Despite complaints at its ‘universal invasion’, the violin was not the most frequently played instrument in the early 18th century: that distinction belongs to the recorder, simple, practical, and easy to handle, with marked pastoral connotations. Vivaldi was among the composers most sensitive to the instrument’s complex identity, as he shows in his concertos for recorder. Here are highly impressive versions of such popular works as La pastorella, Il gardellino, and the evergreen La notte.
ANTONIO VIVALDI [1678-1741] Concerto in G major / Sol majeur / G-Dur, RV 443 per flautino, archi e basso continuo · I. [Allegro] (3'18) · II. Largo (4'33) · III. Allegro molto (2'05) Concerto 'La notte' in G minor / sol mineur / g-Moll, RV 439 per flauto, archi e basso continuo · I. Largo (2'09) · II. Fantasmi: Presto - Largo (1'53) · III. Presto (0'46) · IV. Il Sonno: Largo tutti gl'stromenti sordini (1'56) · V. Allegro (1'50) Concerto 'La pastorella' in D major / Ré majeur / D-Dur, RV 95 per flauto, oboe, violino, fagotto e basso continuo · I. Allegro (3'20) · II. Largo (3'25) · III. Allegro (2'38) Concerto in D minor / ré mineur / d-Moll, RV 566 per due flauti, due oboe, due violini, fagotto, archi e basso continuo · I. Allegro assai (2'10) · II. Largo (2'32) · III. Allegro (2'46) Concerto in E flat major / Mi bémol majeur / Es-Dur, RV 375 per flauto, archi e basso continuo · I. Allegro non molto (4'58) · II. Largo (4'02) · III. Allegro (3'42) Concerto in G minor / sol mineur / g-Moll, RV 103 per flauto, oboe e fagotto · I. Allegro ma cantabile (4'15) · II. Largo (3'45) · III. Allegro non molto (1'44) Concerto 'Il gardellino' in D major / Ré majeur / D-Dur, RV 90 per flauto, oboe, violino, fagotto e basso continuo · I. Allegro (4'14) · II. Largo (3'09) · III. Allegro (2'58)
