Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: Glorias - Dixit Dominus, Magnificat, Beatus Vir

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

 

 

Vivaldi's sacred music is not so famous as that of his contemporaries Bach and Handel, so this is a bargain opportunity to catch up. You might think Vivaldi's playful, virtuoso Italianate character and Catholic context would produce radically different music, but in George Guest's urgent readings, the mixture of restrainedly exultant choruses and austerely beautiful arias are near-identical to Bach.

The opening movement of the second 'Gloria', with its swirling violins and temperately joyous trumpet and winds, is one of the most celebrated pieces of Baroque music; nothing here quite equals it, but there is a haunting, echoing quality to some of the slower movements at odds with the generally celebratory form. The reverb-heavy production exploits this somtimes too much, making the sound seem artificial. For a more 'Italianate' interpretation, I would recommend Trevor Pinnock, whose caressing tempos allow Vivaldi's warm harmonic spaciousness to breathe.

The sound quality of this recording is stunning and the soloists sing beautifully. I love these pieces, and the presentation is generally thrilling on this CD set. However, as authentic as they may be, I have a serious problem listening to the voices of young boys singing. The possibility of any genuine emotion or spirituality lurking behind the angelic chiming is lost on me. Also, the kids seem slightly heavy in the mix, at times drowning the music.... I realize this may be a bit shallow, and I do not discourage anyone from buying this CD if they don't mind the sound of a children's choir. It's really quite accomplished sounding, just not to my personal taste.

Being already familiar with Vivaldi's Four Seasons and also a big fan of Choral works, I picked this up not knowing anything about the pieces and was pleasantly surprised. Two versions of Gloria in D major take up the first disk. RV 589, the second version of Gloria is the better known of the two versions, but I wouldn't say that it is superior. Both versions have their merits and I enjoy listening to them back to back. The second disk is my favorite. Although I bought it for the Glorias, I have fallen in love with the Magnificat in G major. This two-disc set is, in my opinion, all about the Magnificat. What a wonderful piece! Dixit Dominus and Beatur vir are both great pieces as well. This is a great recording and the music within in excellent.

This is an excellent recording of Vivaldi's church music! I love it! I could listen to both discs all day long! One thing though, why did they use boy sopranos so much ??? Oh well. Its still excellent. Press the "buy" button on your computer...NOW!!!
~Adele

I was very pleased with this CD. Great performance and a useful rehearsal tool.
I received the item in no time, and it was definitely in great condition.