The Naïve label's Vivaldi Edition is a giant undertaking, aimed at recording the complete contents of a collection of Vivaldi in Turin -- 450 works in all. The series has been underway since early in the century and here reaches its 67th volume, which might cause the casual observer to wonder, didn't even Vivaldi have a bad day once in a while? The quality of the concertos here (and the commercial success of the release) suggest that there is no diminution of quality as the series proceeds. Naïve has used various ...
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The Naïve label's Vivaldi Edition is a giant undertaking, aimed at recording the complete contents of a collection of Vivaldi in Turin -- 450 works in all. The series has been underway since early in the century and here reaches its 67th volume, which might cause the casual observer to wonder, didn't even Vivaldi have a bad day once in a while? The quality of the concertos here (and the commercial success of the release) suggest that there is no diminution of quality as the series proceeds. Naïve has used various ensembles, mostly Italian and their French followers, in the series, but it is perhaps Concerto Italiano and its director, Rinaldo Alessandrini, who are most in tune with the music's nature. These are later Vivaldi works, taking into account "Le nuove vie," as the album's subtitle. It's not clear exactly where this term came from, but its import is clear; this is music Vivaldi composed after he came in contact with the new stylistic breezes of the 1720s, mostly from Naples, as...
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