Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concertos

Viktoria Mullova isn’t quite a Baroque violinist – her Strad is fitted with gut strings, she’s using a Baroque bow and she plays very stylishly – but there’s something about her sound that betrays the modern virtuoso. Her vibrato is modest but it’s used in a way that harks back to her conventional Russian training. Much more important than rating her on a scale of authenticity, however, is to note that it’s top-class violin playing: the rhythms are lively and poised, all the passagework is beautifully clear and exact. The programme is excellent, too, in the way it shows the wide range of Vivaldi’s imagination. The rarely encountered RV187 is a lovely piece, full of delightful original touches, in contrast to the better known Grosso Mogul which, despite its brilliance and its satisfying formal design, is oppressively short of significant ideas. Il Giardino Armonico provide an immensely spirited accompaniment, four members taking the extra solo roles in Op 3 No 10 with great style. Vivaldi’s music needs strong contrasts in performance; it should create a sense of amazement, which these accounts supply in a striking and convincing way. The prevalence of ferocious accents, ultra-short off-the-string bowing, and exaggerated dynamic shading is a little troubling: the strongest, swiftest bow stroke should retain the character of a gesture, rather than a hammer blow. But whether or not you agree, you’re likely to enjoy the vigour, colourful variety and sheer expertise of these performances. Gramophone 2010