Cd 1
Concerto in B flat, opus 4 no. 1
Concerto in E minor, opus 4 no. 2
Concerto in G major, opus 4 no. 3
Concerto in A minor, opus 4 no. 4
Concerto in A major, opus 4 no. 5
Concerto in g minor, opus 4 no. 6

Cd 2
Concerto in C major, opus 4 no. 7
Concerto in D minor, opus 4 no. 8
Concerto in F major, opus 4 no. 9
Concerto no. 10 in C minor, opus 4 no. 10
Concerto in D major, opus 4 no. 11
Concerto in G major, opus 4 no. 12

Rachel Podger / baroque violin Rachel Podger, violin, was educated in Germany and in England at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she studied with David Takeno and Michaela Comberti. During her time in London Rachel co-founded two ensembles specialising in the music of the Baroque, Florilegium and The Palladian Ensemble, both of which have achieved international success as touring and recording artists. In 1997 Rachel was appointed leader of The English Concert with whom she has toured throughout the world, often as concerto soloist Rachel’s first solo recordings of J.S.Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, were released in 1999 to great critical acclaim. These discs were followed, in 2001, by Bach’s Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, with Trevor Pinnock, again to critical acclaim. Both recordings were awarded first place by the BBC’s ‘Building a Library’ programme. Rachel’s 2002 release, Telemann’s Twelve Fantasies for Solo Violin, won the prestigious Diapason d’Or and was named one of the BBC Music Magazine’s ‘top 20’ classical CDs of the year. Another well received recent release is Rameau’s Pieces de Clavecin en Concerts with Trevor Pinnock. Future recording plans include a disc of violin repertoire by Muffat, Biber, Pisendel and Walther and as well as Mozart Sonatas. As a recitalist Rachel enjoys an increasingly busy career; she has given many solo concerts in North America, Europe and Korea. Her work as guest director and concerto soloist has also taken her to North America and Poland. In 2003 Rachel will join Andrew Manze and The Academy of Ancient Music for double concertos by Bach and Torelli. Rachel is Professor of Baroque Violin at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She also teaches at the Internationalen Sommer Akademie in Innsbruck, Austria.
Arte dei Suonatori The orchestra Arte dei Suonatori was formed in Poznan (Poland) in 1993 by the violin players Ewa i Aureliusz Golinski and collected a group of young and most talented Polish period-instrument performers. At the core of the ensemble were Polish string and continuo players but during the past few years the orchestra has become more international featuring as regular members musicians from, among others, Germany, England, Holland, Czech Republic, France and Finnland. In October 1998, after 5 years of less regular activities, the orchestra’s leaders, together with the editor of the early music magazine ‘Canor’ Cezary Zych, initiated an extensive series of early music events called ‘Early Music - Persona Grata Endless festival’. The series is based on co-operation between the group and artists from all over the world. Each month the orchestra and its guests present a new programme, performed in some important Polish cultural centers and broadcast by Polish Radio. The festival has established itself quickly as one of the bravest and most original musical projects in Poland. Among the artists with whome Arte dei Suonatori have performed are Paul Goodwin, Micaela Comberti, Mark Caudle, Martin Gester, Hidemi Suzuki, Rachel Brown, Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen, Gabriele Cassone, Eduardo Lopez Banzo, Davitt Moroney, Hille Perl, Veronika Skuplik, Alice Piérot, Alberto Rasi, Roberta Invernizzi, Monique Zanetti, Nele Gramss, Petra Noskaiova, Matthew White, Olga Pasiecznik, Alexis Kossenko, Dan Laurin, Barthold Kuijken, Ryo Terakado, Reinhard Goebel, Salomé Haller, Robert Hill and of course Rachel Podger. Many of these artistic contacts have evolved into closer and regular co-operation. Your are welcome to visit www.personagrata.pl for more information about the orchestra and its activities.

Awards:

Gramophone: Best Baroque Recording of the year 2003

Stereophile: recording of the month

Cd des Monats: Alte Musik Aktuell/

Choc du Monde de la Musique/

Diapason d’Or/

The Absolute Sound October 2003

Classics Today 10/10/

Luister 10

Gramophone Editors Choice

"What I like most of all is her evident relish of the virtuoso demands that the music makes: she rises splendidly to them, making the most of Vivaldi’s extravagant writing (…) This new recording is beyond question triumphantly successful" Gramophone: Awards 2003

(…) Es war eine meiner verblüfendsten Erfährungen im Leben, die wirkliche Musik Vivaldis, sein Können, seine kompositorischen Geniestreiche, seine Lebendigkeit und Frölichkeit zu entdecken. Das ist nichts der Nudel-Nudel-Komponist, den uns Strumpfhosenwerbung oder kostümierte Touristenfänger in ihren abgedroschenen Vivaldikonzerten in Venedig vorführen, ja vorlügen. (…) (…) Wenn ich sage dass Arte dei Suonatori nicht von einem italienischen Orchester zu unterscheiden ist, so ist das wohl das größte Kompliment, dass ich machen kann. Sie spielen umwerfend gut, frisch, ungekünsteld, mit Seele und mit tiefem Verständnis, für die Komposition. (…) Die Überfliegerin hier ist jedich Rachel podger, welche sich wohl selbst ein Denkmal setzt und viele Stargeiger entthront. (…) Sie spielt mit atemberaubender Schönheit, einfach sensibel, spektakulär in ihrer Zurückhaltung. Gratulation!!! Alte Musik Aktuell

(…) Rachel Podger is in a class with Andrew Manze - neither is afraid to riff wildly, and both have a spectacular innate rhythm and sense of the arc of a movement, which allows them to embellish a line without ever distorting it. In addition, they refuse to treat even more routine music routinely, invariably finding, say, an inner dissonance or quirk in scoring to emphasize. Both can be aggressive, and both can opt for true sensitivity; Podger's take on the opening of No.2 is positively dainty. Arte dei Suonatori is a Polish period-instrument band…..they and Podger manage a give-and-take that defines teamwork and joy in music-making, and each member of the band is more than up to his or her task. These 12 concertos were not intended to be listened to in one sitting, but I've found it easier to take a bunch at a time from this recording than from any other. The two CDs are offered at a bargain price. It's easy to take Vivaldi for granted; here, it's impossible. (…) Stereophile

(…) Rachel is a spiritied fiddler in the best sense (…) Australian Review These are expertly performances, beautifully recorded performances (…) American Record Guide

(…) Is like a breath of fresh air in every respect. This is one of the most immediately inviting multi-channel recordings I’ve heard, full of effortlessly crafted, tonally grateful detail and conveying a fine sense of an aptly scaled acoustic. (…) Gramophone

(…) Rachel Podger heeft een nieuwe top bereikt bij de ontginning van Vivaldi’s verborgen kwaliteiten. Geen pizzamuziek maar diepgang, vooral in de lyrisch gespeelde langzame delen (…) (…) Pogerr slaagt erin de halsbrekende toeren op een souvereine wijze te combineren met voortreffelijk ensemblespel. Tijdschrift Oude Muziek

(…) ...but new is good (…) (…) top sound color, the accoustic of the church that this recording took place, sounds extremely clearly (…) IHOS

(…) The sound of both soloist and orchestra is rich, lively and clear textured. Podger responds to the extrovert, the lyrical, and the unexpected in Vivaldi and she is one of those great performers who passes on her enthusiasms to the listener. This, I'm sure, is what Vivaldi should sound like. New Zealand Magazine

(…) there are slow movements of sublime fantasy and hearth–rending beauty. t is here aboove that soloist and director Rachel Podger makes her most distinctive and original contribution (…) BBC Music Magazine

(…) Rachel Podger is one my favourite Baroque fiddler’s (…) (…) the sense of creative interplay between solist and orchestra is palpable. International Record Review

(…) The La Stravaganza set is quite extravagant stuff, full of fantasy and experiment – novel sounds, inginious textures, exploratory melodie lines, original types of figuration, unorthodox forms (…) (…) the performances by Rachel Podger are crackling with vitality and executed with consistent brilliance (…) (…) a performance to leave you breathless. (…) (…) she happiless catches the aristocratic tone of the invention (…) Gramophone

(…) Podger speelt met zo’n zangerige muzikaliteit dat zelfs de grootste zeur van gedachten zal veranderen (…) (…) Hoed af voor het barokorkest dat de violiste swingend en messcherp begeleidt (…) Parool

(…) hoge technische standaard van het orkest (…) (…) Podger: een technisch wonder (…) (…) de musici geven de grillige muziek van Vivaldi van jetje (…) (…) smachten in de langzame delen waarbij Podger het onderste uit de kan haalt (…) Klassieke Zaken

Rachel Podger: uitgegroeid tot één van de meest vooraanstaande specialisten van de barokmuziek (…) (…) Fris, virtuoos en vooral stuwend spel wordt gecombineerd met het scherp aanzetten van contrasten en afgewisseld met pure lyriek. Een belevenis. De Gelderlander

Cd des Monats: Alte Musik Aktuell

(…) certainly the finest Vivaldi release in years..(…) David Hurwitz

Klanglich hervorragend geluingen (…) (…) Rachel Podger arbeitet alle subtilen Details der Musik heraus (…) Crescendo

(…) ...but new is good (…) (…) top sound color, the accoustic of the church that this recording took place, sounds extremely clearly (…) IHOS

(…) Over deze cd kunnen we kort zijn. Het is jubelende zomerse muziek, uitstekend vertolkt en bijzonder mooi en helder opgenomen. Rachel Podger speelt met een muzikaliteit, een frisheid, een technisch meesterschap en een stijlgevoel om u tegen te zeggen en het schitterende barokensemble Arte dei Suonari bevestigd zijn reputatie met een enorme bevlogenheid Knack

(…) I was shocked to find myself listening to the whole lot in one sitting, merrily finding each piece to be its own vivid drama. And I have eagerly returned to them several times since. (…) (…) Rachel Podger and the Polish baroque orchestra Arte dei Suonatori prove worthy to the task, endlessly varying texture and attack to keep the listener on the edge of his or her seat. (…) Superior recording, handsome presentation, in-depth notes from producer Jonathan Freeman-Attwood and from Rachel Podger herself, and performances that remind us why we became addicted to music in the first place, make this a truly formidable release, deserving of all the many awards it will receive. Somewhere, that red-haired priest Vivaldi (‘Il prete rosso,’ they called him) must be cackling with joy to hear his invention catch fire once again. High Fidelity Magazine USA

(…) Podger tells a subtle musical story through clever tempo choices, remarkably well-tempered intonation and lots of fance right-hand articulation. The fine accompaniments provided by the remarkable homogeneous Polish-based Baroque orchestra prove that the best in Baroque playing might well have moved east from well-established centres of learning in London and Amsterdam. (…) Strad The Absolute sound October/November 2004