Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G major, RV 493: Allegro mà poco
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G major, RV 493: Largo
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G major, RV 493: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G minor, RV 495: Presto
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G minor, RV 495: Largo
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in G minor, RV 495: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 477: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 477: Largo
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 477: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in F major, RV 488: Allegro non molto
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in F major, RV 488: Largo
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in F major, RV 488: (senza indicazione di tempo)
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in B flat major, RV 503: Allegro non molto
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in B flat major, RV 503: Largo
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in B flat major, RV 503: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 471: Allegro molto
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 471: Larghetto
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in C major, RV 471: Allegro
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in E minor, RV 484: Allegro poco
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in E minor, RV 484: Andante
Bassoon Concerto, for bassoon, strings & continuo in E minor, RV 484: Allegro
It is almost an understatement to identify Vivaldi as the most significant composer ever of bassoon concertos, since — the competition is so meagre. — Even within Vivaldi's own oeuvre, the thirty-nine bassoon concertos (two ... more »of them incomplete) form an impressive
group. The composer seems to have had a particular affinity with deeper instruments (the cello as well as the bassoon),
which brought out especially vividly the melancholy, reflective side of his temperament. Moreover, the bassoon
concertos are all works of Vivaldi's full maturity in fact, mostly of his last period, running from the later
1720s to his death in 1741 and have an incomparable rhythmic variety, boldness of form and attention to detail.
Not only the concertos for solo bassoon and strings but also a huge, diverse collection of works and movements
where Vivaldi employs the bassoon in other contexts (for example, in chamber concertos and concertos with multiple
soloists) show that he was in equal measure familiar with, and partial to, the instrument.« less
It is almost an understatement to identify Vivaldi as the most significant composer ever of bassoon concertos, since
the competition is so meagre.
Even within Vivaldi's own oeuvre, the thirty-nine bassoon concertos (two of them incomplete) form an impressive
group. The composer seems to have had a particular affinity with deeper instruments (the cello as well as the bassoon),
which brought out especially vividly the melancholy, reflective side of his temperament. Moreover, the bassoon
concertos are all works of Vivaldi's full maturity in fact, mostly of his last period, running from the later
1720s to his death in 1741 and have an incomparable rhythmic variety, boldness of form and attention to detail.
Not only the concertos for solo bassoon and strings but also a huge, diverse collection of works and movements
where Vivaldi employs the bassoon in other contexts (for example, in chamber concertos and concertos with multiple
soloists) show that he was in equal measure familiar with, and partial to, the instrument.
"The present CD is one of the most stunning recordings of the rich vivaldian discography. Albeit Klaus Thunemann with I Musici (Philips) offered (20 years ago) an excellent rendition of many concertos for bassoon by Vivaldi, and Tamàs Benkòcs has now nearly completed the registration for Naxos of the whole Vivaldi's output for the bassoon (the first 5 CDs of the series show his excellent bassoon playing), I was still left with the impression that the real richness and depth of these Vivaldi's concertos were still waiting for a true (re-)discovery. The present CD, the first one of the Naïve's Vivaldi Edition series to be entirely dedicated to the bassoon, fully centers this objective. The concertos played here are the numbers RV 493, RV 495, RV 477, RV 488, RV 503, RV 471, RV 484, and for the preparation of the present CD they have been the subject of a novel critical edition based on the original manuscripts. Sergio Azzolini plays as soloist and concertmaster with the Aurora Soave Ensemble: what you will ear is probably the most amazing bassoon playing available, accompanied by a young orchestra that reveals itself as one of the most sensitive and stylish existing baroque ensembles. Joy, melancholy, anger, grotesque and boldness are dispensed in different doses in these concertos, and are often mixed and juxtaposed (even in a same movement) to create a true kaleidoscope of emotions. Each one of these concertos is full of "dark and light" nuances, finely carved, and each one of them is depicted in its peculiar character, telling a different story: for example, RV 495 is astonishingly furious, RV 503 reminds pre-classical atmospheres, RV 471 shows joyful and never-ending imaginativeness, RV 484 (the best known concerto for bassoon) an inconsolable melancholy. All the central slow movements are rendered with incomparable beauty, with a nearly vocal eloquence that strongly reminds some of the most moving pages of the Vivaldi's operatic output, and with that sense of nostalgia that is often associated to the landscape of the venetian lagoon. Rarely the poetry of vivaldian slow movements has been played with the same respect and sensibility as by Sergio Azzolini in this disc: listen to the astonishing largos of RV493 and of RV503 to be convinced. Last note: the acoustic is perfect, quite warm, every sound is well separated, orchestra and soloist are perfectly balanced, basses are well represented . In conclusion, I can imagine that this earthshaking job by Sergio Azzolini and l'Aura Soave will probably change the overall perception of the Vivaldi's concertos for the bassoon in the same extent as Giuliano Carmignola "Late Vivaldi Concertos" did it for violin concertos. I warmly hope that the same team will be in charge for the realization of the remaining four or five discs of "Concerti per fagotto" that will be produced by Naïve for the Vivaldi Edition. This CD is an exciting and unavoidable addition to the disc collection of any music lover."
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1