| Review by nickc July 10, 2004 (5 of 6 found this review helpful)
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Concert Italiano (along with Europa Galante and others)are one of the new breed of period instrument bands that are revitalising Italian baroque repertoire. This disc shows what can be done to Vivaldi with stunning playing, singing and recording. There are two main pieces on this disc, the Dixit Dominus RV594 and the Nisi Dominus RV608: the Dixit will get your feet tapping and put a smile on your face and the Nisi is more reflective. To anyone who thinks Vivaldi can't write profound music listen to tracks 18-23 of the Nisi for magnificently simple and deep music, sometimes with just one instrument accompanying! Although invidious to pick one person out my star of this recording is contralto Sara Mingardo who has a deep, liquid voice that is just gorgeous to listen to (like Natalie Stutzmann on the Hyperion complete Vivaldi sacred music edition).
The recording engineer states the "4.0 multichannel mix provides the listener with a spatialised experience that recreates the original layout at a Vivaldi Vespers service, with the congregation at the center of the church surrounded by musicians". Voices come from the front and the two orchestras are on each side, sometimes calling and answering to each other. The effect is magical!
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| Review by LC October 25, 2004 (5 of 6 found this review helpful)
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This is not a full review.
A finalist in two of the 2004 Gramophone Awards categories and winner of one (Baroque Vocal), this reconstructed Vivaldi Vespers is a musical and musicological treasure. These flawless performances range from the delightful to the mesmerizing to the heart-wrenching, and although I've not heard the 4.0 mix, the stereo mix achieves a wonderful clarity and spaciousness. I am grateful to have this excellent recording on SA-CD, and recommend it unreservedly on its own terms.
However:
Do note that this is an "Extracts" version. It is 64 minutes of a 156 minute project. I am disappointed that Naive/Opus111 seems to have regarded their first, and so far only, SA-CD release as something of an experiment rather than making a complete offering for those who love this music, which is so beautiful and so varied (and so rare) that the full-length CD version should be seriously considered.
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| Review by brenda October 28, 2004 (5 of 6 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
I just wanted to add my agreement to the other two reviewers. I have nothing to add to what they have written as they're spot on. This is a sumptuosly beautiful and moving disc (the Nisi Dominus in particular) which features wonderful performances and glowing, open four channel sound. If there were more than five stars, I'd give them. A gem of a disc - very, very special, - BUY IT !!!!.
p.s. - and let's hope that the remaining material on the ordinary (redbook ?) cd release is also eventually released on SACD.
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| Review by beardawgs January 20, 2005 (7 of 8 found this review helpful)
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Talking of pure musical indulgence! Rare are the discs that can capture pure enjoyment of music making, but having heard Alessandrini and his band few times in live performances, the success of this recording doesn’t surprise me a bit. It’s difficult to praise something that is perfect in every way – music is accomplished as it can be, performers not only sing and play, they are genuinely excited and the recording exceeds anything done so far in baroque music.
Listener is in the middle of two orchestras and choirs, while popular feature among baroque composers, ‘echo’ effect, when one word or musical phrase is repeated by two different groups, is for once captured properly (comparing to the similar feature in Bach's Christmas Oratorio, where Channel Classics recording team decided to scrap this feature altogether!) . Listening to this disc is a true live musical experience, all my senses were drawn into the acoustics, while the performers have the ability not just to perform, but to engage.
As much as this recording is a genuine ensemble work, Sara Mingardo must be mentioned separately. Her voice is just divine, she effortlessly floats through Nisi Dominus. Also, the opening concerto for two violins and two organs is a true gem, again full of echoing effects, once again captured perfectly in this stunning recording. What a shame that we are given just a selection of the complete recording, available on 2CDs!
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| Review by PeterJones April 5, 2005 (1 of 8 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
| This was the third SACD I added to my system. I'm not really impressed in direct comparison to Podger's Vivaldi: "La Stravaganza" and Fischer's Dvorak New World Symphony. Good, but not so beautiful, unlike the pretty face that adorns the cover. ;)
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