Vivaldi: Concerto in D major RV95 'La Pastorella'

This milestone of the Arcana catalogue returns with new artwork, new catalogue number (previously A330) and a new cover featuring ‘Boy with Flute’ by the Venetian painter Domenico Maggiotto. All the recorder concertos on this CD were written expressly for flauto or flautino and show the imagination, delicacy, freshness, virtuosity and sometimes even melancholy, which Vivaldi put into his writing for this instrument. Oberlinger has intentionally chosen tuning at 440 Hz since, in Venice, in Vivaldi’s time, tuning was higher than in neighbouring musical centres such as Rome. With this high tuning, the sound of the gentle gut strings becomes clearer and more brilliant. Dorothee Oberlinger is an expressive virtuoso who is seen as one of the best recorder players in the world. She collaborates particularly intensively with the top Italian period ensemble Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, with whom she has given many concerts throughout Europe. Their joint CD of concertos by Antonio Vivaldi with violinist Giuliano Carmignola, has received numerous awards from the international musical press including Diapason d’or de l’année.

Pastoral tableau and earthly delights are on display in this vibrant and varied selection of Vivaldi’s arias and concertos for mixed forces. Vivaldi in Arcadia, the follow-up recording to Adrian Chandler’s Avie debut, Per Monsieur Pisendel (AV 0018), features the expanded forces of his ensemble La Serenissima, with the stunning string soloists engaging in a contest of style and beauty. The sparkling soprano of Mhairi Lawson, a member of English National Opera, joins them for arias from Dorilla in Tempe.

Adrian Chandler’s passionate explorations of Vivaldi’s music have led to numerous critically acclaimed performances, including the UK premieres of several of the Red Priest’s stage works.