This
is the third volume of Naxos’s Vivaldi
Sacred Music edition
performed by the Canada-based Aradia Ensemble directed
by Kevin Mallon. Volume 1 concentrated on choral music
(8.550767). Volume 2 (8.557852 - see
review)
included some of the best known sacred pieces for solo
voice and orchestra.
This
third
volume
mixes
choral and solo pieces, but with the emphasis on the
solo voice.
The
disc opens with Vivaldi’s Magnificat, a piece which appears
to exist in four different versions, the grandest of
which is RV610a which seems to have been adapted for
two choruses. On this disc the ensemble perform Vivaldi’s
final version RV611 written for performance at the Pieta
in 1739. Vivaldi has added five entirely new solo movements
to pre-existing choral numbers. All of the solo movements
were designed to be sung by members of the Pieta. On
this disc all the solos are sung by a single singer,
Lynne McMurtry.
It
is a slightly curious experience listening to this piece
if you are more familiar with one of the Magnificat’s
earlier incarnations - these are the ones which have
tended to be recorded. McMurtry is convincing in the
solo part, even though written for more than one original
soloist. She has a warm-toned voice but is let down by
the rather laboured quality of her runs.
In
both Robert King’s Vivaldi series on Hyperion and Rinaldo
Alessandrini’s series on Naïve, the version of the Magnificat
favoured is RV610a. This makes this disc something of
a novelty in recording the later version.
There
are three different surviving settings of the Salve Regina
by Vivaldi. RV617 dates from 1717-18 and includes a lovely
solo violin line in two of the movements. The soprano
solo is sung by Carla Huhtanen who has a bright voice
which has a tendency to be wayward in its upper register.
Mallon
and his ensemble follow this with a short concerto for
string orchestra. It is quite an appropriate piece for
this collection as it might have had a vocal origin and
the opening Adagio is related to the Kyrie, RV587 and
to the Magnificat both of which are also included on
this disc.
The
Nisi Dominus, RV608 belongs to Vivaldi’s early period
at the Pieta. Nisi Dominus is a Vespers psalm. During
the later baroque period it was the Sunday Vespers which
attracted most attention from composers. The solo part
is ably taken by Lynne McMurtry.
The
Kyrie, RV587 is written for double chorus and double
string orchestra - grand forces which suggest a grand
occasion for performance.
Finally
we get another of Vivaldi’s motets for solo voice and
orchestra. This one dates from 1724 when he was in Rome
for the staging of his opera
Il Giustino. Cardinal
Ottoboni was the patron of the opera so it is possible
that he is linked to the motet as well. In which case
it may have been written for Ottoboni’s church of San
Lorenzo in Damaso and may well have originally been sung
by a castrato. The opening
da capo aria depicts
the fury indicated in the text; the central movement
provides some respite and contrast, then a short recitative
leads to a poignant Largo da capo aria, the mood being
broken by a final florid alleluia.
The
work was obviously written for a virtuoso singer and
Carla Huhtanen copes admirably. But this does bring out
the main weakness of the recording; the soloists are
all capable and musical but never quite as bravura or
virtuoso as they should be. Both Huhtanen and McMurtry
sound a little taxed, in their different ways, by the
solo parts.
This
is made noticeable when you compare some of the performances
with the Vivaldi editions on Hyperion and Naïve. In the
Nisi
Dominus McMurtry has to cope with competition from
Sara Mingardo and Natalie Stutzman. Both Stutzman and
Mingardo have rather darker voices than McMurtry. But
in their different ways they both throw off the bravura
elements with more élan than McMurtry, whose performance
is a little too dogged for my taste.
Similarly
in the
Salve Regina, Huhtanen has to cope with
competition from Susan Gritton on Hyperion. Whilst Gritton
is not ideally Italianate, I do prefer her performance
to Huhtanen’s.
Mallon
and his ensemble accompany magnificently and provide
some fine solo moments. If choice had to be made on the
basis of accompaniment alone, than this new disc has
much to commend it. But Vivaldi’s music was written for
virtuosos and modern day performances must cope with
the demands of these pieces. Mallon’s soloists are capable,
creditable, musical and acceptable; but they don’t quite
thrill me the way some of the performances on Robert
King and Rinaldo Alessandrini’s set do.
Robert Hugill