Search - Tomaso Albinoni, I Musici, Maria Teresa Garatti :: Albinoni: 12 Concerti, Op. 7

The Musical Equivalent of a Morning Stroll Through La Jolla

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 10/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1715 set of 12 concerti by Tomaso Albinoni includes four solo oboe concerti and four concerto for two oboes, the very first oboe concertos published by an Italian composer. The oboe concerti showcase a remarkably happy musical affinity between Albinoni's traditional Venetian string orchestra and the new to Italy northern double reed instrument with its fresh, quirky, marvelous piquant sound.



The Venetian Baroque composers are, like their great predecessors in the field of painting, Titian, Giorgione, and Bellini, extraordinary colorists, and in his Opus 7 Albinoni effortlessly scatters a rich palette of dulcet harmonies. The overall effect sparkles like the reflections off the canals of Venice in the surrounding magically lighted atmosphere of La Serenissima, while pulsating below a bright forward energy enlivens the many graceful cantabile melodies flowing out from each of Albinoni's concerti.



I Musici never made a sunnier recording, and if you're not up for conquering the world this music's grace and charm is the perfect background to enjoy a state of dolce far niente.



The excellent notes discuss the music in greater detail than most such reissues. They describe all of the selections and give many helpful suggestions for better appreciating Albinoni's approach to the forms of his day.



Heinz Holliger, and Maurice Bourgue in the double concerti, play with what appears ridiculous, even effortless ease. Oboes shouldn't sound so easy to play, and Holliger certainly deserves his fame as a soloist. Albinoni was also a highly regarded opera composer, and throughout the set he treats the listener to beautiful long melodies. Throughout his writing a light touch prevails, not at all an admonition: it's a rare artist who can carry seemingly straighforward accompaniments with such an engaging buoyancy, echoing the ever present ebb and flow of the island Republic's gentle tides.



Finally a very fine digital restoration - always an important aspect when talking about violins, violas, cellos, a bassoon and of course the perky crown princes, the oboes. If not the Beethoven 9th, Albinoni's Opus 7 Concerti are welcome pleasures to a tired soul. They are redeemed by qualities even the most ambitious compostions must never turn their back on - an appreciation for the listener's need to find in music true delight and lasting joy.



"

Refreshing & delightful

jsa | San Diego, CA United States | 07/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Albinoni's opus 7 concertos, which are "for, with and without oboe," are less well known than the opus 9 concertos, but they are in no way to be considered "poor relations." Indeed, I hesitated before buying this set, wondering how much Albonini I really needed, thinking that there might be a "sameness" to all this music. Prospective buyers shouldn't worry though. While these concertos are not quite up to the very high level of Albinoni's famous opus 9, baroque music lovers will not be at all disappointed. Each op. 7 concerto is relatively brief - No. 1, which is the shortest, clocks in at less than four minutes - but packs a delightful punch. The playing by Italian Baroque experts, I Musici, along with oboists Heinz Holliger & Maurice Bourge, is inspired & the 1990/1991 digitally recorded sound is superb.



Some may quibble about the fact that this two cd set, reissued in 2006 as part of the Philips "Originals" series, contains only 94 minutes of music, a mere 14 minutes more than can be squeezed on one cd, however, that was not an issue for me. I prefer having this album as it was originally conceived rather than stuffed with miscellenous pieces added simply to fill up all of the available disc space. Supplemental material has been a long term beef of mine, especially on jazz recordings where numerous (& maddening) alternative takes have been added simply so that buyers won't feel short changed by a 40 minute album.



One additional note - if you want the I Musici readings of both Albonini's op. 5 & op. 7, be sure to buy this set & the I Musici recording of op. 5 separately, instead of the Philips Duo set which includes the Berlin Chamber Orchestra reading of Op 5 & the I Musici performance of op 7."