Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto Con Titoli (Newton Classics Audio 19-CD set)

‘In 19 CDs overall, I Musici give us a complete survey of the dozen major Vivaldi sets of concertos and sonatas published with opus numbers. Apart from the famous named sets, L'estro armonico, Op. 3, La stravaganza, Op. 4 and Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, Op. 8 – all three dominated by the distinguished solo playing of Felix Ayo – and Severino Gazzeloni's splendid set of the Op. 10 flute concertos (still unsurpassed), most of this music is very little known. Even today there is little or no competition.

‘What comes over again and again when listening through some 19 hours of marvellous music, is the consistently high level of Vivaldi's invention, and this applies not just to the familiar works but also to the six solo violin concertos each of Opp. 6, 11 and 12, and the solo concertos for violin or oboe (the illustrious Heinz Holliger) of Op. 7. What makes these works special is not just the buoyancy of the allegros (just sample the remarkable harmonic clashes of the finale of Op. 7 No. 4 in A minor), but the consistent beauty of the slow movements…Accardo is the superb soloist in all these little-known Vivaldi sets, except Op. 6, where the stylish Pina Carmirelli takes over. Accardo contributes with equal distinction to the hardly less splendid and equally unknown chamber music… The recording is excellent, as are the CD transfers, and collectors will find unexpected rewards in these stimulating, unfamiliar works.’ Gramophone, DECEMBER 1997