Vivaldi - Concertos for the Emperor - Harmonia Mundi: HMU907332 - download

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Vivaldi published his Op 9 concertos, La cetra ('The Lyre'), in 1727. Soon after, he presented Charles VI, the Habsburg emperor, with a manuscript set of concertos, also called La cetra. It was... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 9th Aug 2004
Catalogue No: HMU907332
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Length: 78 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

October 2004

Editor's Choice
Penguin Guide

Rosette

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 2 in C Major, RV 189

Work length17:04

$3.00

$3.90

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

I. Larghetto - Allegro non molto

Track length5:58

$1.00

$1.30

II. Largo

Track length4:37

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro molto

Track length6:29

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 10 in E Major, RV 271 "L'amoroso"

Work length11:28

$3.00

$3.90

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

I. Allegro

Track length4:38

$1.00

$1.30

II. Cantabile

Track length2:55

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro

Track length3:55

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, RV 202

Work length13:05

$3.00

$3.90

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

I. Allegro non molto

Track length5:31

$1.00

$1.30

II. Largo

Track length3:01

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro non molto

Track length4:33

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 7 in C Major, RV 183

Work length9:29

$3.00

$3.90

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

I. Allegro non molto

Track length4:06

$1.00

$1.30

II. Largo

Track length2:37

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro

Track length2:46

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Concerto No. 11 in E Minor, RV 277 "Il favorito"

Work length4:21

$1.00

$1.30

Stephen Bell, Andrew Manze, The English Concert

I. Allegro

Track length4:21

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 11 in E Minor, RV 277 "Il favorito"

Work length8:55

$2.00

$2.60

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

II. Andante

Track length4:07

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro

Track length4:48

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 4 in F Major, RV 286

Work length14:22

$3.00

$3.90

The English Concert, Andrew Manze

I. Largo molto e spiccato

Track length5:54

$1.00

$1.30

II. Largo

Track length3:44

$1.00

$1.30

Concerto No. 4 in F Major, RV 286: III. Allegro non molto

Track length4:44

$1.00

$1.30

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Vivaldi published his Op 9 concertos, La cetra ('The Lyre'), in 1727. Soon after, he presented Charles VI, the Habsburg emperor, with a manuscript set of concertos, also called La cetra. It was long supposed that these were the same concertos until someone looked at them more carefully, and noticed that 11 of the 12 were entirely different works. Vivaldi had simply used the same name again for a set of pieces he thought particularly well suited to the needs of the Viennese court. No one seems to have gathered them together for performance as a group until now. The six presented here show Vivaldi in his grandest and most magnificent vein, and exceptionally varied in mood.
The first item (No 2 of the set) is a dashing C major piece, with vigorous scales to catch the attention, then more contemplative minor-key music with much brilliant high writing for the soloist; there's a quietly eloquent slow movement, again with violin reaching its upper reaches; and in the finale, a lively, playful piece, the cadenza is positively stratospheric.
The second concerto (No 10) is entirely different, soft-toned, with a lovely E major glow, and a tenderness to the musical ideas untypical of Vivaldi. Then comes a big C minor work (No 7) with large gestures in its outer movements; in the finale there's a huge crescendo that makes the later Mannheim ones sound tame by comparison, with some elaborate violin coloratura.
The final concerto, in F major (No 4), is a big, ceremonial, stately piece, originally composed 'per la solennità di San Lorenzo', but it serves Charles VI pretty well, too, with a virtuoso finale to round it off. Perhaps the most powerful of the concertos, however, is No 11, full of nervous energy in its first movement, with an improvisatory violin line in its second above soft chords, and a strong reminiscence of the FourSeasons (not the only one here) in the finale.
This is an immensely enjoyable disc: the music very characteristic, but much freer of cliché than Vivaldi sometimes is. The violin-playing from Andrew Manze is of an extremely high order: rhythms beautifully springy, articulation clear and precise, intonation perfect, great refinement in the shaping of phrases, and a real command of the logic of the music. The orchestral support is strong and energetic, the recorded quality firstrate.
An outstanding CD in every way.

Vivaldi - Concertos for the Emperor

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