The 12 violin concertos which make up La cetra were published in Amsterdam in 1727 as Vivaldi's Op. 9. They were not his last published ones, although La cetra (''The lyre'') was the composer's last great set, each and every one of its contents representative of his mature instrumental style. The soloist in this reissued recording is Iona Brown, who is joined by Malcolm Latchem in the one and only concerto for two violins (No. 9). Brown shapes her phrases elegantly and is lucid in her articulation; and she favours moderate tempos which, though sometimes erring on the slow side, are usually effective. This is lyrical, warm-toned solo playing for the most part and it is sympathetically supported by the strings of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The slow movement of the Third Concerto in G minor affords a good example of this style of playing at its most appealing.
When the recording was first issued in 1978 there was little competition in the catalogue. Now the position is different, and most recently there has been a strong bid for the non-period instrument laurels from I Solisti Italiani (Denon). In fact, Brown's playing is comfortably the equal of that provided by her Italian counterparts, who ring the changes among five soloists. But my inclination towards the Decca set is checked by the fact that, unlike I Solisti Italiani on the one hand, and the Academy of Ancient Music with period instruments (L'Oiseau-Lyre, 4/89) on the other, it follows the printed Ricordi edition errors and all. This may seem to be quibbling over details, but in the Sixth Concerto, one of two in the set requiring scordatura tuning of the solo violin, the concluding ritornello statement of the first movement is omitted.
When I first got to know this music in the late 1950s through an old Vox set with Reinhold Barchet (3/57—nla) I thought Vivaldi's layout of this movement most innovative, it never occurring to me that the novelty was entirely the product of error. That apart, there is much fine playing in this reissue to commend it to prospective investors. But my first choice of a modern-instrument performance, albeit at full price, must be I Solisti Italiani who are more faithful to the text. Where solo playing is concerned, however, I prefer Brown, whose intonation is more dependable than that of her Italian rivals and whose tone is rounder and warmer. Both versions do justice to the rich vein of fantasy coursing through Vivaldi's solo writing. The recorded sound has a pleasing ambience.'