Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Vivaldi: L’Amore per Elvira (2006) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

L’Amore per Elvira is the title La Serenissima have given this disc, referring to the fact that the three chamber cantatas it includes deal with the ups and downs of love for a lady of that name. Put together they tell a neat little story; the lover timidly declares his feelings; the lover must go on a journey and makes a tearful farewell; the lover returns for a joyous reunion. Each consists of a pair of recitatives and arias, and while the latter are full of the kind of striking and demanding vocal writing we have learnt to expect from Vivaldi, it is the opening recitatives which seem most determined to grab the attention. From the trembling trills at the start of Tremori al braccio or the slightly overwrought Elvira anima mia to the excitable Lungi del vago volto, each sets the mood for its ensuing cantata with memorable boldness and imagination.

Mhairi Lawson brings to them her characteristically bright and powerful tone and strong sense of drama. The three instrumental works which interleave with the cantatas on this disc Adrian Chandler presents with an engaging combination of keen-edged incisiveness and silky tone.

Amid the current welter of Vivaldi recordings, however, there is no doubt that with well programmed and performed releases such as this, La Serenissima are winning an important place for themselves. –Gramophone, January 2007

The British group La Serenissima is certainly no stranger to Vivaldi. It was formed in 1994 specifically for a performance of Vivaldi’s La Senna Festaggiante and, as its publicity proudly proclaims, ‘works like The Four Seasons form an important part of La Serenissima’s repertoire’. This is its third commercial disc devoted to the music of Vivaldi and its first collaboration with Linn. Certainly the booklet, with beautifully clear tracking details, texts and translations and interesting notes by La Serenissima’s director and principal violinist, Adrian Chandler, looks impressive and implies authoritative and well-prepared performances. And that’s what we get. Of the three instrumental concertos on the disc, the two for violin and continuo have been reconstructed by Chandler from manuscripts and appear in the catalogue for the first time. In these Chandler dominates with clear-headed, no nonsense virtuosity which seems ideally suites to Vivaldi’s businesslike writing. Musically La Serenissima stands up well, with playing full of life and bracing energy. Mhairi Lawson [has] a rich and truly lovely voice, always beautifully controlled and with an almost instrumental quality in its clarity of pitch and articulation—brilliantly demonstrated in the opening of Tremori al braccio. Impressive music-making, perceptive Vivaldi performances. –Marc Rochester, International Record Review, November 2006

Tracklist:
01. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.3) for violin & continuo in D, RV 11: I. Largo (03:28)
02. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.3) for violin & continuo in D, RV 11: II. Allegro (03:23)
03. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.3) for violin & continuo in D, RV 11: III. Largo (02:32)
04. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.3) for violin & continuo in D, RV 11: IV. Allegro (03:04)
05. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Tremori al braccio, RV 799: I. Recitativo: Tremori al braccio (01:35)
06. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Tremori al braccio, RV 799: II. Aria – Andante: Quando chiami dolce, e cara (06:24)
07. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Tremori al braccio, RV 799: III. Recitativo: Ah nò, mia cara Elvira (00:47)
08. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Tremori al braccio, RV 799: IV. Aria – Largo: Quello che senti, ò bella (05:46)
09. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata for violin, cello & continuo in C minor, RV 83: I. Allegro (02:30)
10. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata for violin, cello & continuo in C minor, RV 83: II. Largo (03:51)
11. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata for violin, cello & continuo in C minor, RV 83: III. Allegro (02:43)
12. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Elvira, anima mia for soprano & continuo, RV 654: I. Recitativo: Elvira, anima mia (01:24)
13. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Elvira, anima mia for soprano & continuo, RV 654: II. Aria – Larghetto: Partirò, ma vedrai quanto (05:15)
14. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Elvira, anima mia for soprano & continuo, RV 654: III. Recitativo: Passo al rogo fatal (01:06)
15. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Elvira, anima mia for soprano & continuo, RV 654: IV. Aria – Allegro non molto: Pupille vaghe (03:18)
16. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.2) for violin & continuo in B minor, RV 37: I. Largo (03:31)
17. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.2) for violin & continuo in B minor, RV 37: II. Allegro (03:08)
18. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.2) for violin & continuo in B minor, RV 37: III. Largo (02:10)
19. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Sonata ‘Graz’ (No.2) for violin & continuo in B minor, RV 37: IV. Allegro (03:23)
20. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Lungi dal vago volto for soprano, violin & continuo, RV 680: I. Recitativo: Lungi dal vago volto (02:01)
21. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Lungi dal vago volto for soprano, violin & continuo, RV 680: II. Aria – Largo: Augelletti, voi col canto (08:40)
22. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Lungi dal vago volto for soprano, violin & continuo, RV 680: III. Recitativo: Allegrezza, mio core (01:01)
23. Mhairi Lawson, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler – Cantata Lungi dal vago volto for soprano, violin & continuo, RV 680: IV. Aria – Allegro: Mi stringerai sì, sì (04:57)