BaL 7.03.20 - Vivaldi: L'estro armonico

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wow! This BaL clearly has people talking.

Recommended version highlighted in opening post, as always.

[edashtav]

Wow! This BaL clearly has people talking.

Recommended version highlighted in opening post, as always.

Well, let's hope so.
I must admit that whilst I heard this BaL live, I ended little more informed about the recordings than when I awoke this morning. So much time was spent on putting Vivaldi in his historical context and giving a report on performance and recording styles over the past 60 years that comparative analysis of the recordings available today was compressed into a tiny coda including quotations of Webernesque length from the three front-runners. It will surprise nobody that Rachel Podger, the Brecon beacon, took the Gold Award.

[richardfinegold]

Well, let's hope so.
I must admit that whilst I heard this BaL live, I ended little more informed about the recordings than when I awoke this morning. So much time was spent on putting Vivaldi in his historical context and giving a report on performance and recording styles over the past 60 years that comparative analysis of the recordings available today was compressed into a tiny coda including quotations of Webernesque length from the three front-runners. It will surprise nobody that Rachel Podger, the Brecon beacon, took the Gold Award.

I have a few of the other versions, including the one that Tony is fond of, but when I first heard the Podger it just floored me. Surely some of that impact must be due to Channel Classics recording team, as the DSD layer in particular just had a “you are there” palpability. However, in a former office I used to have a small CDP and speakers and I had this disc on auto play for months, and it still retains its freshness.
I have all of the Podger/Breton Baroque SACDS, and they are all fine, but this one along with the “Stravaganza” Vivaldi set are two of my most treasured and frequently played discs

[LeMartinPecheur]

Breton Baroque?? Brexit should see the end of that mob!

[Tony Halstead]

Breton Baroque?? Brexit should see the end of that mob!

[BBMmk2]

Rachel Podger’s is all you need...

I’ll be buying. I think this is in the DG Trevor Pinnock set? Which I have.

[jayne lee wilson]

I bought the Galante/Fabio Biondi/Virgin CD on its release, played it much and was always very thrilled with it.... but that was back the day and I haven't considered the work for some years.
Still, good to see it highlighted, it should probably be on anyone's shortlist or, if you're very fond, an excellent alternative to those more often referenced above...

(playing now.... sounds very alive and exciting, sings beautifully too...excellent sonics, very immediate & vivid)