I’m a regular contributor to the #ClassicsaDay Twitter feed. For January 2018, I decided to mark the first month of the new year with firsts. Each post features the first published work of a different composer. Emphasis on the word “published,” In some cases, the Opus 1 is the first mature work of the composer. […]
Antonio Vivaldi
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Camilla de Falleiro Gives Bravura Performances of Vivaldi Cantatas
Vivaldi holds nothing back in this chamber cantatas for soprano and basso continuo. The works were meant to show off the abilities of the soloist. Soprano Camilla de Falleiro is more than up to the challenges. And there are many in these cantatas. The scores are full of wide leaps, sustained tones in the high […]
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Tasmin Little & Roxanna Panufnik – Four World Seasons
It’s an interesting program, coupling Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” with Roxanna Panufnik’s modern take on the same subject. And it’s one that works very well. The connective thread is the talent of violinist Tasmin Little. Little’s performance of the “Four Seasons” with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is a spirited one. Her solo work is beautifully crafted […]
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Venetian Christmas Good for All Seasons
Don’t let the title mislead you. Yes, “Venetian Christmas” is a compilation of music that was played during the Christmas season in Venice during the 1750’s. But there’s nothing that would make it sound “seasonal” to modern ears. Many of the selections feature the psaltery, an ancestor of the hammered dulcimer. The soft, warm tones […]
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Miho Fukui performs Vivaldi bassoon concertos with energy
Antonio Vivaldi wrote over 30 concertos for the bassoon, giving Miho Fukui a lot to choose from. Five of them, plus the Sinfonia from “Il Giustino”, RV 217 make up this new release. Included is the concerto in B-flat major, “La Notte,” RV 501, an oft-recorded work. Bassoonist Miho Fukui plays with a rich, full-bodied […]
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Vivaldi – Return of Angels
“The Return of Angels” is billed as a collection of Vivaldi’s sacred music arranged in an attractive program. The Ensemble Caprice under Matthias Maute perform these works with a lightness and transparency that make for an enjoyable listening experience. The disc starts with Juditha triumphans, one of Vivaldi’s four surviving oratorios. Originally, this music was […]