Concertos (CD)

Of this recording’s three original works for Avital’s instrument, two come from Naples, the city synonymous with the sound of the mandolin. As the artist points out, Neapolitan culture was, and is, full of color, emotion and theatricality, and these qualities are mirrored in the E flat major Concerto attributed to Giovanni Paisiello – stylistically worlds apart from the Vivaldi. Avital also transforms J.S. Bach’s well-known Concerto for violin and oboe, BWV 1060R into a “lighter and brighter” version for mandolin and recorder.Rehearsing and recording the work, notes the artist, led to all the musicians involved reformulating the way they thought about the concerto. His fellow soloist here is none other than Giovanni Antonini – a virtuoso recorder player and flautist. Avital’s inclusion of this work is part of his “lifelong mission” to record as much of the composer’s music as possible and extends his existing DG Bach discography.

TRACK LIST

VIVALDI: Concerto for 4 Mandolins, Strings and Basso continuo in B minor (after “L’estro armonico” op. 3 no. 10 / RV 580 for four violins)

J.S. BACH: Concerto for Mandolin, Recorder, Strings and Basso continuo in D minor (after BWV 1060R in C minor for violin and oboe)

BARBELLA: Concerto for Mandolin, Strings and Basso continuo in D major

Attr. PAISELLO: Concerto for Mandolin, Strings and Basso continuo in E flat major

HUMMEL: Concerto for Mandolin and Orchestra in G major

ARTISTS
Avi Avital, mandolin
Il Giardino Armonico
Giovanni Antonini, recorder & conductor