Nicola Benedetti to release first period album of Baroque violin works

Violinist Nicola Benedetti is set to release her first period album on Decca Classics, with an accompanying series of eight live performances at Battersea Arts Centre this July.

Benedetti has teamed up with an ensemble of freelance Baroque musicians to form the Benedetti Baroque Orchestra to record a selection of concertos by Vivaldi and Geminiani’s arrangement of Corelli’s La Folia. The musicians include harpsichordist Steven Devine, violinist Kati Debretzeni and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny.

The album was recorded at Battersea Arts Centre’s Grand Hall, which will also provide the setting for eight live concerts of music featured on the album.

To tie in with the album release, Benedetti is also planning on reviving her successful Virtual Sessions series with the ‘Baroque Virtual Sessions’ for three weeks in July. The Benedetti Foundation will work with musicians of all abilities on Geminiani’s La Folia. 

Benedetti’s new album will be released on Friday 16 July. The concerts at Battersea Arts Centre will take place from 18-21 July. Tickets available here.

Track listing for Baroque

Geminiani: Concerto Grosso in D minor H.143 ‘La Folia’
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in D major RV211
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in Eb major RV257
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in B minor RV386
Vivaldi: Andante from Concerto in B-Flat Major, RV 583

Musicians of the Benedetti Baroque Orchestra

Violin I:
Kati Debrezeni
Jane Gordon

Violin II:
Matthew Truscott
Michael Gurevich

Viola:
Louise Hogan
Rebecca Jones

Cello:
Jonathan Byers
Sarah McMahon

Double Bass:
Nikita Naumov

Lute:
Elizabeth Kenny

Harpsichord:
Steven Devine