This is the second volume in Vittorio Negri's series of sacred music by Vivaldi for solo voices with instruments (Vol. 1, 10/91). The two extended works here are a setting of Laudate pueri for soprano and the better known Stabat mater for alto. The remaining pieces are the short hymns Deus tuorum militum for alto and tenor voices and Sanctorum meritis for soprano.
Vivaldi made several settings of Laudate pueri (Psalm 113), two of them for soprano solo. One of these (in G major, RV601) has been recorded on several occasions and justifiably so, for it is one of the composer's vocal masterpieces. The other, centred round the key of C minor and sung here by Margaret Marshall, will be far less familiar to listeners though I seem to recall one previous recording issued during the 1950s under the baton of the late Angelo Ephrikian (Period Thrift—nla). As the choice of key suggests, the present setting is more darkly coloured than the other though hardly less virtuosic. There is plenty of variety in Vivaldi's invention and some notably affecting moments too, as for example in the beautiful ''Sit nomen Domini'' accompanied by upper strings. Marshall is on characteristically strong form negotiating Vivaldi's often demanding passagework with fluency and clarity of detail. Indeed, her singing has been for me one of the chief delights in Negri's substantial survey of Vivaldi's sacred music for Philips.
The Stabat mater has been frequently recorded and several rival versions are currently listed in The Classical Catalogue. Negri has chosen the gifted German countertenor Jochen Kowalski as his soloist, but though well focused and expressive, I feel that his French rival Gerard Lesne (Harmonic) just has the edge on him in subtlety of expression. His much smaller period-instrument group, furthermore, realizes the sombre resonances in Vivaldi's writing more effectively than Negri's larger, weightier ensemble of modern strings. Even so, Kowalski's vocal quality is alluring and both he and his fellow musicians capture the spirit of the piece with sensibility. However, the tender ''Fac ut ardeat'' is marred by scrappy string playing and an uncharacteristic lapse of intonation by Kowalski.
The two remaining pieces are attractive and will be welcomed by Vivaldi enthusiasts who are unlikely to have heard either of them before. In short, a warm welcome to the disc, above all for Marshall's Laudate pueri.'