When it rains, especially in this month, I hear the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers” in my head.
Frankly, what I’d rather hear in my head are Vivaldi’s lively compositions.
Such as this morning’s listening fare – Complete Cello Concertos III.
So that’s what I’m doing, if for no other reason than to drown out the idiotic “April showers bring May flowers” chant that’s now stuck in my noggin’.
Just the Facts
Vivaldi CD 25 features 21 tracks, covering seven concertos, for a total running time of 52:54.
This was recorded January-May, 2014, in Padua, Italy.
L’Arte dell’Arco returns, with Federico Guiglielmo at the helm.
The players this time are:
Federico Guglielmo, violin I & concertmaster
Francesca Bonomo, violin II
Simone Laghi, viola
Paolo Zuccheri, 8-foot violone
Roberto Loreggian, harpsichord/chamber organ
Ivano Zanenghi, theorbo
The concertos performed in this CD are:
Concerto in D minor, RV 406
Concerto in A minor, RV 421
Concerto in C, RV 399
Concerto in F, RV 411
Concerto in D, RV 404
Concert in C minor, RV 402
Just the Feelings
Recording quality: 5
Overall musicianship/vocals: 5
CD liner notes: 2 (booklet in box set)/5 (pdf download from web site)
How does this make me feel: 3
First of all, what’s an “8-foot violine”?
A quick google search didn’t tell me.
The opening track (“Conerto in D minor, RV 406, Allegro con molto”), was great. Quite lively. Sounded like music I’ve heard as background in movies. It woke me up.
However, as I worked on a paper due in one of my seminary classes, and sipped my Light Roast coffee laced with cinnamon, the rest of CD 25 didn’t wow me. Nothing jumped out at me – well, with the exception of other lively concerto intros, such as:
Track 4: Concerto in A minor, RV 421 (“allegro con troppo”). It grabbed my attention because it was so sprightly.
Track 7: Concerto in C, RV 399 (“allegro”). Again, it was lively enough and fun enough to arrest my thinking and make me pay attention.
I suppose what I’m noticing is that I’m a fan of allegro as opposed to largo. I want my music to engage my mind, make me smile, and make me say, “Now that was an amazing performance.” I can do that more easily when the music is lively.
That’s not to say the musicianship was not first-rate or that the recording lacked some important element. Nope. Music from Brilliant Classics is always some of the finest I’ve ever heard.
No, the “fault” is mine. I prefer livelier music.