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Reviewer:
Lindsay Kemp After the Fiats, the chess pieces and the football shirts comes the Vespa, another striking cover image for the latest release from La Serenissima, and another expertly chosen selection of unfamiliar sonatas and concertos from the Italian Baroque. This time the linking theme is explained as ‘a reflection of the style of art, music and architecture that emerged in Italy in the early 18th century’, which, if a bit unfocused – and director Adrian Chandler’s division of the programme into music from different regions seems of mainly academic interest – seems as good a subject as any, especially when that music has such character and charm, and is played with so much spirit and love. The best-known composers are Tartini – represented by a violin sonata that shows a typical mixture of affecting melody and a tough virtuosity which Chandler carries off with some panache, stylishly glancing at the many double-stoppings rather than doing battle with them – and of course Vivaldi, in the form of a chamber-size recorder concerto. Tabea Debus is the soloist here, playing with a clean elegance of line and tone and some neatly tasteful ornamentation. She brings the same qualities to a sonata for recorder, two violins and continuo by Alessandro Scarlatti – attractive while showing the composer’s usual relaxed approach to structure – and a more concerto-like work for the same line-up by Francesco Mancini, unique in this particular company for offering up a somewhat huff-and-puff fugue. Alongside these there is a meandering but pleasing violin sonata by Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco and a striking cello sonata full of robust emotion by Antonio Vandini, given a powerful but sensitive rendition by Vladimir Waltham with muscly support from continuo cellist Carina Drury. The most arresting discovery comes from Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello – a composer Chandler has championed on previous releases, and who shows energy and imagination in a trio sonata whose opening movement has a shimmering, watery glint. Not every piece a masterpiece, perhaps, but each a creation in its own right with something about it to enjoy. Beautifully performed and recorded as they are here, they could well win your heart.
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