All is now clear: we are to have from Ofra Harnoy all of Vivaldi's concertos for the cello, both alone and in combination with other soloists; moreover, the practice of having one "world premiere recording" on each disc is to be maintained. It is a prospect that pleases. Harnoy's 'lightweight' performances have not always been enthusiastically received in these pages, but with Vivaldi's music she has the happiest empathy—not, as her playing of the slow movements proves, that this is 'lightweight' territory, for she eloquently reveals their tenderness and dignified pathos with no trace of sentimentality; the Adagio of RV420 and Largo of RV407 in particular are alone worth the price of the whole disc. In the outer movements her bow skips and dances, digging as deep as is appropriate,but never more, while those of the Toronto CO do likewise, transparent but not thin in sound. The 'world premiere' work is the Concerto in D, with solo-episodic figurations similar to those in Vivaldi's concertos for that other `dual-register' instrument, the bassoon, and a brief but lovely Adagio affetuoso. Igor Oistrakh might not be the first to spring to mind as a partner for Harnoy the curiously titled double concerto, RV544, b he proves a splendid match for her in style, weigh:. and breadth of sound, and welcomely so in a work in which the soloists respond to one another, rather than play together. A clean and well-balanced recording completes the picture---another compelling disc to add to its precursors (8/88 and 4/90).

-- Gramophone [1/1994]