He struck up a lifelong relationship with its Kapellmeister Johann Georg Pisendel, then the most promising young German violinist of his day. The relationship proved advantageous for both: Pisendel learned the new Italian style of violin technique that focused on the higher positions rather than the lower, and Vivaldi was exposed to the new colors and nuances available through wind instruments as yet unknown in Venice. The result was the Concerto in F major (RV 569) for solo violin, two oboes, two horns, bassoon, and strings; and the Concerto in D major (RV 562a) for ten instruments, both featured on this recording. Vivaldi was very good at discarding antiquated musical forms and experimenting with newer compositional methods well before his contemporaries, often setting trends and models that were followed by everyone else, as is well known in Bach’s case.

Also featured on this recording is the Concerto in D minor for two violins, two flutes, two oboes, and bassoon (RV 566), written around 1720; and the Concerto in D minor for viola d’amore and lute (RV 540), one of Vivaldi’s last works, written in 1740 in homage, it is thought, to his pupil Anna Maria. In addition, three works were inspired by the female musicians of the Dresden wind ensemble, and most probably written for them between 1720-25: the Concerto in B-flat major for four violins (RV 553), the Concerto in C major for violin and two cellos (RV 561), and the Concerto for cello in G major (RV 413).

All of the works on this recording feature a number of Vivaldi’s innovations: moving Largos, extraordinary wind composition and polyphonic intertwinings with string accompaniments, and virtuosic instrumental solos and imitative pairings. This is a wonderful recording, and I highly recommend it.

Dr. Brad Eden
University of Nevada, Las Vegas