These aren’t overtures
in the accepted modern sense. In the
earlier eighteenth century in Italy
a Sinfonia was played before curtain
rise, a three-movement work unrelated
thematically to the content of the opera.
And that’s what we have here – works
analogous to Vivaldi’s other sinfonias
and concertos and often following similar
stylistic lines.
Whether or not it’s
true, as he claimed, that Vivaldi wrote
ninety-four operas – and whether that
included the numerous pasticcios
he would have compiled – the fact remains
that he was prolific. His Sinfonias
(or overtures) are here presented with
some Concertos (one for violin – which
I doubt you’ll know) and the other a
ripieno concerto (and thus without a
soloist). Most have been recorded over
the years.
The original instrument
band L’Arte Dell’Arco performs under
Christopher Hogwood in these recordings
made in 1998 – they are spirited, lively
and consistently stylish. Horns and
oboes are to the fore in a couple of
the Sinfonias and the former make a
fine show in the hunting motifs of the
Bajazet opening allegro. Hogwood
and the band pay sure attention to dynamics
– note the diminuendo to crescendo ascent
of L’Olimpiade’s Allegro opener
and the very expressive playing of the
Andante of La Verita’ in Cimento.
The Violin Concerto Amato Bene
is not at all well known and is
idiomatically played by Federico Guillermo
who devised the programme and shares
soloistic duties with his brother and
co-leader Giovanni, .whose intonation
isn’t above reproach in the Concerto
in F with its Four Seasons like ritornello.
Talking of which the ritornello of the
concluding Allegro of La Dorilla
actually is better known as that
from Spring from the Seasons. The band
and Hogwood are strong on accents and
rhythmic impetus – sample the former
in the impressive largo from the Concerto
in D (the ripieno concerto mentioned
earlier) as indeed they are with the
light, tripping articulation and sobbing
motif of the slow movement of Il
Giustino.
This is a most attractive
and well-played selection and preferable
to the recording made of some of these
sinfonias by I Solisti Veneti – they
have more delicacy and correspondingly
more vigour. Good notes and a well reproduced
Canaletto on the booklet cover. A nice
touch.
Jonathan Woolf
Federico Guillermo (violin) * 