"I greeted Harnoy's recorded entry into Vivaldi's world with genuine enthusiasm ((CD) RD87774, 8/88), as I do also this follow-up . . . . Vivaldi's affection for the cello is evident in the number and quality of his concertos for it, which is good enough reason for an integral recording of them. . . . There is a wealth of virtuosic writing in the outer movements, in the most filigree of which Harnoy's bow dances with the steps of an agile fairy. Regarding her playing in general I refer the reader to my previous Vivaldi review, whose encomium is herewith reinforced. . . . This very well recorded disc is a 'must' for anyone who does not suffer from Vivaldi-, cello- or general baroque-phobia, and it might easily cure those who do." -- John Duarte, Gramophone

Includes cto(s) for vda: excerpt(s) by Antonio Vivaldi. Ensemble: Philharmonia Virtuosi. Conductor: Richard Kapp.

Vivaldi: Concertos Op.10 - Sammartini: Concerto in F

"Just over ten years ago RCA brought out a version of The Four Seasons with its star Flute-player James Galway, as soloist, replacing the violin, and very enjoyable it was (RL25034, 2/77; CD RD70161, 6/85). Now with another star wind-player newly under contract, the same company uses a similar device, and among the dozens of versions of this much-recorded group of works it could hardly be more distinctive. As expected, it proves an admirable vehicle for a winning artist, who in her own transcriptons puts her personal magic on rhythm and phrasing, not least in the slow movements, never dawdling sentimentally but always setting the solo instrument in relief by its very contrast of timbre.

Those likely to be attracted by the idea of Petri as soloist are not going to be worried overmuch about any scholarly justification, and though the recorder might be counted a period instrument, it remains alone in this ensemble, with, the talented young string-players (originally assembled at Guildhall School in London) adopting their usual modern performance technique. The hand of another highly individual artist lies behind this too, George Malcolm, who springs rhythms in his continuo to match his soloist, and adds his own little harpsichord cadenza before the first movement coda of ''Autumn''.

The problem for Petri in making her transcription for recorder has been largely one of pitch, far more critical than with Galway's flute. In the opening tutti, you hear the bright silvery sound of the soloist from the start, and then the great shrieks on high B confirm the arrival of the sopranino recorder, never a discreet instrument. Though Petri does wonders in making it more expressive than I have ever known it, the relentlessly penetrating quality of sopranino tone is wearing, and the very end of ''Winter'', shrieking away up an octave gets near to being painful. Even so, the bird-song imitations are made the more naturalistic by the brightness of timbre, and unlike such a baroque flautist as Frans Bruggen in his accounts of Vivaldi's Flute Concerto, Il gardellino (RCA GL70951; CD RD70951, 2/87), Petri steers a relatively discreet line between naturalism and the notes in the score, when it comes to bird-song. In fast movements her articulation is a marvel, as in the Danza pastorale of ''Spring'', while understandably she opts out in favour of the violin in some of the last movement tuttis of the Storm in the second concerto.

Where in the slow movements of the first two concertos the relatively low pitching of the melody allows for the more comfortable timbre of the ordinary descant recorder, the slow movements of ''Autumn'' and ''Winter'' are made the more edgy by sopranino tone, and it is the same instrument which is used in the concerto which comes as makeweight on Side 2, the delightful Concerto in C, RV443, with its haunting minor-key slow movement and a finale which brightly uses horn-pipe rhythm. Compared with Petri's earlier version for Philips with Iiona Brown and the St Martin's Academy (9500 714, 11/80; CD 400 075-2PH, 7/83), this one is even fresher and clearer, largely a question of recorded sound.

The recording is bright and fresh to match the performances, with the solo instruments grabbing prominence naturally without too much spotlighting."

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [12/1987]

Messiter may be the "Heifetz of the oboe" and he could hardly have asked for better support than that which he receives from the Guildhall String Ensemble.

Those wishing to follow their musico-horticultural bent in the baroque oboe garden have plenty of seed packets to choose from; some are regularly used, some infrequently, whilst others remain to be opened in the presence of recording equipment. There are no unopened packets here. There were few instruments for which Vivaldi neglected to write a concerto or two, and though the harpsichord was one of them the oboe was not; of his 19 completed oboe concertos, those originally written as such include both RV447 and RV454, the latter being one of two in II cimen/o (Op. 8) described as for "violin or oboe", though the music strongly suggests oboe.

Bach's harpsichord concertos were developed from concertos first written for other solo instruments; in the case of BWV 1056, the Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, the (lost) original is believed to have been written for the oboe. The question mark over HWV287, first published in 1863, is more fundamental: did Handel write it? Whatever the answer, no one is being deprived of any royalties and we may enjoy it in its own right—genuine, misascribed or pastiche. No doubt, however, about the concertos of Marcello and Albinoni (who was very generous to oboists), both old favourites and justly so.

The accompanying booklet describes Messiter as "the Heifetz of the oboe"; be that as it may, overstated or not, he is a master in every aspect of his craft. The longest and busiest of lines (and there are plenty of both here) emerge with smooth grace, rounded tone and impeccable dynamic control; in the Largo of the Bach Concerto he adopts the keyboard embellishment, lock stock and barrel, but with a smoothness that disarms criticism. The Guildhall String Ensemble demonstrated their fresh-faced approach to baroque music in their recent recordings of Handel's Op. 6 Concerti grossi for RCA ((p RD87895, RD87907, 2/90), and they do so again here; Messiter could hardly have asked for better and more attentive support, in which the recording engineers play a commendable part. It isn't possible to identify the best recording of baroque oboe concertos on modern instruments, but it is reasonable to say that this is very high in the ranking.

-- Gramophone [9/1990]

VIVALDI: FOUR SEASONS, ETC SP

Selections recorded September 30 - October 2, 1990.

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A full-length concert from the Theatre des Champs elyses in Paris, featuring a program of rare and beautiful arias from Vivaldi's operas that catapulted Cecilia Bartoli to worldwide stardom! Giovanni Antonini conducts Il Giardino Armonico.

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Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (2015) Itzhak Perlman, London Philharmonic Orchestra When it comes to evoking the colors and moods of Vivaldi's Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, Itzhak Perlman deploys an inimitably rich and varied palette. He directs the London Philharmonic Orchestra from the violin.

Marvellously inventive music, beautifully played by a superb cellist. It is difficult to restrain one’s foot from tapping, a sure sign that good things are happening in the music.

"Vivaldi is greatly over-rated - a dull fellow who would compose the same form over many times." Such is the opinion of one of the great composers on the music of another great composer. Given the evidence of the present newly re-released complete Vivaldi cello concertos incredulity can be the only response to this assessment. But then Stravinsky was a man who voiced strong, often acerbic and sometimes outrageous opinions on virtually anything suggested to him. He had probably heard few, if any, of these cello concertos and irrespective would it have made any difference?

...This is wonderfully inventive music, which reflects the creative genius of its composer. Contrary to Stravinsky’s comments, the structure is highly varied. It is interesting to compare the infectious good-humoured opening of the B flat concerto RV 423 with the C minor RV 401 and its feeling of lamentation and contrapuntal texture. The solo cello part of the C major concerto RV 399 is so very different to the solo parts of all the other concertos.

Vivaldi must have had in mind a particularly virtuosic student when he wrote the demanding passages in the final movement of the D minor concerto RV 405. In the concerto for cello and bassoon, RV 409, the first movement alternates soft sustained passages for the soloist with fast outbursts for the orchestra. Then in the second movement Vivaldi reverses the roles; only in the final movement do the soloist and orchestra play in the same mood.

...The playing by Ofra Harnoy is very musical and evinces beautiful intonation. It is difficult to restrain one’s foot from tapping, a sure sign that good things are happening in the music... This set is enthusiastically recommended for what it is - a record of marvellously inventive music, beautifully played by a superb cellist.

-- Zane Turner, MusicWEb International [reviewing these performances reissued as part of the box set, RCA 67886]

VIVALDI: FOUR SEASONS, CONCERT

The German patrician von Uffenbach, during a visit to Venice for the carnival of 1715, at long last managed to meet with Vivaldi and order from him “10 concerti grossi”. Three days later, the composer reappeared with all of the requested music, assuring his patron that it had been expressly composed for him. Vivaldi was unquestionably a very quick composer, but he was also a barefaced and extremely capable promoter of his own talents. The collection of twelve concertos for strings, now preserved in Paris, also has all the earmarks of having been a rapidly and cleverly assembled series of previously composed works, with very little new music added. This same modus operandi would mark the genesis of op. 10 and many other collections by Vivaldi. But Vivaldi is an excellent composer, and like a great actor, he succeeds in taking on the appearance of a character by merely donning a hat or imitating a gesture. Thus he manages to outline with a few brushstrokes all of the force of a French entree in the opening of Concerto n. 5, or to fall suddenly into the most moving melancholy when his unusual Ciaccona modulates into the minor key. Even the last movement of Concerto n. 2, despite appearances, is a rare example of a menuet en rondeau camouflaged as an Italian allegro. The beginning of Concerto n. 1, although belonging to the older works, must have been chosen by Vivaldi to open the collection because it resembles a chaconne in binary meter. These, then, are the distinctive elements, obvious and yet quite effective, which render the idea of a well recognizable taste or style—the same style which informed the “Domine Fili” from the Gloria RV 589, the aria “Tornar voglio” from Arsilda, and the final chorus of Il Giustino. Federico Maria Sardelli conducts the famous baroque ensemble Modo Antiquo, in this amazing historical recording.

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