The early pioneering interpretations
of Vivaldi and baroque music in general,
using period-instruments, were dictated
primarily by the severe limitations
of their instruments. Consequently,
performance style often came across
as technically mechanical, rather lacklustre,
frequently insipid and even sterile.
Thankfully there are several outstanding
specialist period-instrument ensembles
that have come to prominence on the
late-baroque scene in the last ten or
so years. This new generation has successfully
improved in technical proficiency permitting
a much freer interpretative approach.
I would confidently nominate the premier
specialist period-instrument ensembles
of the new generation in this type of
repertoire as the: Concerto Italiano
under Rinaldo Alessandrini; the Venice
Baroque Orchestra with Giuliano Carmignola
under Andrea Marcon; Europa Galante
under Fabio Biondi; Il Giardino Armonico
under Giovanni Antonini; The English
Concert under Andrew Manze; Ensemble
Explorations under Roel Dieltiens; Academia
Montis Regalis under Alessandro de Marchi;
Arte Dei Suonatori led by Rachel Podger
and the Freiburger Barockorchester under
Gottfried von der Goltz.
This is an interesting release of six
of Vivaldi’s Violin concertos on the
CPO label from the Padua-based ensemble
L'Arte dell'Arco, under the direction
of baroque violin Federico Guglielmo.
Director and founder Federico Guglielmo
varies the size of L'Arte dell'Arco
depending on the demands of each programme
from a small string trio ensemble to
a thirty member orchestra. On this release
L'Arte dell'Arco are trimmed down to
a seven piece chamber orchestra.
The six Violin concertos are a selection
taken from the so-called Quaderno
Muscicale di Anna Maria dal violin that
forms part of the collection of Vivaldi
scores held at the Benedetto Marcello
Conservatory in Venice. Anna Maria (1696-1782)
was the eminent violinist who found
considerable fame at the Ospedale della
Pietà, the Venetian charitable
institution to which Vivaldi was attached
for much of his career. As an infant
she was accepted into the institution
as a foundling and became associated
with the Pietà all her life.
In between the years 1720–37 Anna Maria
was the principal violinist of the Pietà,
who normally took the solo part in concertos
and would doubtless have performed the
six Violin concertos contained on this
release.
Each of the concertos adheres to Vivaldi’s
typical three movement Allegro-Largo-
Allegro format with bountiful and
original episodes of rhythm, harmony
and melody. It is the expressively meditative
slow movements that make the deepest
impression for me and I marvel at Vivaldi’s
genius of consistently delivering expression,
charm and depth. All six are of a consistently
high quality and will reward with repeated
listening.
Baroque violinist Federico Guglielmo
clearly loves this music and plays with
an appealing temperament. However he
cannot produce the same style and vigour
in his rather sober accounts as those
provided by many of his eminent new-generation
contemporaries. Guglielmo’s performances
had too many rough edges for my taste.
In particular he seemed to run out of
stream on track 4 between points 2:02
to 2.20. On track 7 from points 2:40
to 3:17 his tone appeared less than
silvery and on track 8 the solo work
came across as most variable in quality.
All is not lost: he is heard at his
very best in track 9 with imperious
playing between points 2:04 to 3:26.
I especially liked the colour and variety
of the chosen basso-continuo of the
harpsichord blended together with double-bass
and theorbo.
The sound quality provided by the CPO
engineers is warm and most natural.
Congratulations are in order for the
excellent booklet notes from Federico
Guglielmo: most interesting and highly
informative.
The works on this recording remind one
that Anna Maria must have been a most
remarkable performer. Lovers of the
late-baroque music of Vivaldi might
want to explore this CPO release but
overall the result is disappointing.
There are however many excellent recordings
available of similar repertoire from
the new generation of period-instrument
ensembles that will undoubtedly delight.
Michael Cookson
L'Arte dell'Arco/Federico Guglielmo (baroque violin)
