Music, especially, plays a prominent role in religious imagination, from the hymns of ancient Greece, to the cantorial traditions of Judaism and Islam, to the continuing attempts by composers to capture the “songs of heaven” in earthly music. Whether it takes shape in the arabesques and mosaics of the Great Mosque of Damascus or the intricate calligraphy and illuminated details in sacred books, spirituality has motivated countless artists. 3 Ostro picta, armata spina RV 642: III.Among all the areas of human experience and endeavor, religion has perhaps inspired the greatest works of art.2 Ostro picta, armata spina RV 642: II.1 Ostro picta, armata spina RV 642: I.In short, this is Vivaldi as it should be. This album happily avoids such pitfalls, with a performance that celebrates the rich drama and excitement of Vivaldi while maintaining a lightness of touch throughout. Vivaldi is, to coin a phrase, like soufflé – easily too light, or too stodgy, and either way falling completely flat. However, the performance is an even and expressive one – it runs at a cracking pace, too – and worth listening to alone for solos by Sara Mingardo, whose rich yet light voice is perfect for this music.
It’s less theatrical, and for that reason it’s likely to have been written earlier than RV589 it’s also, sadly, rather less interesting. Too often this work can descend into dull turgidity – here it crackles with excitement and tension throughout. The highlight of the whole disc is the famous opening Gloria in Excelsis Deo, performed at high-octane speed. This version is very speedy – Alessandrini’s trademark style – but, I think, wonderful for it. With two superb arias by Monica Piccinini, it’s a cheery, zesty appetiser-of-sorts to Gloria RV589, which immediately follows. The introductory motet, Ostro Picta, has only been recorded four times before. These Glorias neatly reflect the change in style. With the opera genre flourishing, audiences were beginning to expect church music to live up to the expressive, theatrical music they heard at the opera house – no more plainchant or unaccompanied polyphony. They were composed around the same time in the early 1700s, which was a fascinating time for sacred music.
RV589 is so well known that it tends to be called ‘the’ Vivaldi Gloria RV588, on the other hand, is rarely performed.
This album is part of the project, and features two Vivaldi Glorias, plus an introductory motet. They’re about halfway through the 450 works, many of which haven’t been performed since the 18th century. The Vivaldi Edition, a recording venture set up in 2000, is in full swing – the plan is to record the complete collection of Vivaldi manuscripts housed by the university Library in Turin by 2015. We’re in the midst of a Vivaldian revolution at the moment.
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