Viva Vivaldi!

[Antoine Marchand]

Apparently, Naïve censored  the original promotional video, but I prefer the original one by far:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Vwmq6k8LFYo

[DavidW]

Oh I didn't find that thread with my search, which is silly that I forgot about, it got me that killer brilliant classics set with the 4 seasons.  Well Que, if you want to merge, merge on.

[DavidW]

I listened to the youtubes posted here and a bunch more, and yup that Azzolini is amazing, and the performances are precisely what I wanted.  I've ordered

[kishnevi]

The "vari strumenti" are, along with strings and b.c. :
RV 559: 2 oboes, 2 clarinets
RV 497: bassoon
RV 566: 2 violins, 2 recorders, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons
RV 534: 2 oboes
RV 548: oboe, violin
RV 454: oboe
RV 560: 2 oboes, 2 clarinets


So one is a solo bassoon concerto, and one features 2 bassoons in the concertante group.

And for the lute/mandolin, besides the Biondi, I have this one:


Besides Lislevand, the musicians seem to have been all assembled on an ad hoc basis for the recording, so there's no 'orchestra' to be credited.

To be perfectly honest,  I heard the lute/mandolin concertos so often that they tend to bore me now; I bought the Biondi discs primarily for the other works on the discs (including the famous one,  RV 555, for Everything Except the Kitchen Sink).

[DavidW]

The RV 555 must be downright Mahlerian!

[Grazioso]

I'll heartily second both of the Opus111/Naive discs of bassoon concerti mentioned so far.

[DavidW]

Well y'all were right--



is fantastic!  Will probably order the Biondi disc in the near future.

[karlhenning]

The Vivaldi CD covers are already looking to me like parodies of themselves.

[DavidW]

The Vivaldi CD covers are already looking to me like parodies of themselves.

jeje You should hear it Karl, Azzolini just inhales mightily in the first few seconds and then they just charge in like no one's business!

[The new erato]

Well y'all were right--



is fantastic!  Will probably order the Biondi disc in the near future.

Is there a concerto named la Betulla or something like that on thet disc, since she seems to be covered in birch?

[DavidW]

Is there a concerto named la Betulla or something like that on thet disc, since she seems to be covered in birch?

I think that the only one with a name on that disc is The Night.  Puzzling...

[kishnevi]

I think that the only one with a name on that disc is The Night.  Puzzling...

I call that series the Benetton Edition of Vivaldi.   I think that there are two album covers out the whole series in which the person on the CD cover suggests some linkage to the CD content: Tito Manlio,  which shows the head of a man in Roman dress, and the Vespers cycle recorded by Alessandrini, which features a model whose equipage suggests a nun's outfit.   This cover is fairly standard for the whole series.

[Antoine Marchand]

Suggested by another thread, I decided to post two relatively informative reviews about two discs from the Vivaldi Edition (Naïve), with compositions for bassoon (and oboe in the first case); of course, just for people who like the bassoon as a soloist instrument:

Classics Today, 10/10
With this Volume 22, Opus 111 continues its ambitious project to record more than 450 Vivaldi manuscripts housed in the National University Library at Turin. Like many of the performances in previous installments, these--three bassoon concertos, two for oboe, and one double concerto for oboe and bassoon--also are characterized by widely contrasting tempos, sharply delineated dynamics, and especially here, a stylish in-your-face approach. From bassoonist Sergio Azzolini's quite audible intake of breath before beginning the Concerto in D minor and continuing throughout this captivating program, rarely have Vivaldi's wind concertos been rendered with such a consistent sense of urgency, vitality, and well, attitude. At no point do you feel that Azzolini, oboist Hans Peter Westermann, and the members of the Italian period-instrument ensemble Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca are less than fully engaged in and passionate about their mission to champion this less-familiar though certainly worthy repertoire.

The double concerto for oboe and bassoon in G major is especially ravishing, featuring a first-movement Andante molto where the soloists' aria-like phrasing sensuously complements the strings, and a spirited final Allegro molto that exploits the combined sonorities of the solo instruments. The opening Allegro from the A minor bassoon concerto (one of Vivaldi's most recognizable themes), with its measured beat and evolving rhythmic structure, also is rendered with uncommon agility and grace.

Many listeners will be familiar with what arguably is the program's most famous work, the Concerto for transverse flute subtitled "la Notte" (the night) RV 104. While there have been many exceptional period-instrument flute performances, listeners who enjoyed Giovanni Antonini and Il Giardino Armonico's groundbreaking, over-the-top extravaganza on Teldec (1991) are immediately directed to this equally animated alternate version. Azzolini's manual dexterity and breath control, especially in the "Fantasmi" and following Presto movements, are absolutely amazing in what must be three of the most virtuosic displays ever written for the instrument.

Opus 111's sound is crisp, clear, and naturally balanced, and Azzolini and Louis Vatoison's informative, entertaining notes feature many fascinating anecdotes. In sum, this is another outstanding entry in an already important and distinguished series that's guaranteed to delight all fans of the composer.
--John Greene, ClassicsToday.com

Earthshaking performance for a great Vivaldi, 24 May 2010
By Maurizio Cardelli (Mosciano Sant'Angelo, TE, Italy)
This review is from: Vivaldi: Concerti per Fagotto I (Concertos for Bassoon Vol. 1) (Audio CD)

The present CD is one of the most stunning recordings of the rich vivaldian discography. Albeit Klaus Thunemann with I Musici (Philips) offered (20 years ago) an excellent rendition of many concertos for bassoon by Vivaldi, and Tamàs Benkòcs has now nearly completed the registration for Naxos of the whole Vivaldi's output for the bassoon (the first 5 CDs of the series show his excellent bassoon playing), I was still left with the impression that the real richness and depth of these Vivaldi's concertos were still waiting for a true (re-)discovery. The present CD, the first one of the Naïve's Vivaldi Edition series to be entirely dedicated to the bassoon, fully centers this objective. The concertos played here are the numbers RV 493, RV 495, RV 477, RV 488, RV 503, RV 471, RV 484, and for the preparation of the present CD they have been the subject of a novel critical edition based on the original manuscripts. Sergio Azzolini plays as soloist and concertmaster with the Aurora Soave Ensemble [RECTIUS: L'Aura Soave, The Gentle Breeze or something so]: what you will ear is probably the most amazing bassoon playing available, accompanied by a young orchestra that reveals itself as one of the most sensitive and stylish existing baroque ensembles. Joy, melancholy, anger, grotesque and boldness are dispensed in different doses in these concertos, and are often mixed and juxtaposed (even in a same movement) to create a true kaleidoscope of emotions. Each one of these concertos is full of "dark and light" nuances, finely carved, and each one of them is depicted in its peculiar character, telling a different story: for example, RV 495 is astonishingly furious, RV 503 reminds pre-classical atmospheres, RV 471 shows joyful and never-ending imaginativeness, RV 484 (the best known concerto for bassoon) an inconsolable melancholy. All the central slow movements are rendered with incomparable beauty, with a nearly vocal eloquence that strongly reminds some of the most moving pages of the Vivaldi's operatic output, and with that sense of nostalgia that is often associated to the landscape of the venetian lagoon. Last note: the acoustic is perfect, quite warm, every sound is well separated, orchestra and soloist are perfectly balanced, basses are well represented. In conclusion, I can imagine that this earthshaking job by Sergio Azzolini and l'Aura Soave will probably change the overall perception of the Vivaldi's concertos for the bassoon, and I warmly hope that the same team will be in charge for the realization of the remaining four or five discs of "Concerti per fagotto" that will be produced by Naïve for the Vivaldi Edition. This CD is an exciting and unavoidable addition to the disc collection of any music lover.

[DavidW]

Thanks for posting Antoine.  I have the first cd and it is fantastic!!  I'll have to buy the newer one then.

[Antoine Marchand]

Thanks for posting Antoine.  I have the first cd and it is fantastic!!  I'll have to buy the newer one then.

You're welcome, David. Both discs have some superb performances by Azzolini. Also both discs present two excellent Italian baroque ensembles: the Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca and L'Aura Soave, although I would say L'Aura Soave is slightly more impetuous, probably because are quite younger than the Sonatori.

[Gurn Blanston]

You're welcome, David. Both discs have some superb performances by Azzolini. Also both discs present two excellent Italian baroque ensembles: the Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca and L'Aura Soave, although I would say L'Aura Soave is slightly more impetuous, probably because are quite younger than the Sonatori.

Yes, I have both of those disks and am delighted with them. Then again, I'm a double reed fan...   Not much more to be said about them that hasn't been already, I am looking forward to the next bassoon disk to hit the shelves though.

And this too; boy, Op 111/Naive have sure brought some great musicians into this project. Coin's cello disks (2 so far) and Steck's violin disk (#2 in that series) are outstanding.

[DavidW]

Well perhaps Coin will be next on my list actually... I always wanted some Vivaldi cello concertos and if you say they're good Gurn...

[Gurn Blanston]

Well perhaps Coin will be next on my list actually... I always wanted some Vivaldi cello concertos and if you say they're good Gurn...

Yes, I do say that. I have Vol 1 & 2, don't know about a 3rd yet. Of course, Roel Dieltens on HM is the standard, but these meet it.

[Antoine Marchand]

Yes, I have both of those disks and am delighted with them. Then again, I'm a double reed fan...   Not much more to be said about them that hasn't been already, I am looking forward to the next bassoon disk to hit the shelves though.

And this too; boy, Op 111/Naive have sure brought some great musicians into this project. Coin's cello disks (2 so far) and Steck's violin disk (#2 in that series) are outstanding.

I think that collection has been extraordinarily well planned, with just a few violin concerti until now. Additionally, as you say, the performers and ensembles chosen for those violin concertos have been superb. I have collected every volume of the Vivaldi Edition, just excepting (inexplicably) the Juditha and the Farnace (which was released previously on Savall's label).

Yes, I do say that. I have Vol 1 & 2, don't know about a 3rd yet. Of course, Roel Dieltens on HM is the standard, but these meet it.

I agree with you, Coin is very good, but Roel Dieltiens is still better.

BTW, do you know the cello sonatas performed by Jaap ter Linden (w/Lars Ulrik Mortensen) on Brilliant? If not, it's a highly recommendable 2-CD set.

[Gurn Blanston]

I think that collection has been extraordinarily well planned, with just a few violin concerti until now. Additionally, as you say, the performers and ensembles chosen for those violin concertos have been superb. I have collected every volume of the Vivaldi Edition, just excepting (inexplicably) the Juditha and the Farnace (which was released previously on Savall's label).

I agree with you, Coin is very good, but Roel Dieltiens is still better.

BTW, do you know the cello sonatas performed by Jaap ter Linden (w/Lars Ulrik Mortensen) on Brilliant? If not, it's a highly recommendable 2-CD set.

Yes, I like that ter Linden set too. I first got those sonatas years ago, performed by Ofra Harnoy (the disk with the cool poster in the box!). Ter Linden does those 6, plus a couple that she inexplicably left out. He's a good cellist, and at the Brilliant price point, you can't go wrong!