Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
La Stravaganza, op. 4 (transcriptions d'après le livre d'Anne Dawson, 1716)

Luca Scandali, orgue (Orgue G. Callido, 1774)

On sait que Bach a transcrit lui-même quelques concertos de Vivaldi, il demeure que les recueils de transcriptions contribuèrent largement à la diffusion du répertoire italien dans toute l’Europe, à l’exemple de cet Anne Dawson’s book, publié vers 1720 contenant des Concertos, des airs et des Sonates pour clavier. Contrairement à celles de Bach qui arrange et réinvente à sa façon, les transcriptions de cet op. 4 du prêtre roux choisies ici par Luca Scandali sont au plus près du texte original tout en adaptant la partition à l’idiome instrumental avec parfois de minimes détournements harmoniques. L’orgue construit en 1774 par Gaetano Callido, ne se distingue pas vraiment, nonobstant une registration sobre et homogène. Luca Scandali ne cherche pas non plus midi à quatorze heures et s’applique à restituer fidèlement ces partitions sans fantaisies ni reliefs (La Stravaganza tout de même !) mais qui furent si utiles en leur temps. Retournons à Bach et à Koopman. (Jérôme Angouillant)

The concerto played a leading role in the evolution of the language and style of instrumental music from the late 17th century onwards, with its popularity and importance continuing to grow throughout the 18th century. Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) did not invent the concerto grosso or solo concerto, but he can, without a shadow of a doubt, be considered the composer who gave the greatest boost to the genre, turning it into the dominant form of instrumental music in the first half of the 18th century: without Vivaldi and his concertos, the history of music would surely have followed a different trajectory. La Stravaganza Op.4 was published in approximately 1714, and its 12 concerti are almost entirely written for solo violin, with the sole exception of Concerto No.7, which is scored for two violins and cello. The curious title (which literally means ‘extravagance’ or ‘eccentricity’) that Vivaldi gave to this collection seems to refer to the early Italian baroque style, which remained dominant throughout the 1600s through to the early 1700s. This particular style sought to move and cajole audiences in various ways, including expert use of eccentric features, trickery and virtuosity, and its influence was felt in all the 17th century’s instrumental and vocal writing. Vivaldi’s musical language and style also contained certain ‘extravagant’ elements, albeit interpreted in his own personal way. Numerous examples of stylistic originality marked a genuine departure from Corelli, while attesting to the bold experimentation and acrobatic virtuosity for which Vivaldi is renowned: asymmetry in form; extensive and inventive harmonic progressions; sudden, theatrical breaks; and prominent, fast and virtuosic solo parts. The concertos on this recording come from the Anne Dawson’s Book collection, held in the Henry Watson Music Library in Manchester (UK). In addition to arias for voice and basso continuo, the collection, produced in around 1720, also contains a series of compositions for keyboard instruments and transcriptions of concertos by various composers, including ten by Vivaldi (three from Op.3 and seven from Op.4). The majority of the arrangements in this source are Italian concertos and serve to highlight in particular the huge popularity Vivaldi’s concertos enjoyed. Like many transcriptions from the era, the arrangements in Anne Dawson’s Book tend to prioritise the original score, while clearly adapting the pieces to the idiom of keyboard instruments and the opportunities they present. The anonymous arranger of Anne Dawson’s Book aimed, and succeeded, to simplify the orchestral part in order to make it easier to perform at the keyboard without sacrificing anything of its originality or rhythmic and harmonic variety.