12 is another exception, a set of variations on La follia, 'after' but also 'longer than' Corelli's Op. 5 No. 12. These sonatas were products of the atelier in which Vivaldi learned to develop his materials and to give his movements greater stamina than Corelli's. Accardo and his colleagues give them refined and stylish performances, and the balance allows Canino's imaginative contribution to be heard clearly. The sonatas of Op. 5 were published as Nos. 13-18, presumably a follow-up to Op. 2; the last two are trio sonatas. They follow the same da camera pattern as those of Opp. 1 and 2 but are more restrained, the bass has less contrapuntal function, and they are more compact; here they enjoy the same admirable standard of performance.
The six concertos of Op. 6 have their moments but they are collectively less riveting than many others, a view that is mirrored in I Musici's plodding account of them; this single disc, their only recording, is recommendable only to 'archival' collectors. Three of the other sets of concertos lack other integral recordings: of Op. 7, which contains much sturdy and expressive music, only No. 7 (an oboe concerto, here finely played by the Heinz Holliger) and the alternative form of No. 11 (Grosso Mogul) are otherwise to be had. Both the music and the playing of it by I Musici are well worth a place on anyone's shelf. The beguilingly persuasive soloist is Accardo, as also in Opp. 11 and 12, both of which have been greatly underrated—perhaps because they lack name-tags, for there seems no more reasonable explanation; neither opus has any other complete recording, and when you hear them you too may wonder why.
I Musici have long been famous for their energy and enthusiasm, if not always for the stylishness of their articulation and ornamentation—and for allowing a recording balance that does not turn the harpsichordist into a third-class citizen; the briskness of many of their outer movements anticipated present-day 'authentic' practice, but their slow-motion dreaming in many central ones did not—that of Op. 8 No. 12 is an extreme case of somnambulism. The world of alternative versions is your oyster with Opp. 3, 8 and 10, and though they would not be my own first choices those by I Musici are serviceable enough for most tastes, and as a middle-of-the-road version of Op. 8 (Il cimento) theirs is to be preferred to that of Toso and I Soloisti Veneti (Erato/Warner Classics). The two other recordings of Op. 9 (La cetra) are 'authentic' performances, of which I prefer that by Monica Huggett and the Raglan Baroque Players (EMI, 11/87); in this, as with the rest, your own choice may be governed by your reaction to 'authentic' performances, and by your readiness to accept conservative ones of almost two decades ago, albeit cleanly recorded and with very informative annotation in four languages.'
Vivaldi Edition - complete
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.