Vivaldi: Arie per basso

Here is another release from Naïve in their ongoing Vivaldi Edition - an exploration of the Vivaldi scores at the Turin Library. We have had a number of complete operas from this source, the most recent being 'Tito Manlio', but here is a collection of bass arias sung by the Venetian bass, Lorenzo Regazzo, whose most prominent recent recording role was that of Figaro in the excellent René Jacobs recording.
Here, we have recitatives and arias from Armida, Tito Manlio, Semiramide, Farnace, Orlando furioso, La Silvia, L'Olimpiade and L'Adelaide, interspersed with some sinfonias from the operas. Some of the arias, such as the Orlando ones, are bass ones from earlier versions of the opera. Regazzo sings these difficult arias with astonishing ease and is extremely well accompanied by Concerto Italiano under their director, Rinaldo Alessandrini. Highlights include 'Se il cor guerriero' from Tito Manlio and the astonishing 'Gelido in ogni vena' from Farnace, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the opening of 'Winter' from the Four Seasons.

This collection of bass arias by Lorenzo Regazzo is an absolutely stunning collection of tracks meant to show off the quality of not only the performers but what seems to be a whole new approach by Naïve Classics to recording classical music in the high-def digital age. And for those of us who've grown up with the classical music bug, this represents the most exciting advances in getting the consumers the best products we've seen in ages.

The performance:

I've never heard anything so completely satisfying. Regazzo sings these arias, and sings them with technical precision, the emotion called for within context of the opera it came from, and with drama and gutsy "attitude" one would expect from a rock star. But these performances don't completely belong to the soloist. The Concerto Italiano under Rinaldo Alessandrini are one of the most convincing small ensemble groups I've heard in a while. They've done other recordings on other small labels, but they seem to be hitting their stride with their contributions to the Vivaldi Edition Naïve recordings. Their sound is unique and refreshing. What we get is musicianship that translates into Vivaldi with technical precision, charm,and genuine excitement. They have raised the bar for period instrument groups.

Vivaldi (Handel, Corelli, etc) were rock stars, writing the pop music of their day. Most conductors don't seem to have a good feel for where the melody falls in the orchestration, the difference between the lead, rhythm and bass guitar, so to speak, and what's harmonizing with the sung melody whether it be soloist or chorus. When this happens you get two results. Tempos that don't fit the piece being performed, lack of passion, and musical balance. Alessandrini gets it. He seems to understand these arias, and the other instrumental pieces on the CD, have melodies and melodic hooks (that thing that makes you want to listen to a pop song three times in a row) - and conducts these pieces with toe tapping results. What you hear is something that is actually fun and exciting. Alessandrini leads this orchestra, pulling out finesse (almost sensual at times) that other original instrument groups lack. He and the engineers serve up an experience you want to repeat.

The sound:

As good as the performers are, half of why these Naïve Vivaldi recordings sound so delicious is the engineering. The vocals are close and warm, but still have a pleasant reverb and presence. I love John Eliot Gardiner's recordings of Handel's oratorios, but lately I've noticed you really can't understand a word they are singing without the libretto. None of that here. The performers diction is clear, and they are miked properly so you understand every word - every syllable. The balance between Regazzo and the orchestra is spot on. The sound stage is open, detailed, and clear as a whistle. The label is onto something. If that isn't enough, they record is 96khz/24 bit audiophile. What that translates to for folks with really good stereo systems is life-like three-dimensional sound and presence - the next big advancement in recorded sound.

Finally. A word about the packaging. Love, love, love it. I'm sorry. Naïve is a French company. The people that give us wine, pastry, French cooking, and Paris chic and fashion. The models got my attention, and I suppose the company is out to prove that you actually can judge a book by it's cover. What this shows is a level of design (something in the French do REALLY well) that carries through every detail of what you take out of the box. The look, the sound, the feel. The liner notes are detailed, readable, and as good as what we used to get back in the vinyl days. (I do wish classical labels would start giving us visually challenged folks .pdf files or a web page we could go to get print big enough to read.) So go ahead, Naïve. You keep putting the models on the covers, giving us booklets we can actually read, and the best Vivaldi recordings on the market.