James Galway ‎– Vivaldi: 6 Concerti, Op. 10 (1989)

This is an excellent “traditional” version of the Opus 10 Concertos. I Musici returned three times to that cycle, all for Philips. The first was in 1958 with Gastone Tassinari (who had already recorded the complete flute concertos for Vox in 1956 with an ensemble called “I Musici Virtuosi di Milano”, not the same as “I Musici”… ). To the best of my knowledge it hasn’t been reissued to CD, and I haven’t heard it. This one with Severino Gazzelloni is from a decade later, 1969. Then came a digital remake, in 1986, with Aurèle Nicolet, 6 Flute Concerti.

Overall the conception has remained remarkably similar from 1969 to 1986, but I find that Gazzelloni has an edge, on account of his finer tone, and because the orchestra is allowed to be softer in the Largos. There is, generally, sufficient vigor and enthusiasm to the Allegros (the opening of No. 6 is a somewhat ponderous and limp though, and the first movement of No. 4 is very laid-back), witsful and dreamy poetry to the Largos, and there, although he hardly ever ornaments (except in the Largo of No. 6), Gazzelloni is commendable for avoiding any lachrymose dragging: his Largos nicely flow. The opening Allegro of op. 10-5 stands out for its very slow tempo – unsual, but quite effective I find, eliciting a tender nostalgia. This is a version that also avoids the moments of thick string textures and a few of the trudging tempos of the classic Jean-Pierre Rampal with Claudio Scimone’s I Solisti Veneti in 1966 (Vivaldi: Flute Concertos - Concerti Per Flauto Op. 10; Due Concerti per Flauto, RV 429-441 [Erato #2292-45401-2]). So it would be my first recommendation among the “traditional” versions that I’ve heard. And the music is lovely, of course.