Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: Concertos for the Emperor

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What we've got here are six "reconstructed concertos" that come from a group of 12 that bear the same name as their famous counterparts, "La Cetra," but are completely different. Without going into the history of these pieces (the attractive and well informed harmonia mundi liner notes tell the story better than I can), let me just say that they existed in virtual obscurity until this recording. Let me also say that I wasn't quite prepared for the Vivaldi I heard here, but immediately loved it.

The music is most unusual as it presents a more complex picture of Vivaldi than we may be used to. There's an angularity and occasional turbulence here along with whimsey and sweetness that's completely beguiling. No doubt, some of the appeal can be attributed to the brilliant playing of The English Concert and their leader, Andrew Manze. There's a dash and elan to their treatments that others have written extensively about, and just when you think there may be a little TOO much dash, things quiet down and you realize that they've got the music figured out just right. Coming as I do from the I Musici school of Vivaldi, Andrew Manze's ultra-virtuoso attacks require listening with slightly different ears, but it didn't take long for him to win me over. His playing, while sometimes a little frenetic, is heartfelt and not just for display.

In short, this is bona-fide great music, beautifully recorded (all 79 minutes of it), that should be included in a desert island Vivaldi collection.

Vivaldi are so popular that every classic music lover ever heared his music, I guess if we put four seasons to calculate, maybe expand more to other unclassic lovers. So I find recently there are gradually more and more players had been tried new methods to play Vivaldi, in order to offer listenners fresh feeling. Maybe this CD Manze also did it like that. However, the challeange is that it should not focus on new and technique only, but offer more essential facts on music.
Manze, and the English concert prevent any dull playing, but keep colorful change in their music. I must say manze give me again suprise except his violin playing, now includes his direction.
I guess, and will expect these groups later would release more and more excellent music, and it would put more vitality on classic music market.

Vivaldi: Concertos for the Emperor is a very fine recording with the immensly talented Andrew Manze leading the The English Concert. The English concert as a work is nowhere as refined as his magnum opus four seasons. It is very beautiful no doubt about that but it lacks the depth that four seasons has. Harmonia mundi has done a great job with the book-let and the pictures are quite good except one. I hate the photo of the musicians on ladders. What is up with that? It just does not work and looks desperate. The essay written by Manze is very informative and well-written. On the whole I give this recording 4 out 5 stars.

I believe this entire CD ran amok. I don't know if was the English concert, Vivaldi, or the conductor. It seems flattering that Vivaldi catered to the Emperor. I am a huge fan of Vivaldi and for some reason this one seems to have come out too fast and synthetic...