RV 576

Vivaldi supposedly wrote some rather colorful concerti for the orchestra at Dresden (think Heinichen or Pisendel). Among these is RV 576 in G minor. I have three performances: * Danny Bond (bassoon) featured with the AAM under Christopher Hogwood * I Concerti di Dresda with the Freiburger Barockorchester * Concerti con molti strumenti with Biondi and the EG Orchestra Neither of them is ultimately satisfying. Biondi, a usual favorite, got cheated this time around by a bad acoustic. He plays with the fastest tempo and the most unusual interpretation (he's always pushing the accents, isn't he?). The AAM simply sounds thin in comparison to the others in terms of "sound." It also appears they are afraid to offer any type of interpretive edge. They play tempo-sharp (as if the practice metronome was beeping as they played). Everything is just right, but there's a lack of passion from any of the instrument groups. This concerto is ripe with oboe, bassoon, recorders, and of course, violin. The FB-O takes this one really slow. They have the best of the AAM and EG sounds: more colorful than the AAM, more live than the AAM, but not too distant, as with the EG recording. Now, let's consider the third movement: the FB-O turns up the heat with the tempo but have a less orchestral sound than the EG ensemble. Not everyone is used to the Vivaldian concerto with quite so much color as can be found in his concerti written for export. Some have horns, others a variety of woodwinds. For those willing to listen to the music and add some inventiveness, there are many rewards to be found. The ultimate question however is what would the Germans have done with this music? As I listen today to British, Italian, and German musicians play this music so differently by their interpretation, what might the differences been a few hundred years ago? The variety from CD to CD is our treat although that ultimate question can never be answered. It's not worth worrying about, I suspect. The differences among each recording is an area of interest to me. It's not always so important to mark a winner among the group. In this case, it's simply a modern trap of following the suit of modern commercialism: may I help you find the best choice, sir? My run-down: AAM - a little too straight. Biondi - a little too big a hall, and Freiburg - just right.