Track Listing

1. Sinfonia in G major: Allegro molto
2. Sinfonia in G major: Andante
3. Sinfonia in G major: Allegro
4. Violin Concerto in E-flat major: Presto
5. Violin Concerto in E-flat major: Largo
6. Violin Concerto in E-flat major: Presto
7. Concerto in D minor: Allegro
8. Concerto in D minor: Largo
9. Concerto in D minor: Allegro
10. Concerto in A major: Allegro
11. Concerto in A major: Larghetto
12. Concerto in A major: Allegro
13. Violin Concerto in C major: Allegro
14. Violin Concerto in C major: Largo e cantabile
15. Violin Concerto in C major: Allegro
16. Concerto in C major: Allegro molto
17. Concerto in C major: Andante
18. Concerto in C major: Allegro

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25630 in Music
• Released on: 2002-07-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .61 pounds

Amazon.com
Here, at a bargain price, is a real treat: the lively, elegant, musically alert Andrew Manze leading and playing a handful of wonderful Vivaldi concerti preceded by a little Sinfonia. The concerti, all backed up by the usual strings, are for various combinations of instruments. Two are straight violin concerti (playful and bright). One is for violin and three echo violins that repeat what the lead violin has done, but at a distance from the other performers (very entertaining). The most beautiful is for lute and viola d'amore (a gentle, dark texture). The CD ends with one scored for recorders, chalumeaux, mandolins, therobos, cello, and special violins, which is a riot of sound, with a particularly jaunty first movement. The disc's title refers to a visit to Venice in 1740 by Frederick Christian, the Prince Elector of Saxony, during which Vivaldi's music was performed. He was a lucky prince, and we're lucky to have this CD. As usual, Manze and the Academy of Ancient Music are superb. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Great Music as expected from Andrew Manze
Andrew Manze and the Academy of Ancient Music
again in this recording doing a wonderful job
the performances are splendid, the acoustics
are also wonderful. The Academy of Ancient Music
plays with clarity. Indeed, with this recording
the music of Vivaldi reached perfection!
Highly recomended!

What elegance and grace is contained here
The Academy of Ancient Music has done a wonderful job with this CD of the 4 Concertos written by Vivaldi in honor of the vist of Prince Frederick Christian, Prince of Poland, to Venice. The works were spread out over several evenings so that they could be enjoyed by the illustrious guests. The Academy of Ancient Music does a superb job with this collection of music that required use of instruments rarely used today.

Sinfonia in G major dazzles us with joyful pomp. The third movement echoes the Autumn section of the Four Seasons by capturing the sound of the harvest folk dance.

Violin Concerto in E-flat major is incredibly well constructed, almost mathematical in composition, with passages building one upon the other. The first movement builds gradually but the third movement slips and slides like children in a playground.

Concerto in D minor has courtly beinnings. Like much of Vivaldi, the violins sometimes are allowed to take the foreground with a somewhat rustic power, yet they are usually balanced by the pure elegance of the other instruments and melodies that echo with intensity. The lute accompanies the violin and other string instruments with its Renaissance sound. Lute strings individually plucked slow the piece and increase the intensity of anticipation in the second movement.

In Concerto in A major, Vivaldi uses violins with three echo violins. In the CD program they explain that when this piece was played for the Polish Prince, the primary violinist was visible but that they echo violinists were hidden around the concert hall, which I can only guess was a delightful and playful game to play with the listening audience of the time. In this concerto, the violins sound so birdlike as they echo each other's songs back and forth. In the final movement, Allegro, the violins boldly and sweetly play their echo game, no longer playing birds but mellowing into instruments of joy.

In Violin Concerto in C Major we hear graceful refrains that build like the Spring section of the Four Seasons.

In the Concerto in C Major we hear the finest piece on the whole CD in terms of complexity and orchestration. The recorder is used along with instruments called chalumeaux and theorbos. The grand march sound of the Allegro molto subsides long enough to hear the wonderful wind instruments complimented by mandolins, giving a delightful break from the violins. I think this concerto is my favorite on the CD, with the warm sounds of rare instruments permeating the piece.Yet, how can one pick a favorite from this wonderful collection of music.

Vivaldi is so elegant, so graceful and balanced. I love his music because it puts demands only on my ear the way Matisse puts demands only on my eyes. He transports me.

Just sublime
I bought this fantastic CD over a year ago and it became my most cherished 'Classics' possession. Then thieves broke in to my home and stole it along with many others. I've finally had it replaced by the insurance company, and am now revisting the beautiful sounds of this program. Superb playing, great collection of works, and the usual sublime recording quality from a HM production. This has to be one of the essential Vivaldi recordings, especially valued given the lower price.