Podger’s Vivaldi comes to life on period instruments

In the Baroque era, writing music was both a craft and a job. A composer had to keep producing new work to earn a living, which is why there are so many pieces in the same genre by composers such as Antonio Vivaldi.

The “Red Priest” wrote dozens of concertos (including 30 for bassoon). His concertante works for violin include the 12 L’Estro Armonico Op. 3, the 12 La Stravaganza concertos, Op. 4, the 12 of La Cetra, Op. 9, and others such as the Concerto L’amoroso, RV271, Concerto Il Grosso Mogu,l RV208, and of course the ubiquitous La Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons), Op. 8.

All these are reissued in a seven-disc set from Channel Classics, featuring the English Baroque specialist Rachel Podger playing violin and directing various period ensembles: Arte Dei Suonatori, Holland Baroque, and Brecon Baroque. This is an excellent set, originally released separately between 2012 and 2018. The Four Seasons disc was so popular, Channel Classics even produced a vinyl pressing.

These are period instrument performances. While I have no problem with works such as The Four Seasons being played on modern...