COMPOSERS: Vivaldi
LABELS: Archiv Masters
WORKS: Concerto from ‘L’estro armonico’, Op. 3; Concerto from ‘La stravaganza’, Op. 4; Concerto for Two Violins in G, RV516
PERFORMER: Simon Standage, Elizabeth Wilcock, Micaela Comberti, Miles Golding (violin); English Concert/Trevor Pinnock
CATALOGUE NO: 447 284-2 DDD (1986-90)
This programme of concertos is drawn from the English Concert’s complete recordings of Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico and La stravaganza. In addition, there’s a fine Concerto for Two Violins, belonging to no set and which deserves to be widely known – the present performance with soloists Simon Standage and Elizabeth Wilcock should win over many friends. Elsewhere the playing is variable, the concertos from L’estro armonico, wonderfully varied in texture, often suffering from insecure tuning. Those from La stravaganza fare better, though here, alas, the choice of works seems unrepresentative of Vivaldi’s best work in this set. Nicholas Anderson
Vivaldi: Concerto from 'L'estro armonico', Op. 3; Concerto from 'La stravaganza', Op. 4; Concerto for Two Violins in G, RV516
This programme of concertos is drawn from the English Concert’s complete recordings of Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico and La stravaganza. In addition, there’s a fine Concerto for Two Violins, belonging to no set and which deserves to be widely known – the present performance with soloists Simon Standage and Elizabeth Wilcock should win over many friends. Elsewhere the playing is variable, the concertos from L’estro armonico, wonderfully varied in texture, often suffering from insecure tuning.
Our rating
3