Catalogue

Summary:

“Jeannette Sorrell’s decision to follow Bach’s example and do a little arranging of her own is an enterprising one – indeed a daring one when it comes to transforming “Summer” from The Four Seasons into a harpsichord concerto.” – Lindsay Kemp, Gramophone

“Apollo’s Fire has become one of the pre-eminent period-instrument ensembles, causing one to hear familiar baroque material anew…the showstopper is the vivid “La Folia”: I love the strings’ halting introductory bars and the way the ensemble picks up speed, building to dizzying whirls evocative of the Moorish dance it’s named after.” ★★★★ – The Independent

“There’s a real sense of engagement and fun about this performance. Sorrell’s version of La Folia, scored by Vivaldi as a trio sonata, is nicely refreshed by her concerto grosso arrangement…This makes for a particularly varied and enjoyable programme…” ★★★★ – Classic FM magazine

“… a fresh but simultaneously authentic take on Vivaldi and a pure delight from beginning to end…” – Margarida Mota-Bull, MusicWebInternational.com

“Vivid, earthy and ardent… Be prepared to sit straight up.” – The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“… in this collection of baroque and modern music there is no want of creativity or drama …” – John J Puccio, Classical Candor

The Cleveland-based baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire, with their founder/ director Jeannette Sorrell, has made an indelible impression on the international music market since launching on Avie with recordings of Bach, Mozart and Monteverdi. Vivaldi and Friends is a presentation of concertos by the Red Priest with a twist: two authentic Vivaldi Concertos – one for four violins, the other for two cellos – are interspersed with J. S. Bach’s transcript- ion of Vivaldi’s A minor concerto for four harpsichords, and Jeannette Sorrell’s own transcription of ‘Summer’ from the ever-popular Four Seasons. Sorrell’s arrangement mirrors the widespread baroque practice of transcribing violin works for keyboard. In her unique version, she performs the original violin parts on the harpsichord. The album ends with an enigmatic Tango Concerto by contemporary composer René Duchiffre, written in the idiom of Bach and Vivaldi for the unusual combination of two violas da gamba, and instrument not typically given the spotlight in baroque concertos and to the composer’s mind was unjustly neglected. The use of the Tango, a 20th-century dance form, is a nod to the characteristic use of dance forms during the baroque era.

Tracklist:

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678–1741)

1. La Folia (Madness): Concerto grosso, after Trio Sonata Op. 1, no. 12 (10:55)

Concerto in b minor for Four Violins, Op. 3, No. 10/RV 580
2. Allegro (3:52)
3. Largo (1:54)
4. Allegro (3:37)

Concerto “LEstate” (“Summer”), Op. 8, No. 2/RV 315 from The Four Seasons
5. Allegro non molto – Allegro (5:16)
6. Adagio (2:16)
7. Presto: Tempo impetuoso dEstate (3:11)

Concerto in g minor for Two Cellos, RV531
8. Allegro (3:36)
9. Largo (4:11)
10. Allegro (3:02)

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (trans. fr. Vivaldi)

Concerto in a minor for Four Harpsichords, BWV 1064
11. [Allegro] (4:06)
12. Largo (2:04)
13. Allegro (3:46)

RENÉ DUCHIFFRE (b. 1961)

Concerto in d minor for Two Violas da Gamba “Tango”
14. Allegro ostinato (8:24)
15. Adagio morganesco (2:58)
16. Cadenza abrupta (1:07)
17. Tempo di Tango (10:34)

Total time: 75:01

Recorded at St. Pauls Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio except Track 1: live recording, 22-23 February 2008
Tracks 2 – 4, 10, and 14 – 17, recorded April 2000
Tracks 5 – 7 and 11 – 13, recorded October 2000

Recording engineer: Thomas Knab