Vivaldi’s concertos for string orchestra without soloist, long an under-considered area of his output, have been growing steadily in popularity over the past 10 years or so. Collegium Musicum 90 recently recorded all 37 of them in three volumes for Chandos, and now here come 12 from Rinaldo Alessandrini’s crack ensemble Concerto Italiano.

With no concerto lasting much more than six minutes and no single movement more than three, this music has a slight look to it, a suspicion initially supported by the prob-ability that some of these pieces were opera sinfonias, and some perhaps even material intended for the purposes of orchestra-training. But actually there is more variety and interest here than that suggests – indeed, more than might be found in an average disc of violin concertos. Without a soloist to dominate proceedings, Vivaldi is thrown back on his musical resources in a way that is warmingly direct and revealing, like discovering in a much-loved friend new and slightly deeper qualities than hitherto suspected.

The music is unmistakably Vivaldi, of course, but ranges from brilliant violin figuration to creamy slow-drawn chords, and from vocal transcriptions to short fugues (and what enjoyable fugues, too!). The cumulative effect of it all is like visiting a workshop and finding there examples of all the things an artist might do when freed from the demands of a particular public.

Concerto Italiano’s performances cannot be faulted. Alessandrini has a knack for vital and exciting music-making that is utterly straightforward and free from overworked mannerism. It is a difficult balance to achieve, but here it is allied to playing that is gloriously alert and full-bodied. This disc is just waiting to be enjoyed, so go on – it might bring you closer to Vivaldi as well!