Grand Tour a Venezia
Francesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768)
Ouverture No 6 in G minor
Georg Pisendel (1687-1755)
Violin Concerto in D major, JunP I.7
Antonio Lotti (1667-1740)
Sinfonia from Ascanio
Johann David Heinichen (1683-1729)
Concerto for two oboes in E minor, Siebel 222
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745)
Ouverture a 7 concertanti in F major, ZWV188
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Concerto in G minor, RV577
Zefiro/Alfredo Bernadini (oboe)
rec. 2021, Teatro scientifico del Bibiena, Mantova, Italy
ARCANA A534 [66]
In the last four days, I have auditioned two CDs for review and attended a symphony concert. All left me feeling disappointed and underwhelmed, and in the same way: they lacked energy, character and feeling, leaving a sense of just skating across the surface. I was starting to worry that it was me – had I become stale so that music was no longer capable of inspiring or thrilling me? I’m pleased to report that this recording dispels that worry.
The Grand Tour referenced in the title is a very specific one: that of the future Frederick Augustus II of Saxony (also known as Augustus III of Poland), to Venice in 1716. He was passionately interested in the arts, and spent six months in the city, absorbing the culture. Travelling with him were some members of the famed Dresden court orchestra, including two of the composers on this recording, Pisendel and Zelenka. The former became close friends with Vivaldi, while the latter took lessons with Lotti. Also in Venice at the time were Veracini and Heinichen. You now see how this intelligently constructed programme took shape.
The Zelenka is the only one of the six works that I’d heard before, from the third volume of the well-regarded CPO series of his orchestral works. Zefiro is more than five minutes faster than Das Neue Orchester, most of the difference coming in more sprightly tempos in the slower movements. By comparison, the German group sounds a little laboured, the nine minutes they spend on the opening movement does rather drag. There is never a sense of dragging with Zefiro, though there are times in that movement when the tempo marking of Grave does seem to be taken rather liberally.
The spirited performance of the Zelenka applies across the whole album, but at no time does it feel that it is just a headlong rush without any subtlety. By way of example, the Adagio of the Heinichen concerto is beautifully tender, and contrasts with the splendidly effervescent outer movements. I found one other version of the Heinichen in the Naxos Music Library on CPO, and while the times for each were similar, Zefiro’s performance was far more characterful. The Pisendel concerto is probably the weakest of the six, the first movement cadenza being a little too much sawing away. I have no doubt that the fault could be laid squarely at Pisendel’s door. I would have liked to have put Zefiro up against Europa Galante in the Vivaldi, but it seems they have not recorded it. Despite my admiration for Fabio Biondi’s group in all things Red Priest, I can’t imagine that they could have been better than Zefiro. The final movement, which concludes the album, is quite wonderful.
Zefiro is a period-instrument ensemble of very long standing, having been formed in 1989. The three founders – oboists Alfredo Bernadini and Paolo Grazzi and bassoonist Alberto Grazzi – are still members, the former being musical director. The group has more than a dozen recordings on Arcana, and some earlier ones on Naïve. I can only find two reviews on our site, both of which are very complimentary (review ~ review). This is my first encounter with them and it won’t be my last. I intend to seek out some of their other recordings as I am very impressed by their playing. There is so much verve and energy, but also grace and delicacy.
The sound quality is very immediate, and in the quieter moments, you can hear the oboists taking a breath, but it isn’t distracting. I did think that it was a shame that a suitable venue couldn’t have been found in Venice. The booklet notes (in three languages) are written by Alfredo Bernadini, and are a very interesting read.
This has been an exceptionally enjoyable listen, indeed a restorative one. When the only negative thing I can say is that there is space for another work, you can tell how good this is. It is a certainty to appear in my Recordings of the Year. I just wish I’d known of Zefiro much, much sooner.
David Barker
Published: November 8, 2022
