This is the tenth and
apparently final volume in the King’s
Consort’s Vivaldian quest. If it’s to
be the last it ends with a recording
coup – the first recording of Nisi Dominus
– as well as the Gloria and an
intriguing example of the genre by Giovanni
Maria Ruggieri, a composer who had a
distinct influence on Vivaldi. The King’s
Consort demonstrates their collective
strengths in Vivaldi’s Gloria – fine
tonal blend, well balanced, few obtrusive
choral strands. Their performance is
flexible but sustained, so for example
Et in terra pax is taken rather steadily,
quite slowly, but is well supported.
Carolyn Sampson and Joyce Didonato prove
fine soloists; in Domine Deus, Sampson’s
phrasing is simple in the best sense
and her lower register is particularly
well developed. She has fine resonance
in those lower positions that suit the
voice well. The band is on good form
with lissom fiddles in Domine Fili unigenite
even though chorally there were moments
when I wondered if articulation couldn’t
have been stronger – a greater degree
of separation – and legato lessened
slightly. Still, in all, a good and
impressively performed performance.
The Nisi Dominus was
discovered harbouring under the name
of Baldassare "Buranello"
Galuppi, hardly an unknown - and one
of the comparatively few composers to
sport a nickname - but no Vivaldi. This
missing Psalm setting, provisionally
dated to 1739, was for the Pietà
and Robert King has authenticated it
as a lost, better still, misattributed
Vivaldi setting. The first issue of
Eighteenth-Century Music,
to be published in Spring 2004, will
cover the detective work in greater
detail. The work is scored for three
solo voices and five instrumental obbligatos
and proves superbly effective and arch-like
in its composition. The solo instruments,
a chalumeau clarinet in Cum dederit,
a violin in tromba marina (a
violin with a modified bridge) in Sicut
sagittae and the cello and organ
all play their rich parts in colouring
the work with expressive intimacies.
Tuva Semmingsen proves to have a light
but subtle mezzo voice and all make
a persuasive case for the work. The
Ostro picta RV642 is a light-and-dark
work, concise and attractive, whereas
greater interest will concern Ruggieri’s
Gloria. This is a grand and powerful
work and one can easily appreciate Vivaldi’s
clear admiration of it. Et in terra
pax mines deep seriousness and intensity
and the polychoral schema is assured
and exceptionally well thought out.
There is in fact something almost Bach-like
about Qui tollis peccata mundi and here,
as elsewhere, the instrumental colour
and corresponding vocal flexibility
pay rich rewards.
With a fine and full
booklet – three languages, full texts
– this continues and concludes the highly
recommendable series from Hyperion and
The King’s Consort.
Jonathan Woolf
Early
Music
Carolyn Sampson and Joanne Lunn (sopranos)
