Antonio VIVALDI. Concerti per violoncello III—Christophe Coin (cello) & L’Onda Armonica—naïve

by | Feb 29, 2020 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

Antonio VIVALDI. Concerti per violoncello III (RV 400, 404, 407, 415, 420, 423)—Christophe Coin (cello) & L’Onda Armonica—naïve OP 30574—58:00—****1/2:

As part of the Vivaldi Edition, volume 61 represents Vivaldi’s concertos and chamber music; specifically here, they offer six cello concertos. Coin has been featured as soloist in the first two installments; in each he was joined with Il Giardino Armonico. And Coin’s experience with these concerti isn’t something new; he recorded some of them back in 1989 with the Academy of Ancient Music directed by Christopher Hogwood.

Coin’s training in historical practice included a stint with Jordi Savall, and his leadership has included directing his own ensemble, Ensemble Baroque de Limoges, and the Quatuor Mosaïques.

His collaboration in this recording with L’Onda Armonica brings an especially rich continuo team, including bassoon, mandolin, lute, and organ and harpsichord. All these instruments aren’t employed for each concerto, but the variety available I think is a plus. As an ensemble, they do well to support Coin with care in their performance to find opportunities for dynamic shaping. They’ve appeared once already in the series, too, as backup to their founder, Sergio Azzolini (bassoon).

As we might expect, Coin’s readings are consistently good, although the sound of this recording compared to those with Il Giardino Armonico lacks the same focus. There’s a dryness to the earlier recordings which I prefer, but in this recording, the ensemble is further away, yet Coin remains focused, positioned in the forefront of the stereo image. In a fast movement, such as RV 420’s finale, the orchestra’s sound is mildly blurred compared to Coin, sounding closer to us. And once you’re this far into the album, the lack of focus from the ensemble itself isn’t a problem.

In the last concerto, in G major, RV 415, Coin uses a smaller instrument, which he positions on top of a table for performance. This type of 5-string cello was believed to be in use at the Pièta, where Vivaldi wrote for many female girls. Both instruments used are period originals and sound great. The sound of the smaller instrument on this recording is somewhat nasal compared to the instrument used in the other five concertos. Its projection, too, is quieter; despite the differences in balance against the orchestra, Coin blends the sound of this instrument in with the upper strings in a nearly sublime fashion for the concerto’s slow movement.

While I have other versions of some of these concertos in my collection, these performances add to the discography already with Coin in the soloist’s chair. And as in the earlier releases, these performances stand as solid, historically-informed references that showcase Vivaldi’s ability to write solid solo concertos for a non-treble instrument. Coin’s command of articulation and phrasing adds value to all of these recordings. The only things missing in this edition are the moments of dramatic intensity one can only imagine came from the direction of Il Giardino Armonico’s director, Giovanni Antonini, and the closer-miked sound which I prefer, given the choice between volumes II and III.

—Sebastian Herrera

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