The French countertenor Gerard Lesne follows his earlier disc of sacred music for solo voice by Vivaldi (Harmonic, 3/91) with one containing much less familiar pieces by the composer. The principal works here are two settings of the Marian antiphon Salve regina (RV616 and 618), both of which are included in Vittorio Negri's extensive survey of Vivaldi's sacred vocal music on the Philips label. But Lesne also gives us two further pieces omitted from Negri's series—an extended Introduzione to a Miserere (RV641), one of two by Vivaldi, and an Introduzione to a Gloria (RV637); and by way of making up a programme, he divides the four vocal pieces into two groups inserting a Violin Concerto (per la Santissima Assenzione di Maria Vergine) between them.
The main bias of this music is contemplative, often deeply so, as is the case with the darkly expressive, sorrowful introduction to the Miserere non in pratis. I recall only one other recording of this piece—Telefunken, 6/74—now long deleted, sung by the Dutch contralto Aafje Heynis under the direction of the late Angelo Ephrikian. Lesne approaches the music with a much more informed sense of style, yet the older version perhaps more faithfully captured sentimental aspects of the composition which undoubtedly are present.
Lesne's rival in the two settings of the Salve regina is the German countertenor Jochen Kow-alski (on the above mentioned disc). While enjoying the latter performances, I did remark that Kowalski seemed not entirely at ease in this repertory and was uncharacteristically insecure at times. No such problem affects Lesne who has the advantage over Kowalski in a more softly spoken instrumental ensemble of period instruments at a lower pitch. Lesne also scores over Kowalski in the careful way in which his programme is planned, avoiding the somewhat haphazard order of events on the Philips discs. Most of all, though, Lesne is far more self-assured in this area of repertory and clearly has an intimate knowledge of the music. Indeed, a stronger advocate for these affecting compositions is hard to imagine since he is technically almost faultless.
Then there is the Concerto in C major (in due cori), a splendid example of Vivaldi's skill in this medium, admirably played by the violinist Fabio Biondi with Lesne's own group Il Seminario Musicale. Vivaldi enthusiasts will require no further proof of this disc's merit, but readers in general should also find much to enjoy here, both in the singing and playing. The recorded sound is pleasantly resonant, serving the best interests of Lesne's voice and of the instruments too. A fine release.'