Priest, teacher of orphaned girls and violin virtuoso, but what about prodigious lover, sorcerer and spy? As the lively booklet note accompanying this engrossing new release, Vivaldi, Concerti per una vita, from Théotime Langlois de Swarte declares, “Vivaldi gets tongues wagging.” Any which way, this double-CD romp through the composer’s multi-hued life is a shoo-in for Limelight Recording of the Month (Harmonia Mundi HMM90237374).

“Violinist Langlois de Swarte and his ensemble Le Consort travel up and down a continuum between Vivaldi’s extreme instrumental virtuosity and arioso languidness, the flexible ensemble and continuo adding fresh colours and textures along the way,” writes Will Yeoman in his five-star review. “There are concertos utilising chamber forces and medium-size forces, such as the Concerto in A minor, RV356 and Concerto in B minor, RV37a. And concertos requiring larger forces, such as an expanded violin section for the Violin Concerto in F major, RV569, really a concerto for violin, two horns, two oboes, bassoon, cello, strings and continuo. It is, incidentally, huge fun to listen to.”

“Langlois de Swarte’s playing is electrifying,” he continues, “but...