Search - Giuseppe Tartini, Nicholas Kraemer, Raglan Baroque Players :: Tartini: Violin Concertos

A tartini revival ?

Ross Kennett | Narooma, NSW Australia | 02/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There seems to be a Tartini revival going on, without the notice of most of the critics. My interest was raised by the concerto included in Carmignola's "Concerto Veneziano". Since this CD was released there has been a series of 10 from L'Arte dell'Arco.

The first thing you notice with Tartini is that he doesn't sound much like Vivaldi even though he comes from northern Italy and was a regular visitor to Venice when Vivaldi was at his most famous.

The Tartini sound is intense and elegant, with emphasis on cantabile melody, rather than drama. There are hints of the coming classic period ? One of the slow movements on this CD sounds very much like Locatelli, or more likely Locatelli sounds like Tartini?

This interpretation from Elizabeth Wallfisch with the Raglan Baroque directed by Nicholas Kraemer at the keyboard is a splendid one; the keyboard is a chamber organ rather than harpsichord, whether this is Tartini's choice or Kraemer's we are not told. The addition of a Theorbo adds to the continuo.

I am happy to give this CD 5 and recommend it."

Tartini: Violin Concertos

Bjorn Viberg | European Union | 08/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tartini: Violin Concertos~ Giuseppe Tartini was a recoding that I pick by mere chance. I must admit that I had never ever heard of this composer. I must say that I was in for a very nice surprise. Tartini does certainly sound a bit like Vivaldi but I would say that he sounds a bit like a mix between Bach and Vivaldi which is understandable since they where all contemporaries of one another and must have been influenced. Whilst not in the same league as Bach, he nonetheless is a very accomplished composer in his own right. The book-let is so nice and the essay written by Duncan Druce is very informative. Elizabeth Wallfisch is an accomplished violinist and she certainly plays the piece with great ability and I am sure Tartini himself would have been pleased. 5 well deserved stars."