Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Orchestra: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
Conductor: Elisa Citterio
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Tafelmusik
Release: 2019
Size: 2.43 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Ottone in villa, RV 729
01. Sinfonia. Allegro
02. Sinfonia. Larghetto
Violin Concerto in C Minor, RV 761 “Amato bene”
03. I. Allegro
04. II. Largo
05. III. Allegro
Bassoon Concerto in D Minor, RV 481
06. I. Allegro
07. II. Larghetto
08. III. Allegro non molto
Double Oboe Concerto in C Major, RV 534
09. I. Allegro
10. II. Largo
11. III. Allegro
Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 271 “L’amoroso”
12. I. Allegro
13. II. Cantabile
14. III. Allegro
Chamber Concerto in D Major, RV 93
15. I. Allegro
16. II. Largo
17. III. Allegro
Concerto for 4 Violins in B-Flat Major, RV 553
18. I. Allegro
19. II. Largo
20. III. Allegro
Concerto for 2 Violins, 2 Oboes & Bassoon in D Major, RV 564a
21. I. Allegro
22. II. Adagio non molto
23. III. Allegro
After a short hiatus following the retirement of longtime director Jeanne Lamon, the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, also known simply as Tafelmusik, returned in 2019 with this collection of Vivaldi concertos, loosely centered on the theme of love (a couple of concertos have love-related subtitles, and others, like the Lute Concerto in D major, RV 93, have traditionally suggested this subject). This is Tafelmusik’s first release under its new director, violinist Elisa Citterio, and Vivaldi might seem a conservative choice for such an event. Not in the least. Citterio has already wrought major changes in Tafelmusik’s sound, and this album shows them off effectively. She’s definitely a member of the contemporary Italian school, and even if she doesn’t (and doesn’t try to) deliver textures as punchy as those of Rinaldo Alessandrini and his cohort, she gives the concerto form a distinctly dramatic, operatic cast. Citterio is herself a soloist in several violin concertos, and one of the most promising developments here is the way she elicits beautiful, very vocal playing from other members of the ensemble in the non-violin concertos. Sample the lovely work of bassoonist Dominic Teresi in the Larghetto of the Bassoon Concerto in D minor, RV 481. Even though this isn’t one of the concertos with an amore denotation, it’s as romantic as one could wish. Highly recommended, with the murky, watery church sound as the only disincentive, and promising much for the future of this venerable Canadian group.