Search - Giuseppe Tartini, L'Arte dell'Arco :: Giuseppe Tartini: The Violin Concertos, Vol. 7

Excellent Tartini

Ross Kennett | Narooma, NSW Australia | 03/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"L'Arte Dell'Arco are engaged in the ambitious task of recording all 135 Tartini violin concertos, this is Vol 7, I think they are up to Vol 12. I chose Vol 7 more or less at random to sample their output. It contains four concertos thought to have been composed in the years 1721 to 1735, early works.

The music is played with one instrument per part, just seven players, this makes for a clear and open sound. At first listening I thought the performance just a bit aggressive, and the sound a little hard, but now am happy to describe it as enthusiastic, but I would have liked a lute added to the continuo to give a softer and luscious feel. This applies especially to the slow movements.

Overall it is a very good performance, clear, precise and joyful. It is not as good as the one Tartini cocerto I have played by Carmignola/ Venice baroque, but it is well worth 5 stars. I will now seek out their version of later concertos.

( The music is played at A= 440/442 Hz, "Venetian Pitch"; I must admit I had never heard of this, but it is quite correct, baroque music is usually played at 415Hz, the pitch in common use in Germany at that time.)"