Vivaldi 100
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
13 Violin Concertos
Giuliano Carmignola (violin), Daniele Orlando (violin)*
I Solisti Aquilani
rec. 17-20 June and 21-24 July 2025, Chiesa di Santa Maria de’ Centorelli, Caporciano (L’Aquila), Italy.
Arcana A594 [2 CDs: 130]
Violinist Giuliano Carmignola has become synonymous with recordings of Vivaldi, with albums on the Sony Classical and Archiv labels that were among a crop of recordings at the beginning of this century that blew new life into period performances of these works. Vivaldi 100 marks Carmignola’s milestone of recording 100 of his violin concertos and also celebrates the creation in 2024 of a bespoke violin by luthier David Bagué i Soler.
From the outset it is clear that these are red-blooded performances, with Carmignola digging into the strings with gusto in the Allegro molto first movement of RV 307. He clearly relishes the virtuoso nature of this music, taking it on as if it were Paganini as much as Vivaldi but with a sense of fun and adventure, rendering the notes with an authentic sense of rhetorical communication rather than producing superficial fireworks. Expressive contrast is built into each concerto with a central slow movement and again, Carmignola often teases the ear by going beyond straightforward lyricism to introduce effects that may not be immediately to everyone’s taste, but that to my mind draw on the imagination and bring us back for more, seeking answers to questions that linger in the mind.
Giuliano Carmignola is joined in the double violin concertos by Daniele Orlando, whose 2023 instrument by Gino Sfarra is well-matched, as these two players are in their approach to Vivaldi’s writing. The opening Allegro of RV 525 has an operatic quality, the dramas in which are propelled by both musicians in terms of unity and discourse. This is also true of the lamenting Larghetto central movement in this concerto, both players managing to extract maximum grief in the movement’s brief timespan.
The energy and sparkle in the solo playing in these recordings is supported and matched in the playing of I Solisti Aquilani. This is a compact band with five violins, one viola and double bass, two cellos and harpsichord or organ. The accompaniments are however rich enough in sonority and variety of colour and dynamics to create an impression that is greater than the sum of its parts; the harpsichord adding rhythmic edge while not being too forward in the mix, enhancing the rustic punch and sheer ‘swing’ in the last movement of RV 233. Use of the organ is more sparing but adds a mellifluous contrast for instance in the Largo central movements of RV 365 and RV 506.
The recording venue for this release deserves a mention, a remarkable so-called pastoral church built along a sheep track and isolated in the Abruzzo countryside. Santa Maria dei Centurelli is found in what would have been a strategic location in the 16th century and this justified the building’s size when it was completed in 1561. It looks strangely out of place today, but the lack of motor traffic makes it an ideal recording venue, as does its acoustic which is well captured in these recordings, providing plenty of resonance in a balance of detail and atmosphere that adds its finishing touch to these attractive and memorable performances.
Dominy Clements
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Contents:
Concerto for Violin in G Major, RV 307
Concerto for Violin in F Major, RV 282
Concerto for Two Violins in G Minor, RV 517*
Concerto for Violin in B-Flat Major, RV 369
Concerto for Violin in D Minor, RV 241
Concerto for Two Violins in B-Flat Major, RV 525*
Concerto for Violin in D Major, RV 233
Concerto for Violin in B-Flat Major, RV 365
Concerto for Two Violins in D Major, RV 512*
Concerto for Violin in C Minor, RV 761 “Amato bene”
Concerto for Two Violins in C Major, RV 506*
Concerto for Violin in B-Flat Major, RV 372
Concerto for Violin in A Major, RV 350
