Vivaldi a Due Voce

Isola Jones Eileen Mager (Performer), Antonio Vivaldi (Composer), The Apperson Strings (Orchestra), Four Seasons Orchestra (Performer, Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Isola Jones Eileen Mager , Four Seasons Orchestra
• Orchestra: The Apperson Strings, Four Seasons Orchestra
• Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
• Audio CD (October 1, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Eroica Classical
• ASIN: B00005S0L5
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,884 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gloria, for 6 solo voices, chorus, trumpet, 2 oboes, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, strings & continuo in D major, RV 588: Laudamus t - Eileen Mager

2. La virtù trionfante, dell'amore, e dell'odio, overo Il Tigrane, opera in 3 acts (act 2 by Vivaldi), RV 740: Lascera - Isola Jones

3. La farfalletta s'aggira al lume, cantata for voice & continuo, RV 660: La farfalletta s'aggira al lume - Eileen Mager

4. Ercole, su'l Termodonte, opera in 3 acts (incomplete, but mostly extant), RV 710: Sebben sente - Isola Jones

5. Magnificat, for 4 vocal soloists, chorus, 2 oboes, strings & continuo in G minor, RV 610: Esurientes implevit bonis - Eileen Mager

6. Nulla in mundo pax sincera, solo motet for voice, strings & continuo in E major, RV 630: Spirat anguis - Eileen Mager

7. "T'intendo si mio cor," from T'intendo si mio cor, RV 688 (Mager)

8. "Aure soavi e grate," from T'intendo si mio cor, RV 688 (Mager)

9. "Placido zeffiretto," from T'intendo si mio cor, RV 688 (Mager)

10. "Dimmi, pastore," from La Fida Ninfa, RV 714 (Jones & Mager)

11. "O qui coeli terraeque serenitas," from O qui coeli terraeque serenitas, RV 631 (Jones)

12. "Fac ut sordescat tellus," from O qui coeli terraeque serenitas, RV 631 (Jones)

13. "Rosa quae moritur," from O qui coeli terraeque serenitas, RV 631 (Jones)

14. "Alleluia," from O qui coeli terraeque serenitas, RV 631 (Jones)

15. "Gloria et divitiae," from Beatus vir, RV 595 (Mager & Jones)

16. "Sposa son disprezzata," from Bajazet, RV 703 (Mager)

17. "Di due rai," aria, RV 749.4 (Jones)

18. "Agitata da due venti," from La Griselda, RV 718 (Mager)

19. "Laudamus te," from Gloria, RV 589 (Mager & Jones)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

Singing Vivaldi’s works is a special thrill for a singer. The music is lovely, challenging, and varied. It requires both lightness and strength. Since Vivaldi spent much of his life composing music for treble (soprano and alto) voices (when he wasn’t composing instrumental music), he truly explored the limits. There are great leaps in pitch, quicksilver runs and coloratura patterns, soaring lyricism, all beautifully suited to the text. His musical output was enormous, and much of it, particularly the vocal music, is just being rediscovered. Much of this music was therefore new to us, and probably will be to you. To say that we had a wonderful time singing it is to be guilty of gross understatement. We hope you get as great pleasure out of listening to it.

About the Artist

Concert artist/actress Eileen Mager made her debut as a recitalist in Chicago, and has been performing solo recitals in Arizona for the past sixteen years. She also has appeared as featured soloist in many Phoenix venues. Ms. Mager was the Artistic Director of the 2000-2001 Arizona Vivaldi Festival, the director of the Festival’s American Premiere performance of La Fida Ninfa, and a featured soloist at the original Festival in 1998. Her repertoire is very broad — ranging from opera to jazz, Broadway to folk, classical religious works to spirituals and gospel. Her performances have included works of more than 80 composers, and she has sung in 15 languages. She has recorded three solo CDs: “Christmas Treasures,” “Classic French Songs,” and “Broadway: Love and Laughter.”

Isola Jones made her extraordinary professional debut in Verdi’s Requiem with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Within one year, she had made her Metropolitan Opera debut as “Olga” in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Since then, she has sung more than 500 performances as a leading artist at The Met with such artists as Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Her signature role is that of Bizet’s seductive free spirit, Carmen. Ms. Jones has appeared in ten “Live from the Met” telecasts, and has been featured on the Met’s popular Saturday matinee broadcasts and on many other opera and concert radio broadcasts throughout the world. She can be heard on a number of recordings, including Wagner’s Flying Dutchman, Mahler’s Symphony #8, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana.

The Four Seasons Orchestra is a professional ensemble founded in 1991 by conductor/violist Carolyn Waters Broe, with the mission of performing, researching, and recording works and masterworks by Baroque and classical composers, women composers, and new composers. The group has performed for many private and public events in the Phoenix area, and was nominated for a Grammy award in 2000.

Ralph Lockwood, harpsichord, is professor of music at Arizona State University, a horn and principal keyboard player in the Phoenix Symphony, and guest conductor and harpsichordist for the Four Seasons Orchestra. He has soloed at the Eastern, Tanglewood, and La Jolla Music Festivals; was harpsichordist, co principal hornist, and assistant conductor for the chamber orchestra “Music in Maine;” and is in International Who’s Who of Music and Musicians.

The Apperson Strings is a Phoenix-based group of professional chamber musicians led by its founder, violinist Jim Apperson. They have performed classical music concerts at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, Chandler Center for the Arts, Kerr Cultural Center, ASU, ASU West, and other venues; and have played for theatrical productions of national touring companies.

Dr. Lindsay Lafford, harpsichord, is a retired college professor and cathedral organist and choir master. He continues to perform; and is a composer, with nearly 300 works to his credit, many of which are being performed around the world. Lafford is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and of Trinity College (London); and a diplomate of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Ok, March 30, 2011

By 

Alexander Mendez "Classics" (South Pasadena, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vivaldi a Due Voce (Audio CD)

At one time Vivaldi operatic recordings were rare, so this was a groundbreaking recording and much appreciated. It is not a bad recording, but with the wealth of Vivaldi operas now in print, there is little need for this particular recording. Eileen Mager has a pleasant voice and the harpsichord accompaniment is quite heavy, but not unpleasant. Isola Jones struggles a little because she tries to put extra emphasis by singing much louder at some points, which seems a bit unnecessary and is not a very effective tool for highlighting certain moments in the singing.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Vivaldi Lover's Paradise, June 24, 2002

By 

Glissana Blue Eden "Maestra" (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivaldi a Due Voce (Audio CD)

The two sopranos on this album are incredible. Isola Jones takes Vivaldi to new heights with her Metropolitan operatic flare shining through. Eileen Mager has a deep resonant voice with great sensitivity. These two sopranos give the three tenors a run for their money. There are some rarely recorded arias on this recording. If you are a Vivaldi lover, this album is a must own! Most of the time you hear only the instrumental works of Vivaldi. This is a whole new experience to hear so many of the vocal works on one album. It is truely a delight. I also appreciated the intimate group of string players on the Vivaldi A Due Voce Album. There is some wonderful virtuosic violin playing on this CD. If it is live I only wish I could have been there to hear it in person. Jones and Mager are amazing!