Vivaldi x2 Double for Horns, , & , &

ANTONIO VIVALDI 1678–1741 in F RV 539 for 2 horns, strings & continuo Concerto in B flat RV 547 for violin, cello, strings & continuo 1 I. Allegro 3.09 17 I. Allegro 3.58 2 II. Larghetto 2.29 18 II. Andante 2.01 3 III. Allegro 2.42 19 III. Allegro molto 3.07 sponsored by Michael & Licia Crystal dedicated by Camilla Scarlett to the memory of her father Michael Scarlett

Concerto in D minor RV 535 for 2 oboes, strings & continuo Concerto in A minor RV 536 for 2 oboes, strings & continuo 4 I. Largo 1.14 20 I. Allegro 2.35 5 II. Allegro 2.38 21 II. Largo 2.08 6 III. Largo 2.35 22 III. Allegro 1.55 7 IV. Allegro molto 3.02 sponsored by Glenys Phillips dedicated by Mary Kane to the memory of her brother Michael Kane Concerto per S.A.S.I.S.P.G.M.D.G.S.M.B. in F RV 574 Concerto in A RV 546 for violin, cello, strings & continuo for 2 horns, 2 oboes, bassoon, violin, cello, strings & continuo 8 I. Allegro 3.26 23 I. Allegro 4.39 9 II. Andante 3.09 24 II. Adagio 3.17 10 III. Allegro 3.15 25 III. Allegro 3.57 sponsored by Alison Wilkinson sponsored by Ben Mazower

Concerto in G RV 545 for oboe*, bassoon, strings & continuo 75.32 11 I. Allegro 4.08 12 II. Largo 2.47 13 III. Allegro non molto 3.47 La Serenissima sponsored by Tony & Criona Mackintosh Adrian Chandler director & solo violin Anneke Scott, Jocelyn Lightfoot solo horns Concerto in F RV 538 for 2 horns, strings & continuo Rachel Chaplin*, Mark Baigent solo oboes 14 I. Allegro 3.21 15 II. Largo 2.40 Vladimir Waltham solo cello 16 III. Allegro non molto 3.17 Peter Whelan solo bassoon sponsored by Big Apple Baroque performed on period instruments

2 Anneke Scott horn Justyna Skatulnik violin II THANK YOU, THANK YOU Richard Seraphino!, USA, 2017, Jacek Wesołowski, Poland, 2017 copy of J. Leichambschneider, Vienna, c.1720 La Serenissima wishes to acknowledge the patronage of His Excellency The Italian violin II Ellen Bundy Ambassador to the UK, horn Kloz family, Mittenwald, c.1780 Jocelyn Lightfoot as well as core funding from The Foyle Foundation and J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust John Webb/Anthony Halstead, UK, 1995, Jane Rogers which has supported the ’s activities during 2018. The recording sessions, which copy of M. Leichambschneider, Vienna, c.1720 Jan Pawlikowski, Poland, 2008, a"er Guarneri took place in February 2018, were made possible through a generous grant from Mr and Rachel Chaplin oboe Mrs J.A. Pye’s Charitable Settlement (see page 23). James O’Toole viola Wolfgang Küber, Germany, 2018, a"er Anciuti La Serenissima acknowledges the generous support of all its Friends, Patrons and Chair Eric Mawby, UK, 2012 a"er Guarneri Sponsors and in particular the following who have contributed specifically to support the Mark Baigent oboe Thomas Kirby viola release of this recording: Wolfgang Küber, Germany, 2018, a"er Anciuti Bernd Hiller, Germany, 2006 Rosemary Barnard Tony & Criona Mackintosh * Bill & Valerie Sellwood Peter Whelan bassoon Andrew Bounds Ben Mazower * Mark & Sue Vinter Vladimir Waltham cello Peter de Koningh, The Netherlands, 2007, Keith Chandler Bill & Valerie Monaghan Sam Webster Nicola Gagliano, Italy, c.1770 Michael & Licia Crystal * Glenys Phillips * Alison Wilkinson* a"er anonymous Venetian model on loan from the Jumpstart Jr. Foundation Mary Kane * Ian Pollock Big Apple Baroque * Adrian Chandler violin & director Tony Loader Camilla Scarlett * & other anonymous donors Carina Drury cello * concerto sponsor Rowland Ross, UK, 1981, a"er Amati Maker unknown, Italy, c.1850 Oliver Cave violin I The release of this CD has also been supported by a crowdfunding campaign through Pippa Macmillan Martin Hilsden, UK, 1985, Global Giving www.globalgiving.org : La Serenissima is extremely grateful to the c.250 Maker unknown, Italy, c.1750 a"er anonymous c.1650 individual donors who contributed to this vital funding initiative. If you would like to help bring to life La Serenissima’s next CD recording, please Lynda Sayce theorbo & baroque guitar Joanne Green violin I contact Camilla Scarlett, General Manager, [email protected], who would be Theorbo in A by David Van Edwards, Norwich, 2007, Michiel de Hoog, France, 1988 delighted to share with you the group’s future artistic plans. a"er Matteo Buchenberg, Rome, 1614 Guy Button violin I Baroque guitar in E by Ivo Magherini, Bremen, 2002, Joannes Jais, Germany, c.1750 a"er Giovanni Tesler, Ancona, 1620 Baroque guitar in D by Edward Fitzgibbon, Camilla Scarlett violin II Oxford, 1998, a"er Antonio Stradivari, Venice, 1688 Editions: Adrian Chandler Rowland Ross, UK, 1996, a"er Amati La Serenissima would like to thank Michael Talbot for musicological advice and Francesco Fanna Joseph McHardy harpsichord at the Istituo Italiano Antonio Vivaldi in Venice for help in sourcing manuscripts. Simon Kodurand violin II Malcolm Greenhalgh, UK, 1989, Recording: 12–15 February 2018, Cedars Hall, Wells, Somerset, UK Christopher Rowe, UK, 1993, a"er Grimaldi c.1680 Keyboard preparation: Joseph McHardy a"er Guarneri del Gesù Temperament: Vallotti (RV 539, 535, 538, 547, 536, 574), Young (RV 546, 545) · Pitch: A = 440 Hz Recording produced, engineered, and edited by Simon Fox-Gál Photography: Stephen Page (pp. 6, 8); Tim Mintiens (p.10, Waltham); Jen Owens (p.10, Whelan); Eric Richmond (p.11) Design: Paul Marc Mitchell for WLP Ltd ൿ 2018 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by La Serenissima Ꭿ 2018 La Serenissima [email protected] · laserenissima.co.uk Registered charity no. 1154940. The Old Dairy, Hordley, Wootton, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1EP, UK Marketed by Avie Records avie-records.com DDD

3 Vivaldi x2 This work is most unusual as the bassoon fulfils the roles of both soloist and bass accompaniment during the outer movements. The soloists are only joined by the The was a genre in which Vivaldi excelled. In terms of form, continuo during the Largo. there is nothing that di!erentiates it from the solo concerto, so it is strange that Whilst the two double horn concertos show certain similarities, such as choice Vivaldi was one of a very select few whose interest in this form was piqued. Other of key and the use of standard baroque hunting-calls, they di!er massively in prolific of the baroque solo concerto such as Tartini, Albinoni and the range employed by the soloists. RV 538 is more conservative whilst RV 539 Valentini composed no (proper) double concertos at all if their surviving output includes some of the highest writing found in the entire baroque horn repertoire. is to be believed. The only other composers to have composed notable examples Indeed, the autograph manuscript of this latter work shows that Vivaldi’s initial resided north of the Alps, where some Vivaldi double concertos (in particular plan was for an even harder first horn part, ascending two octaves above middle those of his Opus 3) were very popular. C, probably pointing to a di!erent set of soloists for each concerto. It is possible Vivaldi’s concertos for two soloists and orchestra include around 40 for pairs of that due to the extreme tessitura found in this work, Vivaldi’s recipients were instruments, whilst a further 15 survive for contrasting instruments such as violin in fact trumpeters, a doubling practice commonly adopted by Italian theatres, and organ, violin and oboe, and violin and cello; only three – for viola d’amore where high horn parts shared a range with that of the baroque ; the and lute, oboe and bassoon and for oboe and cello – survive in single examples. techniques required by both instruments were relatively similar at this stage in Of the concertos for violin and cello, three survive complete whilst another the 18th century. One trumpeter who was known for his prowess on the horn survives in fragmentary form. On the title page of the A major concerto, Vivaldi was Lodovico Vacca, active in Rome from the 1710s up until around 1750. It is an assigns the bass solo line to either a cello or bass , an instrument which was interesting fact that and horns never play together in any of Vivaldi’s almost obsolete in Italy, apart from in a few centres such as at the court of the surviving operas. Medici and the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice where a consort of was still The low register of the concerto RV 538 posed greater problems for Vivaldi used from time to time. This famous foundling institution was synonymous with owing to the restricted nature of the harmonic series (i.e. notes that are playable the name of Vivaldi who was employed there on and o! for much of his career. on the baroque horn), which meant that melodic writing was almost impossible; Vivaldi’s oratorio of 1716, Juditha Triumphans, calls for a complete consort of viols this was probably what prompted Vivaldi to assign the cantabile slow movement whilst several concertos require between one and three instruments. Vivaldi’s to a solo cello. By contrast, the corresponding movement in RV 539 is beautifully nomenclature for this instrument was the viola all’inglese, an archaic-sounding written for the horns, a most uncommon feature, as usually brass instruments name probably referring to the sumptuous works which were composed for the would remain silent during the slow movements of concertos and sinfonias instrument in during the previous century. during this period. This concerto (RV 546) was therefore unquestionably written for the Pietà Of the three concertos for two oboes, only one, the concerto in D minor RV and, given that the fragmentary concerto for violin and cello was also a work 535, is truly composed in the manner of a ‘solo’ concerto. The other two, in written for the Pietà (fragments were found in the Pietà’s part-box), it seems C major and A minor, are more of an amalgamation of the solo and ripieno plausible that a great many of Vivaldi’s double concertos were intended for the concerto genres. The concerto in D minor shows Vivaldi at the very top of his same destination, in particular the concertos for violin and organ, the concerto game, and given the work’s sombre opening, the four-movement structure and for two organs (which would have served the requirements of the chapel use of counterpoint, we can probably assume that this work was destined for the extremely well) and many of the concertos for two . Whilst a selection of chapel services of the Pietà. double violin concertos can be found in his Opus 3 and Opus 9 and two further The final work in the programme brings together all our soloists and examples survive in a set dedicated to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, it is is something of an enigma due to its exceptionally long title: Concerto per possible that these works also started life at the Pietà. We can assume that only S.A.S.I.S.P.G.M.D.G.S.M.B. Many musicologists over the years have puzzled over three of Vivaldi’s double concertos were composed for di!erent locations: the the meaning of this, but Carlo Vitali’s hypothesis of per Sua Altezza Serenissima two concertos for two horns, an instrument which was not introduced to the il Signor Principe Giuseppe Maria de’ Gonzaga (or else di Guastalla) Signor Mio Pietà until 1747, six years a"er Vivaldi’s death, and the concerto for oboe and Benignissimo seems at least credible! This work is probably the earliest of Vivaldi’s bassoon (the Pietà possessed neither instruments nor teachers of the bassoon). concertos to employ horns and possibly dates from 1714, the same compositional

4 year as his opera Orlando finto pazzo; in both works the horns are described Dieses Konzert (RV 546) wurde daher zweifellos für das Pietà geschrieben, as trombon da caccia. One explanation for this strange classification is that the und angesichts der Tatsache, dass das Konzertfragment für Violine und Cello instrument’s unfamiliarity led Vivaldi to adopt a name similar to that which was ebenfalls ein Werk für das Pietà war (Fragmente wurden unter den im Pietà used in Rome and Naples: tromba da caccia. That this instrument is none other au%ewahrten Stimmen gefunden) leuchtet es ein, dass eine große Zahl von Vivaldis than the horn is confirmed by a non-autograph source in the hand of Johann Doppelkonzerten für den gleichen Ort bestimmt war, namentlich die Konzerte Georg Pisendel, Vivaldi’s virtuoso pupil. At a later date, it appears that Vivaldi für Violine und Orgel, das Konzert für zwei Orgeln (das für die Erfordernisse der re-assigned some of the solos in the second and third movements of this concerto Kapelle von großem Nutzen war) und viele Konzerte für zwei Violinen. Zwar gibt to the oboe instead of the solo violin; in this performance (as in Pisendel’s es einige Konzerte für zwei Violinen in Vivaldis op. 3 und op. 9 sowie zwei weitere manuscript), we have opted to use the original instrumentation. in einer Karl VI., dem römisch-deutschen Kaiser, gewidmeten Reihe, doch könnten Ꭿ Adrian Chandler, April 2018 diese Werke auch am Pietà entstanden sein. Man kann davon ausgehen, dass nur drei Doppelkonzerte Vivaldis für andere Orte komponiert wurden: die beiden Konzerte für zwei Hörner (dieses Instrument wurde erst 1747, sechs Jahre nach Vivaldis Tod, Vivaldi x2 am Pietà eingeführt) und das Konzert für Oboe und Fagott (am Pietà gab es weder Fagotte noch Fagottlehrer). Dieses Werk ist höchst ungewöhnlich, da das Fagott Das Doppelkonzert war eine Gattung, in der Vivaldi glänzte. Hinsichtlich der Form sowohl solistisch als auch als Bassbegleitung in den Ecksätzen fungiert. Die Solisten unterscheidet es sich in nichts vom Solokonzert, daher ist es erstaunlich, dass Vivaldi werden nur im Largo vom Continuo begleitet. zu den sehr wenigen gehörte, die sich dafür interessierten. Andere fruchtbare Barock- Während die beiden Konzerte für zwei Hörner bestimmte Ähnlichkeiten Komponisten von Solokonzerten wie Tartini, Albinoni und Valentini komponierten aufweisen, wie die Wahl der Tonart und die Verwendung der im Barock üblichen überhaupt keine (eigentlichen) Doppelkonzerte, geht man von ihren erhaltenen Jagdrufe, unterscheiden sie sich stark in der Bandbreite für den jeweiligen Solisten. Werken aus. Die einzigen anderen Komponisten von nennenswerten Beispielen RV 538 ist konservativer, in RV 539 gibt es hingegen Passagen in so hoher Lage wie lebten nördlich der Alpen, wo einige Doppelkonzerte Vivaldis (insbesondere die sonst nirgendwo im Repertoire der Barockzeit. Das Autograph dieses Werkes zeigt 12 Werke seines op. 3) sehr beliebt waren. tatsächlich, dass Vivaldi ursprünglich einen noch schwierigeren Part für das erste Zu Vivaldis Konzerten für zwei Solisten und Orchester gehören rund 40 Werke Horn vorgesehen hat, das um zwei Oktaven über das eingestrichene c aufsteigt, für Instrumenten paare, außerdem existieren noch 15 weitere für unterschiedliche was auf verschiedene Solisten für jedes Konzert verweisen könnte. Auf Grund der Instrumente wie Violine und Orgel, Violine und Oboe sowie Violine und Cello; extremen Tessitura in diesem Werk könnten Vivaldis Adressaten tatsächlich auch nur drei – für Viola d’amore und Laute, Oboe und Fagott sowie für Oboe und Trompeter gewesen sein. Diese Verdopplung war allgemein üblich an italienischen Cello – haben sich in einzelnen Beispielen erhalten. Theatern, wo hohe Hornstimmen den gleichen Umfang wie die Barocktrompete Von den Konzerten für Violine und Cello gibt es noch drei vollständige, erreichten; die für beide Instrumente erforderliche Technik war zum damaligen ein anderes indes nur in fragmentarischer Form. Auf der Titelseite des A-Dur- Zeitpunkt im 18. Jahrhundert relativ ähnlich. Ein für sein geschicktes Hornspiel Konzertes weist Vivaldi die Sololinie des Basses einem Cello oder auch einer bekannter Trompeter war Lodovico Vacca, der seit den 1710er Jahren bis um Gambe zu, einem Instrument, das in Italien beinahe schon altmodisch war, 1750 in Rom tätig war. Interessant ist, dass Trompeten und Hörner in keiner der abgesehen von wenigen Zentren wie dem Hof der Medici und dem Ospedale erhaltenen Opern von Vivaldi zusammenspielen. della Pietà in Venedig, wo noch gelegentlich ein Gambenconsort in Gebrauch Die tiefe Lage des Konzertes RV 538 stellte Vivaldi vor größere Probleme war. Dieses berühmte Waisenhaus war mit dem Namen Vivaldis eng verbunden, wegen der begrenzten Obertöne (d.h. der Töne, die auf dem Barockhorn gespielt der dort im Verlauf seiner Karriere immer wieder angestellt war. Sein Oratorium werden konnten), was bedeutete, dass man kaum Melodien schreiben konnte; Juditha Triumphans (1716) verlangt ein vollständiges Gambenconsort, in vermutlich hat Vivaldi deswegen den kantablen langsamen Satz (Largo) einem verschiedenen Konzerten sind dagegen bis zu drei Gamben erforderlich. Vivaldi Solocello übertragen. Im Gegensatz dazu ist der entsprechende Satz in RV 539 bezeichnete dieses Instrument als viola all’inglese, ein veraltet klingender Name, wunderschön für die Hörner geschrieben, was höchst ungewöhnlich ist, denn der sich wahrscheinlich auf die reichhaltigen Werke zurückführen lässt, die in üblicherweise schwiegen die Blasinstrumente in den langsamen Sätzen eines England im Jahrhundert zuvor für das Instrument komponiert worden waren. Konzertes und einer sinfonia in dieser Zeit.

5 Nur eines der drei Konzerte für zwei Oboen, das d-Moll-Konzert RV 535, ist Vivaldi x2 tatsächlich wie ein ‘Solokonzert’ geschrieben. Die beiden anderen, in C-Dur bzw. a-Moll, sind eher Verbindungen aus Solo- und Ripienokonzert. Im d-Moll-Konzert Vivaldi excellait dans le genre du double concerto. Sur le plan formel, rien ne le ist Vivaldi auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Kunst, und angesichts des wehmütigen di!érencie du concerto soliste, et il est donc étrange que Vivaldi ait été l’un des très Konzertbeginns, der Viersätzigkeit und der Verwendung von Kontrapunkt kann rares compositeurs à s’intéresser à cette forme. D’autres compositeurs prolifiques man wohl davon ausgehen, dass dieses Werk für Gottesdienste in der Kapelle des de concertos solistes baroques, tels Tartini, Albinoni et Valentini, n’ont écrit aucun Pietà bestimmt war. double concerto proprement dit, du moins parmi leurs œuvres qui subsistent. Les Das letzte Werk in diesem Programm vereint alle unsere Solisten und ist seuls autres compositeurs à en avoir laissé des exemples notables résidaient au nord wegen seines außerge wöhnlich langen Titels etwas rätselha": Concerto per des Alpes, où certains doubles concertos de Vivaldi (en particulier ceux de son opus S.A.S.I.S.P.G.M.D.G.S.M.B. Viele Musikwissen scha"ler haben sich im Laufe der 3) étaient très appréciés. Jahre darüber den Kopf zerbrochen, doch Carlo Vitalis Annahme, es müsse per Sua Les concertos de Vivaldi pour deux solistes et orchestre en comprennent une Altezza Serenissima il Signor Principe Giuseppe Maria de’ Gonzaga (oder auch quarantaine pour paire d’instruments, et quinze autres pour des instruments di Guastalla) Signor Mio Benignissimo heißen, scheint zumindest glaubha" zu sein! contrastés tels que violon et orgue, violon et hautbois, ou violon et violoncelle ; Dieses Werk ist das früheste Konzert Vivaldis mit Hörnern und stammt vielleicht seuls trois – pour viole d’amour et luth, hautbois et basson, hautbois et aus dem Jahre 1714, in dem er auch seine Oper Orlando finto pazzo komponiert violoncelle – sont des exemples uniques. hat; in beiden Werken werden die Hörner als trombon da caccia bezeichnet. Parmi les concertos pour violon et violoncelle, trois subsistent complets, tandis Erklären könnte man diese seltsame Zuordnung damit, dass die Unbekanntheit qu’un quatrième n’a survécu que sous forme fragmentaire. Sur la page de titre des Instrumentes Vivaldi veranlasste, einen Namen zu wählen, der dem in Rom du concerto en la majeur, Vivaldi a!ecte la ligne de basse soliste à un violoncelle und Neapel gebrauchten ähnlich war: tromba da caccia. Dass dieses Instrument ou une viole de gambe, instrument presque entièrement passé de mode en Italie, kein anderes als das Horn war, wird durch eine nichtautographe Quelle von der en dehors de quelques endroits comme la cour des Médicis et l’Ospedale della Hand Johann Georg Pisendels bestätigt, Vivaldis virtuosem Schüler. Vivaldi scheint Pietà à Venise, où l’on utilisait encore un ensemble de violes de temps à autre. später einige der Soli im zweiten und dritten Satz dieses Konzertes der Oboe Cette célèbre institution pour enfants trouvés était indissociablement liée au anstelle der Solovioline zugewiesen zu haben; in dieser Au!ührung haben wir uns nom de Vivaldi, qui y fut employé par intermittence pendant une grande partie für die ursprüngliche Instrumentation (wie in Pisendels Autograph) entschieden. de sa carrière. Son oratorio de 1716, Juditha triumphans, fait appel à un ensemble Adrian Chandler, April 2018 complet de violes, tandis que plusieurs concertos utilisent entre un et trois Übersetzung: Christiane Frobenius instruments. La nomenclature de Vivaldi pour cet instrument était viola all’inglese, nom à sonorité archaïque renvoyant probablement aux œuvres somptueuses composées pour l’instrument en Angleterre au cours du siècle précédent. Le concerto RV 546 fut donc très certainement écrit pour la Pietà, et, étant donné que le concerto fragmentaire pour violon et violoncelle était aussi une œuvre destinée à la Pietà (où des fragments en ont été trouvés parmi le matériel d’orchestre), il semble probable qu’un grand nombre de doubles concertos de Vivaldi aient été conçus pour la même institution, en particulier les concertos pour violon et orgue, le concerto pour deux orgues (qui aurait très bien répondu aux exigences de la chapelle) et bon nombre des concertos pour deux violons. Si l’on trouve un choix de doubles concertos pour violons dans ses opus 3 et 9, et si deux autres exemples subsistent dans un recueil dédié au Saint Empereur romain Charles VI, il est possible que ces œuvres aient également commencé leur vie à la Pietà. On peut supposer que seuls trois des doubles concertos de Vivaldi furent composés pour d’autres lieux : les deux concertos pour deux cors – instrument qui

6 ne fut introduit à la Pietà qu’en 1747, six ans après la mort de Vivaldi – et le Altezza Serenissima il Signor Principe Giuseppe Maria de’ Gonzaga (ou alors di concerto pour hautbois et basson (la Pietà n’avait ni basson ni professeur de Guastalla) Signor Mio Benignissimo – semble du moins plausible ! Cette œuvre, basson). Cette œuvre est très inhabituelle, car le basson y assume à la fois probablement le plus ancien des concertos de Vivaldi à employer des cors, le rôle de soliste et d’accompagnement dans les mouvements extrêmes. Les solistes pourrait dater de 1714, année où il composa son opéra Orlando finto pazzo ; dans ne sont accompagnés du continuo que dans le Largo. les deux œuvres les cors sont baptisés trombon da caccia. L’une des explications Si les deux doubles concertos pour cors révèlent certaines similitudes dans le de cette étrange nomenclature est que la rareté de l’instrument incita Vivaldi à choix des tonalités et l’usage de sonneries de chasse baroques conventionnelles, adopter un nom similaire à celui qui était utilisé à Rome et à Naples : tromba ils di!èrent sensiblement dans l’étendue des parties solistes. RV 538 est plus da caccia. Cet instrument est bel et bien un cor, comme le confirme une source conservateur, tandis que RV 539 comporte certains des passages les plus aigus de non autographe de la main de Johann Georg Pisendel, l’élève virtuose de Vivaldi. tout le répertoire baroque pour cor. Le manuscrit autographe de cette dernière À une date ultérieure, il apparaît que Vivaldi a réa!ecté certains des solos dans œuvre révèle même que l’idée première de Vivaldi était d’écrire une partie de le deuxième et le troisième mouvement de ce concerto au hautbois plutôt qu’au premier cor encore plus di&cile, montant deux octaves au-dessus du do du milieu, violon ; dans notre interprétation (comme dans le manuscrit de Pisendel), nous sans doute pour une paire de solistes di!érente dans chaque concerto. Il est avons choisi d’utiliser l’instrumentation originale. possible que la tessiture extrême de cette œuvre s’explique par le fait qu’elle était Adrian Chandler, avril 2018 destinée en réalité à des trompettistes, selon une pratique courante dans les Traduction : Dennis Collins théâtres italiens, où les parties de cor aiguës employaient la même étendue que la trompette baroque ; les techniques requises par les deux instruments étaient relativement proches à cette période du XVIIIe siècle. L’un des trompettistes renommés pour ses prouesses au cor était Lodovico Vacca, actif à Rome des années 1710 jusqu’à 1750 environ. Il est intéressant de noter que trompettes et cors ne jouent jamais ensemble dans aucun des opéras de Vivaldi qui subsistent. Le registre grave du concerto RV 538 posait de plus grands problèmes à Vivaldi du fait de la nature limitée de la série des harmoniques (c’est-à-dire des notes qui sont jouables sur le cor baroque), qui rendait presque impossible toute écriture mélodique ; c’est sans doute ce qui l’incita à confier le mouvement lent cantabile à un violoncelle solo. En revanche, le mouvement correspondant dans RV 539 est magnifiquement écrit pour les cors, ce qui est très inhabituel, car les cuivres se taisaient normalement dans les mouvements lents des concertos et sinfonias de cette époque. Des trois concertos pour deux hautbois, un seul, le concerto en ré mineur RV 535, est vraiment écrit à la manière d’un concerto soliste. Les deux autres, en ut majeur et la mineur, sont plutôt un amalgame des genres du concerto soliste et du concerto grosso. Le concerto en ré mineur révèle Vivaldi au faîte de ses capacités, et, étant donné le début sombre de l’œuvre, la structure en quatre mouvements et l’usage du contrepoint, on peut sans doute supposer que cette œuvre était destinée aux services de la chapelle de la Pietà. La dernière œuvre du programme, qui réunit tous nos solistes, est un peu une énigme du fait de son titre exceptionnellement long : Concerto per S.A.S.I.S.P.G.M.D.G.S.M.B. Au fil des ans, de nombreux musicologues se sont interrogés sur sa signification, mais l’hypothèse de Carlo Vitali – per Sua

7 Adrian Chandler director/violin Adrian’s extensive discography with La Serenissima (mostly for AVIE Records), which documents his unique editorial and research activities, features Born on Merseyside in 1974, virtuoso sonatas by Albinoni, Pisendel and Vivaldi; Vivaldi concertos and Adrian Chandler is recognised arias; Vivaldi cantatas and sonatas (Linn CKD281); three discs charting the internationally as a leading development of the North Italian ; and The Four Seasons. Vivaldi: interpreter of Italian baroque The French Connection 2 was released in 2011 and described by one critic as music. He was introduced to ‘an eye-opening, ear-flattering delight from start to finish’. Venice by Night and The Four Seasons at the age of ten Vivaldi: A Tale of Two Seasons both featured in the Top 10 of the UK Classical via a recording by Iona Brown and Charts. His recordings received Gramophone Award nominations in 2008, 2009 the Academy of St Martin in the and 2012; the CDs Vivaldi: The French Connection (AV2178) and The Italian Job Fields: the experience resulted in (AV2371) won Gramophone Awards in the Baroque Instrumental category in a lifetime’s dedication to Italian 2010 and 2017 respectively. baroque music. While still a student at ’s Royal College of Music, Adrian founded La Serenissima, which he has subsequently directed in multiple programmes at high-profile UK venues (from Bridgewater to Wigmore halls), and internationally for major festivals (from Belgium to Mexico) and prestigious concert series (from Denmark to Spain). Adrian has directed seven Vivaldi operas for La Serenissima, in Bath, Buxton, London, Venice and Eilat (Israel). In 2018 he directed Brescianello’s only opera Tisbe for the Buxton International Festival. As guest soloist, Adrian has toured with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and given performances of Mozart and Beethoven sonatas in Japan. As guest director, he has played Bach and Vivaldi with the Oslo Chamber Music Festival and toured with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble. Adrian was awarded a three-year Arts and Humanities Research Council fellowship at Southampton University to research the development of the North Italian violin concerto between 1690 and 1740, and subsequently held a two-year post as a Turner Sims Professor at the University.

8 Anneke Scott horn Rachel Chaplin oboe

One of the leading period performers Rachel Chaplin received her musical of her generation, Anneke Scott has training from the University of Cambridge, been described as ‘one of the finest horn the and Leipzig soloists’ (Early Music Review). Anneke is Hochschule für Musik, alongside formative principal horn of many internationally years in the European Union Youth renowned period instrument Orchestra and European Union Baroque ensembles including Sir John Eliot Orchestra. She performs and records Gardiner’s Orchestre Révolutionnaire regularly with many leading period et Romantique and English Baroque instrument ensembles including Soloists, ensemble Pygmalion, Dunedin English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Consort and Players, The Orchestra Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Classical of the Sixteen, Europa Galante, and Opera Company, The King’s Consort and The King’s Consort. Anneke has an Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, extensive solo and chamber music career with recordings covering repertoire from also playing an active role in their the late 17th century through to contemporary compositions for the natural horn. education and outreach projects. Her own area of musicological interest is the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, which was the subject of her doctoral research. Jocelyn Lightfoot horn

Jocelyn attended Chetham’s School of Music Mark Baigent oboe and the Royal Academy of Music, studying under Richard Watkins, Michael Thompson Mark specialises in music from baroque to and Andrew Clark. She was awarded the modern using period instruments. He regularly 2003 Dennis Brain Horn Prize. She now plays records, performs and broadcasts throughout with the major British and Irish symphony Europe with leading period instrument orchestras, having been solo horn with Stavanger including Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Symphony Orchestra, Norway, in 2010–2011. As Romantique, English Baroque Soloists, Orchestra a chamber musician she has worked with the of the Age of Enlightenment, The King’s Consort Scottish Chamber Orchestra, London Winds, and Classical Opera. As a chamber musician he Nash Ensemble, Carducci Quartet, and Onyx has premiered and recorded new works with Brass. Jocelyn plays classical and baroque horn, performing regularly with his oboe trio Pipers 3, and with his ensemble La Serenissima and other ensembles, and has toured with Charme du Hautbois explores 19th- and early 20th-century repertoire; in 2017 performing the Brandenburg Concertos. Mark released a CD of chamber music for oboe by Rutland Boughton.

9 Vladimir Waltham cello

A prize-winner of the 2016 International Bach Competition, French-born cellist Vladimir Waltham is much in demand as a soloist and chamber musician on modern and baroque cello as well as viola da gamba. He plays a cello by Nicola Gagliano kindly on loan from the Jumpstart Jr. Foundation. Vladimir’s various ensembles have garnered many prizes, notably his Linos Trio, winner of the first prize and audience prize at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition 2015 and of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Frost Prize for an outstanding young ensemble. Vladimir lives in Berlin with his family and spends his spare time cooking or hiking.

Peter Whelan bassoon

Irish-born Peter Whelan is an exciting and versatile exponent of historical performance with a remarkable career as a conductor, keyboardist and solo bassoonist. He is Artistic Director of the Irish and founding Artistic Director of Ensemble Marsyas. In 2018 Peter joined Irish National Opera as artistic partner, conducting Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice; in the same year he also made his debut with English Touring Opera. Peter has directed Ensemble Marsyas in concerts throughout Europe and developed an impressive discography with the group; in 2017 its disc of Barsanti was Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine, and ‘Recording of the Year’ on MusicWeb International.

10 Established in 1994, La Serenissima is recognised as the UK’s leading exponent Follow the group on Twitter @LaSerenissimaUK and via Facebook; of the music of 18th-century Venice. Uniquely, the group’s entire repertoire is visit the website www.laserenissima.co.uk for up-to-date news edited from manuscript or contemporary sources, and it has been praised for and to subscribe to the newsletter. its ‘glorious and all-too-rare ability to make one’s pulse race afresh with every new project’ (Gramophone). Hailed by The Guardian as ‘presenting an avant-garde approach that would have awed Hendrix’, La Serenissima has become synonymous with virtuosity, dynamism and accessibility, uncovering a plethora of new repertoire and making it available to all through live performance, high-calibre recording work, education and outreach initiatives. Since its first release on the AVIE label in 2003, La Serenissima’s recordings have been applauded by numerous publications and have attracted multiple award nominations; Vivaldi: The French Connection won the 2010 Gramophone Award for Baroque Instrumental. Their hotly anticipated interpretation of The Four Seasons was released in 2015, reaching Number 8 in the UK Specialist Classical Chart and featuring as Editor’s Choice (Gramophone) and Concerto Choice (BBC Music Magazine), as well as attracting a multitude of rave reviews. The group’s 2017 CD The Italian Job was lauded on BBC Radio 3’s Record Review and on Classic FM as ‘Drive Discovery’, reached the Top Ten in the UK Specialist Classical Chart and won the 2017 Gramophone Award for Baroque Instrumental in the ceremony’s 40th Anniversary year. La Serenissima has performed internationally to great acclaim; highlights include concerts at the Bridgewater Hall in , Buxton International Festival, St George’s Bristol and London’s Wigmore Hall, and festival appearances at Sablé, Swansea, Venice and Valletta. The ensemble has been an artist-in-residence at St John’s Smith Square in London, performing a series of concerts titled The Grand Tour featuring lesser-known works by Brescianello, Caldara and Dall’Abaco amongst other jewels of the Italian baroque. A long-standing a&liation with Martin Randall Travel has allowed La Serenissima to perform numerous bespoke programmes at music festivals throughout Europe. La Serenissima is privileged to have the support of its Honorary Patron, His Excellency The Italian Ambassador to the UK.

11 A personal note from the Artistic Director This recording would not have been possible without support from countless individuals and a generous grant from Mr and Mrs J.A. Pye’s The recording sessions for Vivaldi x2 which took place in February 2018 ran Charitable Settlement. The orchestra is also grateful to The Foyle Foundation brilliantly, with all our players committed and extremely well prepared. I was for funding towards the delivery of La Serenissima’s 25th anniversary season, delighted by the extraordinarily high standard of the solo playing; three of the which has helped to support the creation of this record. wind players had commissioned new instruments specially for this project, which demonstrated considerable commitment. The standard of string playing Mr & Mrs J.A. Pye’s Charitable Settlement was established was correspondingly high, and this was transformational to the sound of the in 1965 and aims to be a major independent source of funding ensemble. We were able to engage one young string player who was new to for charitable causes for Oxfordshire and its surrounds, with the group, as a prototype for the proposed ‘emerging artist’ scheme we plan the result that the Pye name continues to be associated with to formalise during La Serenissima’s 25th anniversary season. benevolence within the County. The Settlement makes grants to charities based Cedars Hall at Wells Cathedral School was an excellent venue, with an in and around Oxfordshire working in varied fields including the arts, education, ideal acoustic and climatic stability, which prevented tuning di&culties for the environment, health care and for youth organisations. The overall policy of the historic instruments. (So o"en we record in chilly churches, not only the Trustees is to support under-funded charities in their fields of interest in order unsatisfactory for the instruments!) We spent five days together, rehearsing to assist those charities to play a fuller role in the community. and recording and this concentrated patch has served to raise our standard of playing and build stronger social bonds within the group. I am convinced that Vivaldi x2 represents some of La Serenissima’s finest recording work to date and that it is a worthy successor to The Italian Job (AV 2371) which won the 2017 Gramophone Award for Baroque Instrumental music. This album is an important part of La Serenissima’s ongoing campaign to reveal works by Antonio Vivaldi in the best possible light, and to help more La Serenissima has an ambitious ongoing recording programme which people to enjoy and benefit from this life-a&rming music. represents a fundamental part of our mission: to share Italian baroque music I am enormously grateful to Mr and Mrs J.A. Pye’s Charitable Settlement with the widest possible audience. All repertoire is meticulously researched and for supporting our music-making, and I trust that this recording will serve as edited from scratch by Artistic Director, Adrian Chandler, before being shared a fitting tribute to their generosity. with a global audience. Recording makes it possible to share our work with the greatest number Adrian Chandler, April 2018 of people; via CDs, downloads, radio broadcasting and streaming channels, performances can reach more than eight million people in the UK alone. La Serenissima relies on the generosity of individuals to make every recording. To support the making of future discs and contribute to this vital part of our legacy, please visit www.laserenissima.co.uk where you can sign up to the Mailing List or donate to the charity; or email [email protected] to find out how to become a Patron, Sponsor a Chair or support a specific artistic project.

Follow the group on Twitter @LaSerenissimaUK or on Facebook.com/LaSerenissimaUK/

12 More from La Serenissima on AVIE Records

AV2178 Vivaldi: The French Connection AV2344 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

AV2287 Vivaldi: A Tale of Two Seasons AV2371 The Italian Job: Baroque Instrumental Music from the Italian States

AV2392 Horns, oboes, bassoon, violin and cello feature in an astonishing medley of seven foot-tapping Vivaldi double concertos, and one exceptional concerto ‘con molti strumenti’ which showcases VIVALDI all the soloists together. Virtuosic thrills and spills abound in some of Vivaldi’s most colourful VIVALDI and exuberant works. x x 2 2

· Vivaldi x2 ·

ADRIAN CHANDLER · LA SERENISSIMA LA · CHANDLER ADRIAN Double Concertos for Horns, Oboes, Violin & Cello, Oboe & Bassoon SERENISSIMA LA · CHANDLER ADRIAN

ANTONIO VIVALDI 1678–1741 1–3 Concerto in F RV 539 8.21 14–16 Concerto in F RV 538 9.20 for 2 horns, strings & continuo for 2 horns, strings & continuo

4–7 Concerto in D minor RV 535 9.31 17–19 RV 547 9.07 for 2 oboes, strings & continuo for violin, cello, strings & continuo

8–10 Concerto in A RV 546 9.51 20–22 Concerto in A minor RV 536 6.40 for violin, cello, strings & continuo for 2 oboes, strings & continuo

11–13 Concerto in G RV 545 10.42 23–25 Concerto per S.A.S.I.S.P.G.M.D.G.S.M.B. for oboe*, bassoon, strings & continuo in F RV 574 11.53 for 2 horns, 2 oboes, bassoon, violin, cello, strings & continuo

La Serenissima Adrian Chandler director & solo violin Vladimir Waltham cello Anneke Scott, Jocelyn Lightfoot horns Peter Whelan bassoon Rachel Chaplin*, Mark Baigent oboes performed on period instruments

Total time: 75.32 Booklet enclosed · Mit deutscher Textbeilage · Brochure incluse

AV2392 ൿ 2018 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by La Serenissima AV2392 Ꭿ 2018 La Serenissima laserenissima.co.uk Marketed by Avie Records avie-records.com Manufactured and printed in the UK. STEREO DDD AV2392