Search - Francesco Maria Veracini, Antonio Vivaldi, Franz Ignaz Beck :: Veracini: Overtures Nos. 1,2,3,4, & 6

Delightful music in a first complete recording.

John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 01/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Play this splendid CD to a friend who doesn't know the composer, and he'll probably guess Handel. Veracini was indeed almost a contemporary of Handel and Bach, being born in 1690. Like their orchestral suites, his overtures contain a succession of short movements, mostly in dance forms. Veracini also composed operas, one of which contains a little "pastorale" once enchantingly recorded by Luisa Tetrazzini.For this recording, the manuscripts of the works were studied and corrected at Venice, and the recording was made in Verona. Everything here is of five star standard, especially the sound quality. Look out for a second CD from the same stable."

As good as Austin says

kermit rohrbach | allen, tx, usa | 08/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was a fellow resident of Plano not long before the negative review from there originated. Veracini is an acquired taste, of course, but not liking the music and pooh-poohing the performance are two different things. I disagree with the Aussie about who someone would guess--the opening bars (largo) are strictly Bach (as in the overtures of unknown date). Either Bach heard Veracini or vice versa and one suspects it is the former. Thereafter, Veracini and Bach part ways. If you enjoy Bach's overtures, then certainly you should not pass this by. Good Veracini performances are about as plentiful as people who know who he is (he does not even appear in my edition of Kennedy's dictionary). Sound is very natural (typical for Naxos because they could only afford two microphones)."

Adequate but not excellent

Artemisia | Australia | 07/17/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The music is grand, elaborate and highly original. However this performance with Alberto Martini conducting is mediocre and does not do it justice. Buy the recording with Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Cologne if you can get it."