Zefiro

NB all works by the Plas Brothers (Josef and Joan Baptista), who often worked jointly and rarely claimed individual authorship for their work.

Italian oboist, Alfredo Bernardini, records seven of Vivaldi’s oboe concertos for the Vivaldi Edition with his versatile ensemble Zefiro.

Three of the concertos on this CD [RV 455, 463, 453] were originally recorded in 1994 for the label Astrée. Their interpretation has remained exemplary and they are as exhilarating today as they were when first heard. For this reason these have been included in the Vivaldi Edition along with four newly recorded oboe concertos. Alfredo Bernardini has taken part in some 100 recordings. Among these is an earlier album featuring Vivaldi oboe concertos which received a Cannes Classical Award in 1995. In 1999 he made a documentary on Vivaldi with Zefiro for Belgian television. Accompanying Bernardini is Zefiro, his versatile ensemble specialising in 18th-century repertoire that gives particular prominence to wind instruments.

Ensemble Zefiro was founded in 1989 by oboists Alfredo Bernardini and Paolo Grazzi together with bassoonist Alberto Grazzi and consists of talented musicians drawn from leading Baroque orchestras. Zefiro regularly appears to great acclaim at major European, Asian and South American festivals. Its recordings have received accolades around the world, including ‘Grand Prix du Disque’, supporting Zefiro’s reputation for virtuosic performances and a lively approach to repertoire. On the Ensemble’s latest stunning CD, the group has chosen Haendel’s famous ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks’ together with four Concerti. There is much here of interest for the listener including well-known melodies from the ever-popular oratorio, ‘The Messiah’.

Founded in 1996 and consisting of musicians who have performed in ensembles such as Collegium Vocale and Capilla Flamenca, their CD De Fragiltate (KTC4023) was awarded the prestigious Diapason d’Or. Here they perform songs by Locke, Morley, Campion, Lawes, Ravenscroft and others. Included is a 15th anniversary Zefiro Torna CD.

Ensemble Zefiro was founded in 1989 by oboists Alfredo Bernardini and Paolo Grazzi together with bassoonist Alberto Grazzi and consists of talented musicians drawn from leading Baroque orchestras. Zefiro regularly appears to great acclaim at major European, Asian and South American festivals.

The versatile, highly acclaimed early music ensemble, Zefiro, present a beautiful programme exploring the influence of water and the elements upon both Handel and Telemann, reissued at a special price for the Handel 250th anniversary this year.

Water is the element that unites Handel’s Water Music and Telemann’s Wassermusik, composed within a few years of each other. Both are occasional pieces, Handel’s Water Music being written for royal water parties on the Thames and Telemann’s Wassermusik to celebrate the centenary of the Admiralty in Hamburg. Both are also instrumental pieces displaying great expertise in writing for different string and wind instruments, together and in dialogue.

Zefiro is a versatile music group in which wind instruments are in the foreground. Recent visitors to London, their recordings are highly acclaimed and have been awarded several international prizes, including the Grand Prix du Disque.

The collection on this release is the work of the well-known poet Antonio Molino (pseudonym Manoli Blessi). He wrote in a made-up language, a mixture of Venetian dialect and elements of Greek that was given the name of ‘Greghesca’. The award winning Ensemble Zefiro Torna play historical instruments and offer a historical approach to performance practice.

The Piae Cantiones (1582) is Finland’s one and only collection of early music and reflection of Europe’s medieval musical heritage. Zefiro Torna performs these beautiful carols, devote and student songs with 15th-16th century instruments and includes a children’s choir. The discrete but charming use of a kantele introduces a Finnish-ing touch to the sound.

The majority of the compositions belongs to the Germanic-Bohemian cantio tradition. There are also links to French, Spanish and Italian sources and to Flemish masters such as Jacob Obrecht. The religious songs — the majority being Christmas songs — are grouped together according to the liturgical year. The remaining songs deal with the transitory character of earthly life, the human condition, the life of schoolchildren, Biblical subjects and the rebirth of Nature in the spring.

Very few collections of music from the 16th century are so strongly anchored in contemporary musical life as the Piae Cantiones are in Finland today, becoming a fixed part of Finnish choral and religious music with the flowering of Finnish nationalism and romanticism in the early 20th century. Variants of these cantiones can be found in Finland’s religious folk music, whilst many composers have also made arrangements of the songs, including Jean Sibelius in his ‘Carminalia’.