Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi
Performer: Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano, Lorenzo Ghielmi
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Naïve
Catalogue: OP7367
Release: 2022
Size: 2.82 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 1 for 4 Violins in D Major, Op. 3, RV 549
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Largo, e spiccato
03. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 2 for 2 Violins in G Minor, Op. 3, RV 578
04. I. Adagio e spiccato
05. II. [Allegro]
06. III. Larghetto
07. IV. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 3 for Violin in G Major, Op. 3, RV 310
08. I. Allegro
09. II. Largo
10. III. Allegro
Concerto for Solo Harpsichord after RV 310 in F Major, BWV 978
11. I. Allegro
12. II. Largo
13. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 10 for 4 Violins in B Minor, Op. 3, RV 580
14. I. Allegro
15. II. Largo
16. III. Allegro
Concerto for 4 Harpsichords and Strings after RV 580 in A Minor, BWV 1065
17. I. [Allegro]
18. II. Largo – Larghetto – Largo
19. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 11 for 2 Violins and Cello in D Minor, Op. 3, RV 565
20. I. Allegro
21. II. Adagio e spiccato. Allegro
22. III. Largo
23. IV. Allegro
Concerto for Solo Organ after RV 565 in D Minor, BWV 596
24. I. [Allegro] – Grave – Fuga
25. II. Largo e spiccato
26. III. [Allegro]
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 12 for Violin in E Major, Op. 3, RV 265
27. I. Allegro
28. II. Largo
29. III. Allegro
CD 02
Concerto for Solo Harpsichord after RV 265 in C Major, BWV 976
01. I. [Allegro]
02. II. Largo
03. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 4 for 4 Violins in E Minor, Op. 3, RV 550
04. I. Andante
05. II. Allegro assai
06. III. Adagio
07. IV. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 5 for 2 Violins in A Major, Op. 3, RV 519
08. I. Allegro
09. II. Largo
10. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 6 for Violin in A Minor, Op. 3, RV 356
11. I. Allegro
12. II. Largo
13. III. Presto
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 7 for 4 Violins in F Major, Op. 3, RV 567
14. I. Andante
15. II. Adagio
16. III. Allegro
17. IV. Adagio
18. V. Allegro
L’estro armonico. concerto No. 8 for 2 Violins in A Minor, Op. 3, RV 522
19. I. Allegro
20. II. Larghetto e spiritoso
21. III. Allegro
Concerto for solo organ after RV 522 in A Minor, BWV 593
22. I. [Allegro]
23. II. Adagio
24. III. Allegro
L’estro armonico. Concerto No. 9 for Violin in D Major, Op. 3, RV 230
25. I. Allegro
26. II. Larghetto
27. III. Allegro
Concerto for Solo Harpsichord after RV 230 in D Major, BWV 972
28. I. [Allegro]
29. II. Larghetto
30. III. Allegro
By its title and its twelve violin concertos, Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico immediately captures the imagination. Rinaldo Alessandrini and his Concerto Italiano, with the addition of high-calibre keyboardists, present the full collection with the six additional adaptations for keyboard by Bach.
This Opus 3 published by Vivaldi in 1711 vibrates with the virtues of a poetic energy taken to the highest level of expressivity, embodied in the subtle and virtuosic exchanges between a string orchestra and four, two, then one solo violins. The stylistic principles developed in each piece were completely new and inspired for the time, the virtuosity intense, and the success considerable, rapidly reaching beyond the frontiers of La Serenissima. Which is how Bach, seven years younger than Vivaldi and drawn to the polyphonic dimension of these “multi-voiced” pieces, adapted several of them for organ and harpsichord.
Alessandrini’s modern approach, alternating original concertos and adaptations in a juxtaposition entirely his own, appeals to the delights of the imagination: this new recording by the Concerto Italiano is once again as much in honour of Vivaldi as of Bach, evidenced by the vibrant playing of these four outstanding Italian harpsichordists: Andrea Buccarella, Salvatore Carchiolo, Ignazio Schifani and Rinaldo Alessandrini, and the organist Lorenzo Ghielmi.
Finally, this double album highlights four particularly compelling violinists from the Concerto Italiano, who play solo together or separately. Listeners will observe as much dexterity and fluidity in the strings as on the keyboard instruments, as much care in the definition of the musical lines, and invention in the ornamentations. We also find that we are familiar with L’estro armonico, as some elements are well known in both their original format (RV 580, RV 565, RV 230) and in Bach’s version for harpsichords (BWV 1065) or organ (BWV 596, BWV 593).