Royal Castle in Warsaw

Antonio Vivaldi

Per molti strumenti

Repertoire:

Antonio Vivaldi

Concerto in C major for two flutes and orchestra, RV 533
Concerto in B minor for four violins and orchestra, RV 580
Concerto in G minor for flute, oboe, violin, bassoon and basso continuo, RV 107
Concerto in C major for mandolin and orchestra, RV 425
Concerto in B-flat major for oboe and violin and orchestra, RV 548
Concerto in G minor for cello and viola da gamba and orchestra, RV 531

CAST:

Period Instrument Orchestra of the Warszawska Opera Kameralna
Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense

Grzegorz Lalek – mandolin
Natalia Moszumańska, Agata Habera, Ewa Chmielewska, Aleksandra Owczarek – violin
Karolina Szewczykowska – viola
Justyna Rekść-Raubo – viola da gamba
Karolina Zych, Paweł Książkiewicz – flutes
Jan Hutek – oboe
Beniamin Lewi – bassoon

He was known as “Red Priest” (although supposedly, he had no calling). He was eager for fame and money (perhaps that’s why he loved scandals). He liked to boast about his connections with the greats of the world and claimed to compose faster than scribes could copy his work. He wrote hundreds of pieces (500 concertos!) during his fairly long life. He also copied many, but only himself (however others, like Johann Sebastian Bach, copied him). ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741): a great violinist in his lifetime, a great composer to this day. He was associated with Venice for most of his turbulent career (at the age of 25, he started working as a violin teacher at the girls’ orphanage Ospedale della Pietà, for which he composed until his death). In the later years of his life, he suffered from poverty while living in Vienna. The evening of PER MOLTI STRUMENTI may be a splendid musical prologue to the stage version of the oratorio Juditha triumphans (1716), the premiere of which is already scheduled for the 5^th of October at the Warszawska Opera Kameralna Theatre. We triumphantly welcome you!

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The programme of concert PER MOLTI STRUMENTI consists of six pieces—six magnificent yet diverse instrumental concertos. We will hear:

1. Concerto in C major for two flutes and orchestra (RV 533)—the only one of its kind in Vivaldi’s catalogue, carefree and airy;
2. Concerto in B minor for four violins and orchestra (RV 580)—a virtuosic display that gives shivers down the spine;
3. Concerto in G minor for flute, oboe, violin, bassoon and basso continuo (RV 107)—the oldest of the performed works, entirely unique, with its middle slow movement reminiscent of Winter from The Four Seasons;
4. Concerto in C major for mandolin and orchestra (RV 425)—could there be anything more intriguing than Vivaldi’s mandolin in the interpretation of Grzegorz Lalek…;
5. Concerto in B-flat major for oboe and violin and orchestra (RV 548)—isn’t the independence of both solo instruments more fascinating…;
6. Finally, Concerto in G minor for cello and viola da gamba and orchestra (RV 531)—a masterpiece of Baroque virtuosity and ensemble playing, with its central Largo resembling the purest prayer.