Vivaldi & Bach For Recorders / Quartetto Icarus, Release Date: 12/21/2010, Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Orchestra/Ensemble: Icarus Quartet, Number of Discs: 1, All the pieces on this program are arrangements and transcriptions for recorder quartet-and in three cases, transcriptions of transcriptions-of concertos and other music by Vivaldi and Bach. The usual raison d'Ãªtre in the case of these two composers is that they themselves transcribed their own and others' works and are, thus, fair game themselves, and that is the operative rationale here. There is a body of work explicitly for recorder ensembles, most of it written to help foster the revival of interest in the instrument from the middle years of the last century. There is also the considerable body of recent music written for the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet (still very much in business after 30 years). If the ensemble in question is a quartet of recorders, played by specialists in early music, however, the pickings are slim, indeed. The recording has good sound; it is recorded quite close up, however, so the listener is treated to occasional key-slaps and quick breaths. There are no musicological revelations here; the playing is fine and straightforward. There is little direct competition for this program, save for BWV 596 and the three contrapuncti, which the Loeki quartet has recorded for Channel Classics.

Tracklist:

Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 157 (Arr. Recorder Ensemble): I. Allegro
Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 157 (Arr. Recorder Ensemble): II. Largo
Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 157 (Arr. Recorder Ensemble): III. Allegro
Organ Concerto In D Minor, Bwv 596 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In D Minor, Rv 565) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): I. A
Organ Concerto In D Minor, Bwv 596 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In D Minor, Rv 565) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): II.
Organ Concerto In D Minor, Bwv 596 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In D Minor, Rv 565) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): III.
Organ Concerto In D Minor, Bwv 596 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In D Minor, Rv 565) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): IV.
Organ Concerto In D Minor, Bwv 596 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In D Minor, Rv 565) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): V. A
Organ Concerto No. 4 In C Major, Bwv 595 (Arr. Of Concerto By Prince Johann Ernst Of Saxe-Weimar) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble)
Organ Concerto In A Minor, Bwv 593 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In A Minor, Rv 522) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): I. A
Organ Concerto In A Minor, Bwv 593 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In A Minor, Rv 522) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): II.
Organ Concerto In A Minor, Bwv 593 (Arr. Of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto In A Minor, Rv 522) (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): III.
Die Kunst Der Fuge (The Art Of Fugue), Bwv 1080 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): Contrapunctus I
Die Kunst Der Fuge (The Art Of Fugue), Bwv 1080 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): Contrapunctus III
Die Kunst Der Fuge (The Art Of Fugue), Bwv 1080 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): Contrapunctus IX A 4 Alla Duodecima
Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 153 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): I. Allegro
Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 153 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): II. Andante
Concerto For Strings In G Minor, Rv 153 (Arr. For Recorder Ensemble): III. Allegro Assai
Concerto In C Major, Rv 443 (Arr. B. Driever): I. Allegro
Concerto In C Major, Rv 443 (Arr. B. Driever): II. Largo
Concerto In C Major, Rv 443 (Arr. B. Driever): III. Allegro Molto

UPC: 8007144606671
Label: Dynamic Italy
Release Date: 12.21.10
Format: CD

Quartetto Icarus - Vivaldi & Bach for Recorder (CD)