The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood - Vivaldi: L'Estro Armonico op.3 (1997)

This marvellous set of concertos for one, two and four violins calls for a group of well-matched (not cloned) soloists who can also work together in the chamber-musical manner the music calls for—and in Monica Huggett, Catherine Mackintosh, Elizabeth Wilcock and John Holloway that is precisely what you get here. Every last detail is clearly etched in textures of wonderful clarity, intonation is as nearly perfect as humans are wont to achieve, dynamics (and contrasts thereof) are arrestingly controlled, whilst never sounding forced or unnatural. We can never know how the players of the Pieta sounded but these crisp, alert, sensitive and wholly enchanting performances on period instruments must come close—unless Vivaldi was remarkably fortunate. The sound of the CD version is uncannily realistic and the stereo lends effective breadth and separation. If the sound of period intruments is anathema to you then I Musici (on Philips) offer the best available alternative, albeit played with (surprisingly) greater sobriety and less fantasy, but they no longer have the CD field to themselves (as when JB reviewed them) and the choice is yours. I have made mine and I offer no prize for guessing what it is. -- Gramophone