Search - Vivaldi, Caroli, Lot :: Concerti a Cinque

This disc is a sort of Vivaldi smorgasbord. You get two violin concertos, one concerto for two violins, one concerto for strings, one concerto for violin and organ, one cello concerto, and one concerto for two cellos. Most of Vivaldi's 600 or so concertos were never published during his lifetime--only about 50 made it into print--and the variety as well as quality of what he wrote is pretty staggering. He was, in fact, one of the first great composers to make a name for himself solely on the basis of his instrumental, as opposed to vocal, music. Fabio Biondi is an excellent performer, and this disc provides a comprehensively fine overview of Vivaldi's range. --David Hurwitz