Erik Bosgraaf, Cordevento - Vivaldi: Recorder Concertos (2009)

Stravinsky famously quipped that Vivaldi didn’t write 400 concertos, rather he wrote one concerto 400 times. Rather unfair, though witty. For many people though, Vivaldi is the composer of The Four Seasons (the first four of the twelve concertos Op.8), and maybe the famous Gloria. He is a composer who repays closer attention. There are some superb concertos in his large output, and some of them were sufficiently striking enough to attract the attention of J.S. Bach and Johann Quantz.

His concertos are remarkable not only for the wealth of invention and the outstanding quality of the music, but also for the amazing range of instruments he wrote for. This CD is devoted to concertos for sopranino and alto recorders. Two of his greatest concertos ‘Tempesta di mare’ (Storm at Sea) and ‘La notte’ (Night) feature on the programme.