Podger, Rachel - violin
Orchestra Arte dei Suonatori

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

Immersing myself in the 12 Concertos of ‘La Stravaganza’ was an intense and exhilarating experience, and one which has left me full of wonder at Vivaldi’s seemingly endless capacity for invention. Having had many opportunities to get to know his music ever since I started playing the violin (the well-loved A minor Concerto from L’estro Armonico is one of the set pieces in Suzuki’s violin method and played by most 6-10 year olds!), the Seasons and L’estro featuring strongly in baroque concert programmes, it was with interest but also a number of pre-conceptions that I approached these relatively obscure concertos. I rather arrogantly assumed I’d have to put my mind to making them sound as different from each other as possible, as they probably wouldn’t assert their own character within the set by themselves. I’m ashamed of that thought now, since I quickly realised that I wasn’t dealing with ‘samey’ music at all, but with extreme inventiveness within a definite framework. Vivaldi uses melodic figurations in so many remarkable ways. It’s as though he likes to experiment with every possible variant and push the players beyond expectation of what might be coming next. Having said that, the most predictable comment about his music is that his music is predictable! But listen, for example, to the last movement of Concerto no.1, where we see him first setting up a simple phrase, experimenting with the opening figure (first 2 bars) in minimal ways, taking us unexpectedly (unpredictably!) into a new key just when we expect the solo part to take charge. For 111 bars he lets his imagination run riot with this very simple opening figure, transforming it and avoiding any obvious phrasing that the listener might assume. This way, he creates a wonderful spirit of exploration in the music. Fragments of figurations are often thrown from one part to the next in the orchestra, later making up a whole phrase. Vivaldi also uses very simple tools by, for instance, making the tune leap across the two violin parts: there is an ascending triadic figure which goes to-and-fro between the fiddles as a variation on a similar tune heard earlier in a single part within the orchestra (Concerto no.3, first movement). His citing of a tune, repeating it twice note-by-note and then changing it at the last minute is often both witty and clever (like in Concerto no.5, first movement, during the 4th tutti section). Vivaldi conveys so much variety and character; it feels easy to perform as the language is so direct and the expression within looks candidly at you from the page. The sublime slow movements (such as in Concertos nos. 1 and 11) recall descriptions or paintings of paradise where you literally feel like you’re hovering on a cloud for the duration of the movement… and the demon-like moments in Concerto no.8 (first movement) make you believe you’re being devoured by hungry tigers. I want to thank all the members of Arte dei Suonatori for helping to make this recording such an exciting project and for being so good-natured in putting up with all my experiments in the sessions. And I’d like to thank Jared Sacks, Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Cezary Zych and Tim Cronin without whom this recording would not have been possible.

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

"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