Veracini: Complete Overtures and Concertos, Vol. 2

"These performances are sunny and spirited and ripe with confidence. The result is perfect textural clarity and timbral richness in equipoise, all well served by Naxos's bright and realistic sound." --American Record Guide, April 2000

"Veracini’s Violin Concerto a otto stromenti is endearingly ambitious in its scoring, and the brilliant opening, with its two trumpets and oboes, must have made quite an impression when it was first heard in Venice in 1712 at a concert to celebrate the visit of the ambassador of the new Holy Roman Emperor. Tartini’s influence Is apparent. 

The decorative figurations in the outer movements rise and fall in scalic sequence. Some solo passages are left to the soloist to fill in and the unusual minor-key slow movement is very improvisatory in feeling.

The decorative figurations in the outer movements rise and fall in scalic sequence. Some solo passages are left to the soloist to fill in and the unusual minor-key slow movement is very improvisatory in feeling.

The two earlier Concerti a cinque are more modest, closer are more modest, closer to Vivaldi, although Veracini’s own presence is very apparent at times and especially in the finale of the A major work. The Overture in B flat is one of the finest of the complete set discussed below, and the Aria schiavona is an engaging minuet lollipop, very gallant in feeling and almost certainly not by Veracini at all. First-class performance throughout with fine solo contributions, presumably from Alberto Martini, the leader of the Accademia I Filarmonici, which claims to have no conductor. The recording is excellent." --Penguin Guide, January 2009

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Veracini: Complete Overtures and Concertos, Vol. 1

Veracini was part of a European constellation of virtuoso violinist composers which included Vivaldi, Leclair, Locatelli and Pisendel during the first half of the 18th century.

"Here one finds an historically informed and wholly satisfying approach that has spring in its step in the exuberant allegros and beguiling grace and tenderness in the slow movements... These performances are sunny and spirited and ripe with confidence. The result is perfect textural clarity and timbral richness in equipoise, all well served by Naxos's bright and realistic sound." --American Record Guide, June 1996

"These overture were composed fro the Dresden court orchestra, probably around 1716. Their character brings a curious amalgam of Italian volatility and German weight, and they have something in common with the orchestral suites of Telemann. Yet Telemann loved instrumental light and shade, whereas Veracini favoured tutti scoring. The music is strong in personality and there is no shortage of ideas, but energy is more important than expressive lyricism, with usually a single brief sarabande to provide contrast as the centerpiece of up to half-a-dozen dance movements.

The Accademic I Filarmonici claim to use the original manuscripts, but they play on modern instruments, and their, gleaming sound is full of Italian sunshine. The performances are Italianate and they play the Sarabandes of Nos.1 and 2 with an attractive air of relaxed graciousness, while the sparkling opening movement of No. 6 is made to seem almost a tarantella. So at Naxos price this could well be an attractive introduction to this composer." --Penguin Guide, January 2009 ***

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