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Vivaldi: Sonatas for 2 Violins / Compagnia de Violini
Brilliant Classics

Vivaldi: Sonatas for 2 Violins / Compagnia de Violini

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Details

Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Andrea Teodoro Zani
Artist
Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano, Compagnia De Violini
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Feb 16, 2024
Catalog #
BRI96818
UPC
5028421968186

About

Vivaldi’s Sonatas for two violins, anco senza basso se piace (also without bass if preferred), represent one of the innumerable peaks of his compositional prowess. They are structured in three movements, each of which develops in a bipartite manner, making evident reference to concerto form, with only the internal bipartite structure alluding to sonata form. This distinguishes Vivaldi’s approach to the duo without bass from that of some of his European colleagues, namely Telemann (Sonates sans basse, 1727) and Leclair (Sonates à deux violons sans basse Op.3, 1730).
The palette of colours and expressive effects used by Vivaldi in these sonatas is truly impressive: arpeggios, double stops, high-register passages, extremely complex articulations requiring exceptional bow technique, ornate cantabile lines (to be further ornamented by the performer) and even more radical cantabile in the central movements. Here, Vivaldi’s mastery is evident in a sensitive use of lines that are disarming in their simplicity yet tremendously expressive, using a modest language of triplets, appogiaturas and Lombard rhythms in perfect amounts to maximum effect.
A handwritten inventory of the music collection of the noble Collalto family at Brtnice attests along with 15 concertos by Vivaldi to a Duetto, or rather, a Sonata for 2 violins in five movements by one Andrea Zani, a composer who emulated Vivaldi’s music and style to the degree that historians assume Zani studied under Vivaldi for a time. (That being said, Zani stands out as one of the purest and most interesting composers of instrumental music in Italy in the first half of the 18th century. His works – at once original and innovative – are largely yet to be studied and performed.) Sadly all that survives of the Collalto collection is that inventory, but Zani’s Duetto has come down to us via three sources preserved in Sweden. As in Vivaldi’s compositions, the movements in Zani’s work are bipartite in form. Zani, too, establishes the colour palette of his compositions with highly effective progressions, employing the whole expressive armoury fielded by his idol, Vivaldi. Zani’s writing also makes frequent use of a great rhythmic propulsion. Finally, and in contrast to Vivaldi, Zani did not provide a bass ad libitum, indicating his clear intent for duo rather than trio sonata performance.

Tracklist 17 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro 04:54
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:54
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  2. 2 II. Larghetto 05:35
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    05:35
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  3. 3 III. Allegro molto 03:32
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro molto
    Duration
    03:32
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  4. 4 I. Allegro 04:50
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:50
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  5. 5 II. Larghetto 04:32
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    04:32
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  6. 6 III. Allegro 04:21
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    04:21
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  7. 7 I. Allegro 05:00
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    05:00
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  8. 8 II. Andante 02:24
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  9. 9 III. Allegro 03:50
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    03:50
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  10. 10 I. Allegro 05:40
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    05:40
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  11. 11 II. Andante 05:43
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    05:43
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  12. 12 III. Allegro 03:42
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  13. 13 I. (Largo) 06:18
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. (Largo)
    Duration
    06:18
    Composer
    Andrea Zani
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  14. 14 II. Allegro 06:21
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    06:21
    Composer
    Andrea Zani
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  15. 15 III. Allegro 04:16
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Andrea Zani
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  16. 16 IV. Minuè 01:09
    Track
    16
    Title
    IV. Minuè
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Andrea Zani
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano
  17. 17 Canone 02:06
    Track
    17
    Title
    Canone
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Andrea Zani
    Performer
    Alessandro Ciccolini, Domenico Scicchitano