Vivaldi Violin Concertos Volume 2

Shlomo Mintz Violin and Conductor, Israel Chamber Orchestra

If Arcangelo Corelli was 'the father of the violin' the Vivaldi must at the very least be considered a very prominent uncle. The first two discs of this set are of the twelve concertos Vivaldi wrote for a pupil at the Pio Ospedale dalla Pietà, Anna Maria. Vivaldi commenced work at the Pietà in 1703, and, while following the Concerto Grosso formula largely set by Corelli and others of the previous generation, certainly provided his employers with top-notch material. The solo parts are technically demanding, without quite the extremes or variety of special effects which some of the later concertos seem to invite, but expressive middle movements such as the alternating Largo and Presto tempi of RV 248 certainly presage Vivaldi's later work.
Shlomo Mintz plays with a pure, full, round, well-projected tone which matches with and sings over the ensemble of the Israel Chamber Orchestra very well indeed. This string band has plenty of bounce, and Mintz brings out sensitivity of phrasing in both the slow central sections and the less overtly expressive outer movements. Rhythm and harmony are both enriched with a well balanced and discreetly played harpsichord to the right of the main body of strings. The acoustic of the Eglise Du Liban suits the music and doesn't stand in the way of detail and articulation. They are superbly played and recorded, and will stand up well to close scrutiny as they will to the accompaniment of a glass of nice port and a good book on a peaceful night.
Dominy Clements, MusicWeb-International