{"product_id":"vivaldi-gods-emperors-angels-1","title":"Vivaldi: Gods, Emperors \u0026 Angels","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eVIVALDI \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003eConcertos for Various Instruments:\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e RV 86\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 163, 271\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 312\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e3\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 445\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e4\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 482\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e5\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 500\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e6\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 526\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e7\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e, 530\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e8\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e) \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Adrian Chandler, dir \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e2,7,8\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e(vn); Pamela Thorby \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1,3,4\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e(rcr); \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1,5,6\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003ePeter Whelan (bn); \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e7,8\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eSara Deborah Struntz (vn); La Serenissima (period instruments) \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e AVIE AV 2201 (72:01) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eOne of the underlying motifs of this program seems to be Bohemia, which Vivaldi visited in 1730 and where he probably acquired the paper on which some of these concertos are written. This mixed program opens with what must be one of his briefest concertos, RV 163, in B?. Though under four minutes, and with no special solo instrument, it encompasses many of Vivaldi’s salient characteristics: a strong opening theme, a fine melody, and rhythmic surprise. This brief piece is called “Conca,” for reasons Adrian Chandler connects with a Bohemian use of the conch shell to ward off impending storm. The only storm in front of us here, however, is the pleasurable swirl of Vivaldi’s invention. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eIn 1727–28, Vivaldi wrote two sets of string concertos, both, in the end, called \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLa Cetra\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e (the lyre). One set was published in Amsterdam in 1727 as op. 9 and may have originally been intended for the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI, to whom, on a visit to Trieste in 1728, however, he personally gave a manuscript of a set of new concertos. Vivaldi may have been looking for a job, and the emperor was certainly interested, but nothing happened because the emperor died and Vivaldi, having moved to Vienna without a patron, died in poor straits. The ensemble plays one concerto from the published set (RV 530) and two from the manuscript (RV 526 and 271, of which the former had to be reconstructed by Chandler). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eThe remaining four concertos on this disc use bassoon and recorder for the concerted part. Two of these, however, are single-movement fragments (RV 482 and 312, the latter reconstructed by Chandler). There is also a “sonata” for recorder and bassoon (RV 86). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eNumbering 19, La Serenissima is a fairly large band, as early instrumental ensembles go. This gives a pleasant and most-welcome heft to its sound. The soloists are all good and it would be invidious to single out one of them. This is Vivaldi at his most vivacious, but don’t overlook the rightly named “amorous” concerto (RV 271) from the 1728 manuscript with which the program ends. Anyone looking for an introduction to Vivaldi’s instrumental pieces other than \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eThe Four Seasons\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e would do well to start here. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Alan Swanson \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Avie Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49711360246040,"sku":"822252220124","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1659086.jpg?v=1777842489","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/vivaldi-gods-emperors-angels-1","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}