25 Vivaldi Favorites: MusicNear.com

Oboe Concerto, for oboe, strings & continuo in C major, RV 451: Allegro
Mandolin Concerto, for mandolin, strings & continuo in C major, RV 425: Allegro
Concerto for 4 violins, cello, strings & continuo in B minor ('L'estro armonico' No. 10) Op. 3/10, RV 580: Allegro
Double Trumpet Concerto for 2 trumpets, strings & continuo in C major, RV 537: Largo
Work(s): Unspecified Concerto for bassoon in C major: Mvt. 3, Allegro
Gloria, for 3 solo voices, chorus, trumpet, oboe, violin (ad lib), 2 violas, 2 cellos, strings & continuo in D major, RV 589: Unspeci
Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F major ('L'autunno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293: Adag
Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in E flat major ('Il ritiro' I), RV 256: Allegro
Concerto for violin, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns & bassoon, strings & continuo in F major, RV 571: Largo
Sonata for musette (or hurdy-gurdy, flute, oboe, violin) & continuo in G minor (attrib. to Vivaldi, Op. 13/6): Allegro
Lute (Chamber) Concerto, for lute (or guitar), 2 violins & continuo in D major, RV 93: Largo
Double Horn Concerto, for 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, RV 538: Allegro
Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in G minor ('L'estate,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 2), Op. 8/2, RV 315: Adagi
Stabat Mater, hymn for voice, strings & continuo in F minor, RV 621: opening movement
Concerto for 4 violins, cello, strings & continuo in B minor ('L'estro armonico' No. 10) Op. 3/10, RV 580: Allegro
Viola d'Amore Concerto, for viola d'amore, strings & continuo in D minor, RV 393: Largo
Piccolo (Flautino) Concerto, for piccolo (or recorder/flute), strings & continuo in C major, RV 443: Mvt. 3, Allegro
Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in E major ('La Primavera,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269: Al
Cello Concerto, for cello, strings & continuo in G major, RV 415: Allegro
Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F major ('L'autunno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293: Alle
Double Flute Concerto, for 2 flutes, strings & continuo in C major, RV 533: Allegro
Work(s): Unspecified Sinfonia in C major: Mvt. 2, Larghetto 1
Chamber Concerto, for recorder, oboe, bassoon & continuo in G minor, RV 103
Gloria, for 3 solo voices, chorus, trumpet, oboe, violin (ad lib), 2 violas, 2 cellos, strings & continuo in D major, RV 589: Unspeci
Double Trumpet Concerto for 2 trumpets, strings & continuo in C major, RV 537: Allegro

Free Music Notes for 25 Vivaldi Favorites

Free Music Review: One of the best Vivaldi CDs on the market
Hit: 5 Stars

Wait till you hear track 6, "Et in terra Pax from 'Gloria', by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, for instance, or track 14, from Stabat Mater Dolorosa, sung by Margarethe Bence with the Alto Pro Music Orchestra of Stuttgart. We are transported into the heights of the etherial world of sacred music, right up into the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, yet with that unmistakable touch of Vivaldi, who could be both consumately sacred and masterfully secular as he wished -- or even both at the same time. As has been proven again and again in the 20th century, Vivaldi was one of the greatest composers in history, and every classical music lover should have this CD in his or her collection.

I have a lot of Vivaldi recordings by period music ensembles like the virtuosic Il Giardino Armonico (who recorded the two best DVDs of Vivaldi works in existence, one with Cecilia Bartoli) and the somewhat more conservative Europa Gallante, led by Fabio Biondi. Then there are CDs by individual masters like Andrea Marcon (with the Venice Baroque Orchestra) and the immortal Nigel Kennedy (with the English Chamber Orchestra). Older classics re-released on CD include recordings by the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Orchestra of the 18th Century, and the Romero family (Los Romeros). And the list goes on and on. All are superb recordings that have given me hours of pleasure.

But this "bargain" CD rates right up there with the best of them, and I highly recommend it both for those who are just beginning to discover the wonders of Vivaldi's music and for "hardened" veterans. If it had been issued as a full price CD it might have had trouble getting known in such a crowded and competitive field, but it would have deserved every bit as much praise as I have given it here. As a collection of superb performances of many of Vivaldi's greatest masterpieces by a wide variety of different ensembles, it even has something to commend it over recordings by a single artist or a single ensemble. Buy it and enjoy!