Enrico Gatti - Vivaldi, A.: Trio Sonatas, Op. 1, Nos. 1-12 (2007)

“The music of Antonio Vivaldi – the rediscovery of which has been comparatively recent – has been enjoying a vast popularity for some decades, one which is not showing even the merest hint of a decline at the moment. In recent years, moreover, we have witnessed what can be described as an almost superfluous flowering of performances and recordings, taking in, along the way, the entire range of the Venetian:born composer’s output. However, as a result of preferences for rich colours and dazzling special effects, colleagues and rivals have become immersed in a veritable jousting competition to see who can go further in this sphere – to the point, at times, that the prominence of the performers has threatened to suffocate the voice of the composer and his 18th century world. With all this happening around me, I have thought it necessary to hold myself back, to reflect, to investigate, to play and experiment before being able to reach a possible hypothesis of how the art of Vivaldi might be portrayed; one which should be founded on appropriate historical and stylistic considerations and in whatever way possible should endeavour to shed all spurious influences. And, naturally, it seemed logical for me to begin with the young Vivaldi, the Vivaldi of the first published works, ones which today are often – and unjustly – ignored...” Such is the way in which Italian violinist Enrico Gatti introduces this new recording, a complementary release to add to the recently issued Op 2, and for which he has surrounded himself with a select group of instrumentalists, who once again are entertaining us with compelling and authoritative performances. To round off this release there is an essay by the foremost Vivaldi specialist of the present day, the English musicologist Michael Talbot.