An Italian fire burns brightly in this grand assembly of effervescent instrumental music of the high baroque. From Venice comes one of Vivaldi’s most memorable concerti for two violins, complete with a stunning slow movement and typical virtuosic display. King of Italian opera, and England’s favourite adopted son, Handel bears the influence of his Italian education but delivers his own masterclass in colour with the expert inclusion of wind instruments and characteristic, although unusual use, of the horn. Meanwhile Hellendaal travelled from the Netherlands to receive tuition with the great violinist Tartini before settling in England, and Dall’abaco, having left the sunny climbs of fair Verona, eventually found his home in Belgium, adding to the spiders web across Europe that traces the grand Italian style.
…the playing here is so delightful, especially in the cleanly delineated duetting of the two solo violins, the sharp dynamic contrasts and the tellingly pointed inner-part details. – GRAMOPHONE (on The English Concert’s recording of Dall’Abaco Op5 No6)
Programme
Featured Artists
The English Concert
Harry Bicket Artistic Director / Harpsichord
