# best vivaldi other than 4 seasons?



## farmerjohn (Jan 24, 2013)

The only music I have by Vivaldi is the 4 seasons, which I really like.

Would be grateful if folks could recommend which of his works to try next.

Which CD would be a good one for me to get?

Thanks


----------



## May (Jan 26, 2013)

What about La Folia and La Notte? I think they're just great!  Good luck with your choices! ^^


----------



## farmerjohn (Jan 24, 2013)

May said:


> What about La Folia and La Notte? I think they're just great!  Good luck with your choices! ^^


Is there a recording you could recommend?

Thanks


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

I really like this box set. http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldi-Conce...=UTF8&qid=1359209406&sr=1-11&keywords=Vivaldi Corelli's Op. 6 is great if you are interested in similar artists to Vivaldi. Better than any other Vivaldi other than the 4 Seasons imo. http://www.amazon.com/Corelli-12-Co...&qid=1359209358&sr=1-1&keywords=Corelli+op.+6


----------



## May (Jan 26, 2013)

Sorry I don't think I can!
But anyway I found this on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/25-Vivaldi-Favorites-Antonio/dp/B00000IPS5


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

- _L´Estro Armonico_, a set of 12 magnificent concertos opus 3. For instance in the fine Decca-Argo recording with Marriner and Academy of St.Martin in the Fields (budget re-issue);

- Vivaldi´s _works for choir, vocals & orchestra_. There are many, but try the Magnificat (there are several), Dixit Dominus and Gloria. For a grandiose sound, try Muti´s EMI recording of Gloria/Magnificat; for other works, try Robert King´s recordings on the Hyperion label.

- _Cello concertos_, especially in Heinrich Schiff´s recording on Philips.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Try the Gloria.


----------



## Glsbnewt (Jan 25, 2013)

My friend who likes Vivaldi is a big fan of Gloria. Vivaldi doesn't do much for me though, personally.


----------



## Hausmusik (May 13, 2012)

Concerto for 4 Violins in B minor, RV 580 (you may have this, because it is sometimes thrown in on recordings of the Four Season, but if not, try it, you may like it!)

I like the version on this anthology of early Italian violin concertos:
http://www.amazon.com/Italian-Violin-Concerto-1690--1740-Volume/dp/B000HD0Y4M/ref=sr_1_4?

Also, try his concertos for mandolin and other "miscellaneous" assemblages of instruments--I like them even better than his violin and cello concertos:

http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldi-Concerti-mandolini-Antonio/dp/B00005UV9F/ref=sr_1_1?


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

The mentioned "Concerto for 4 Violins" is a part of the "L´Estro Armonico" set of concertos.


----------



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

joen_cph said:


> - _L´Estro Armonico_, a set of 12 magnificent concertos opus 3. For instance in the fine Decca-Argo recording with Marriner and Academy of St.Martin in the Fields (budget re-issue);


These are all of very high quality and classic Vivaldi concerto music too.

Also, do search through the various wind instrument concertos. I recall a few very exuberant minor key flute concerti, one was in G minor. They were very stormy and intense, I remember being very impressed as a teenager. The disc was with Academy of Ancient Music, all concertos.

There is also the famous Mandolin Concerto in C major, more on the happy side:


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

So Academy of Ancient Music does Vivaldi proud? Better than Biondi?


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Biondi´s is of course a fast, unrestful, sensationalist and light-footed approach, like most HIPsters. Marriner has a more noble yet still varied approach to this set and a bigger ensemble sound which I never get tired of.


----------



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> So Academy of Ancient Music does Vivaldi proud? Better than Biondi?


Don't know Biondi. But this is the wonderful piece that I heard on the Academy of Ancient Music CD(which was an iTunes purchase that I've lost)

Its a flute concerto op. 10 no. 2, "La Notte," I think you would like it neo, some seriously head banging Vivaldi in the fast parts. I'm not sure how I feel about the odd soloing liberties in the slow parts, but ah well. This isn't the recording I got used to.


----------



## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

neoshredder said:


> I really like this box set. http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldi-Conce...=UTF8&qid=1359209406&sr=1-11&keywords=Vivaldi


To expand upon that excellent recommendation, I recommend you get this set instead: http://www.amazon.com/Collector-Edition-Stravaganza-55-Concertos/dp/B007CW2FIE/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1359225269&sr=8-14&keywords=trevor+pinnock+vivaldi It contains the above mentioned CDs (I believe), as well as all of Trevor Pinnock's other Vivaldi concerto recordings, for an equally astounding price.

There is also Biondi's Vivaldi, the best representation of which is probably this: http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldi-Concerti-mandolini-Antonio/dp/B00005UV9F/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359225361&sr=8-2&keywords=fabio+biondi

The choral works are indeed also great; I suggest you just sample some on youtube, such as this one: 



 (that performance, and some other vocal works, can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldi-English-Concert-Trevor-Pinnock/dp/B0052ZA7M4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359225726&sr=8-1&keywords=0028947795865).


----------



## almc (Jan 26, 2013)

Must Have !


----------



## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

My favorite Vivaldi CD-set is probably Op3/L'Estro Armonico by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante. I much prefer it to 4 Seasons.






I adore the sound.

---

I have the Pinnock CD-set. It's quite nice, but I found it fairly mellow (too much for my tastes). Maybe I like my Vivaldi with a good hint of flair or zest to it.


----------



## atsizat (Sep 14, 2015)

May said:


> What about La Folia and La Notte? I think they're just great!  Good luck with your choices! ^^


This is the comment I was looking for on this thread. I see La Notte as the best music of Vivaldi


----------



## Tero (Jun 2, 2012)

I probably have a dozen period instruments performances. Some I like, the fiddle destroying Il Giardino Armonico was the worst.

I get a few modern instruments ones on and off. This one is the latest. I like it:







There are high definition and bluray versions too.


----------



## Tero (Jun 2, 2012)

Now I've messed up the thread, i was looking for a 4 seasons thread.


----------



## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Stabat Mater > Gloria > 6 Flute Concerti


----------



## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Stabat Mater > Gloria > 6 Flute Concerti


----------



## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

38 Basson concerti!! Dynamite!!


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Vivaldi - Complete Violin Concertos


----------



## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

There is so much Vivaldi that is greatly enjoyable. The Gloria is a must. And, like many here, I greatly like the L'Estro Armonico (Opus 3) set and the Stabat Mater. There are also the Opus 4 (La Stravaganza) and Opus 8 (Trial of Harmony and Invention) sets (the latter is where the 4 Seasons come from). 

I love the flair Biondi brings to his Vivaldi and also value Rachel Podger's Vivaldi sets, which are more "solid". There are, of course, Vivaldi concertos for many different instruments and many of them are worthwhile. I am also very attached to the cello concerto discs by Roel Dieltiens - they have a real sense of the musicians enjoying themselves - but there are other excellent recordings of these works.

I am less taken by the operas. They seem to be all fireworks and little substance. OK, you could say that about most Vivaldi but many of his shorter works (as above) are great musical fun while the operas are more workmanlike.


----------



## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Stabat Mater sung by Andreas Scholl

The Four Seasons transcribed for flute by James Galway

Vivaldi Concerti con titoli (concertos with titles) by I Musici

Anything you can find by Virtuosi di Roma with Renato Fasano especially Concerto for Violin & Cello RV 547 & RV 546, "La Caccia" RV 362, Concerto for Two Cellos RV 531 and Concerto Grosso for Two Violins RV 552

Vivaldi Sacred Choral Music Vol. 1 Vittorio Negri includes Gloria RV 589, Lauda Jerusalem

Vivaldi Sacred Choral Music Vol. 2 Vittorio Negri includes Dixit Dominus, Beatus Vir, Dominae ad adjuvandum me

Vivaldi 6 Concerti for Flauto Traverso Masahiro Arita & Bach-Mozart Ensemble Tokyo

Antonio Vivaldi Concerto for Diverse Instruments Janigro et al on Bach Guild

Antonio Vivaldi Blaserkonzerte (wind concertos) Hans Stadlmair never came out on CD, is available on a DG LP.


----------



## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

I heard only a fraction of Vivaldis massive output. Some masterpieces have already been mentioned. Other great pieces are concerti for 2 violins, for 3 violins, basoom concertos. Or these two pieces inspired by birds








almost like Messaien


----------



## Mal (Jan 1, 2016)

La stravaganza (12 concertos), Op.4 (complete) Double Decca Marriner ASMF 444 821-2
'Violin Concertos for the Emperor' Manze, E. Concert HM HMU 907332


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The best Vivaldi above all for me is the Gloria.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

You really ought to give a Vivaldi opera a try. Here is a great one (Hercules in Thermodon). even if you don't follow the story, the music and singing is great. Here are sound clips.










Synopsis from Wikipedia writeup:


> The story is based on the ninth of twelve legendary Labors of Hercules. To atone for killing his children in wrath, Hercules must perform twelve labors, the ninth of which is to travel to Thermodon and capture the sword of the Amazon Queen Antiope. (In other versions of the story, the quest was for her magical girdle.) The Amazons were a tribe of female warriors who put all their male children to death.
> 
> Hercules, accompanied by the heroes Theseus, Telamon and Alceste, attacks the Amazons and captures Martesia, daughter of the queen. The Amazons then capture Theseus and, as soon as Queen Antiope swears to sacrifice him, Hippolyte falls in love with him. In the end, the goddess Diana decrees the marriage of Hippolyte with Theseus, prince of Athens, and of Martesia with Alceste, king of Sparta.


----------

