Vivaldi: Ascende laeta, RV635

We know of three settings that Vivaldi produced of the psalm Dixit Dominus (Psalm 109). Vivaldi's three settings are all in D major. Each belongs to a distinct period within Vivaldi's career, so that the progress from one setting to the next charts the evolution of his style - and all the more clearly since the liturgical text remains constant.The earliest of the Dixit Dominus settings, RV595, dates from 1713 to 1717. Like many works from Vivaldi's first period of sacred music composition, it has flamboyant instrumental parts but rather restrained vocal ones.The third setting, RV807, was discovered as recently as 2005 by the Australian scholar Janice Stockigt. RV807 retains the composer's interest in counterpoint but adds to it a new interest: in the florid kind of vocal writing that the Neapolitans were rapidly making universal. It probably dates from 1732 or shortly thereafter.The present recording prefaces each Dixit Dominus by a solo motet to which he gave the name 'introduzione'. Ascende laeta, RV635, in A major, was very likely conceived as a prelude to RV595, with which it shares certain features of melodic design. Canta in prato, ride in fonte, RV636, in G major, was probably designed to precede RV594, but can serve equally appropriately as a prelude to RV807. Rare repertoire in a revised edition from scholar Michael Talbot, who also writes the booklet notes.