Roaming the Baroque

We discover the music of largely theforgotten Giovanni Battista Reali, a contemporary of Vivaldi, with his Sinfonia I in D minor.

Giovanni Battista Ferrandini left Venice for the Bavarian court in Munich. His contribution to the programme is the compelling sacred cantata Il pianto di Maria.

Antonio Caldara, too, ventured beyond his native city, eventually finding success at the imperial court in Vienna. The programme features two works from his early Op. 2: a sonata and a ciaccona.

Finally, no musical journey through Venice would be complete without Antonio Vivaldi. He brings the programme to a close with his virtuosic Concerto for Two Violins in D major, RV 512.

Antonio Caldara (c. 1670–1736)

1. Sonata seconda in B-flat major, Op. 2
   – I. Preludio. Largo
   – II. Allemanda. Allegro
   – III. Corrente. Allegro spiritoso
   – IV. Gavotta. Allegro

   Performers: Amandine Beyer and Leila Schayegh (violins); Jonathan Pesek (cello); Jörg-Andreas Bötticher (harpsichord); Matthias Spaeter (lute)

   CD: Glossa GCD 922514

Giovanni Battista Ferrandini (1710–1791)

2. Il pianto di Maria (cantata, c. 1735)

   Performers: Floriane Hasler (mezzo-soprano); Il Caravaggio, conducted by Camille Delaforge

   CD: Alpha 1264

Giovanni Battista Reali (1681–1751)

3. Sinfonia I (Sonata) in D minor
   – I. Grave
   – II. Allegro
   – III. Grave
   – IV. Allegro

   Performers: Le Consort

   CD: Alpha 771

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

4. Concerto for Two Violins in D major, RV 512
   – I. Allegro molto
   – II. Largo
   – III. Allegro

   Performers: Giuliano Carmignola and Daniele Orlando (violins); I Solisti Aquilani

   CD: Arcana A594

Additional track:

Antonio Vivaldi

5. Largo from Violin Concerto in B-flat major, RV 369

   Performers: Giuliano Carmignola (violin); I Solisti Aquilani

   CD: Arcana A594

Image: Venice, painting by Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto (1697–1768)