Vivaldi: Complete Viola D'amore Concertos / Pine
Label: CEDILLE Catalog: CDR 159 Format: CD The seductively charming sound of the Baroque-era viola d’amore takes center stage in this new, all-Vivaldi recording with Billboard classical chart-topping violinist Rachel Barton Pine and the veteran Chicago-based period instrument ensemble Ars Antigua, making its Cedille label debut. Ms. Pine, Cedille’s all-time best-selling artist, and Ars Antigua perform all eight of Vivaldi’s virtuosic concertos for viola d’amore, an unusual instrument of the violin family with 14 strings: seven played with the bow, the others resonating passively for a sweet, silvery tone. Pine is “one of the rare mainstream performers with a total grasp of Baroque style and embellishment” (Fanfare) and “a most accomplished Baroque violinist, fully the equal of the foremost specialists.” (Gramophone) Founded in the early 2000s by double-bass virtuoso Jerry Fuller, Ars Antigua (“ancient art” in Medieval Latin) comprises seasoned early music veterans from the Chicago area. Price: $25.98 |