Search - Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro de Marchi, Academia Montis Regalis :: Vivaldi: Concerto Rustico

A delightful recording of famous and not so famous Vivaldi

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 04/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Italy's Academia Montis Regalis recorded this (ironically) cosmopolitan selection of concertos by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) in Italy in 2005 and Berlin Classics released it in 2007. The recording includes two famous concertos -- the Alla Rustica concerto for strings RV 151 and Concerto for Viola d'amore, Lute and Strings RV 540. The others are perhaps less well-known: Concerto for Recorder (blockflute) and Strings RV 441, Concerto for Viola d'amore and Strings, RV 392, Concerto for Lute and Two Violins RV 93, and Concerto for Two Oboes and Strings, RV 535.



The group's leader, harpsichordist Alessandro de Marchi, selected the varied concertos to represent Vivaldi's penchant for writing music for traveling musicians -- thus the album title concerto rustico. Berlin Classics addresses this on the back cover saying, "...the Academia Montis Reglais playing is fresh, reminiscent of intinerant musicians and bold, it has a well-rounded sensual ensemble sound, the likes of which you are unlikely to encounter often." I am often put off by publicity pap like this but, in this case, is it 100 percent true.



This is not only a pleasing sounding recording in terms of all of the recording, the instruments and the playing, it is an inventive program done with enthusiasm and imagination. Best of all, it is performed in modern period style but without the dogmatic race to the sun tempos that often ruin Baroque classics for me. While there is still a lot of pep in their step, the group members are relaxed in approach compared to many period practitioners' hell bent for leather approaches.



There is unusual creative juice demonstrated in this concert, too. Marchi has ideas about the Alla Rustica concerto and he isn't afraid to use them. He starts with a solo cello marking five downstrokes in the tonic before other players accompany, then seven more accompanied strokes before the rest of the band commences the opening Allegro. He also made the decision to add an oboe to the finale, an endearment that adds spice to the goings on without altering its tenor. I'm still getting used to this and am liking it more with every hearing.



The rest of the recording is equally worth your time and attention. The famous RV 93 Concerto for Lute and Two Violins is worhty of a special notation. Every classical music fan that has listened to public radio has heard this wonderful concerto and it is done in fine style here. The famous Largo is performed with a bit of rubato often considered out of place in Baroque performance. Meanwhile, the contrast of the lovely lute against the accompanying cello is spellbinding.



Elsewhere, Marchi and his collaborators have taken another risk or two. The Concerto for Viola d'amore and Strings RV 392 has an opening Allegro cadenza that begins to border on the sound of music produced in the back half of the 20th century. When I first heard it, I was reminded of Kennedy's first movement cadenza in his concert recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Bach Partita No. 3, Sonata No. 3. Probably knowing that some listeners may be put off by this, Marchi intuitively recorded an alternate cadenza -- done with more panache and virtuosity but still in keeping with the rustic nature of the recording -- and included it as the final track on the CD.



Like it or not, bravo for that! It shows the depth of consideration that went into making this little CD of famous and not so famous concertos from the Italian Red Priest. I've heard a lot of Vivaldi lately by bigger name groups including Tafelmusik and Anner Bylsma Vivaldi: Eleven Concertos that had none of the spirit, adventure and joie de vivre of this recording. Anyone that likes Vivaldi, or that thinks they know everything there is to know about him and his music, should hear this at the earliest opportunity."