Vivaldi: Cello Sonatas (VRT Muziek Edition) Roel Dieltiens and Ensemble Explorations

• Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Cello Sonate in E Minor, Op. 14 No. 5, RV 40:
• 1Cello Sonate in E Minor, Op. 14 No. 5, RV 40: I. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)04:59
• 2Cello Sonate in E Minor, Op. 14 No. 5, RV 40: II. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)03:40
• 3Cello Sonate in E Minor, Op. 14 No. 5, RV 40: III. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)03:13
• 4Cello Sonate in E Minor, Op. 14 No. 5, RV 40: IV. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)02:42
• Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 1, RV 47:
• 5Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 1, RV 47: I. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)04:31
• 6Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 1, RV 47: II. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)02:15
• 7Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 1, RV 47: III. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)03:35
• 8Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 1, RV 47: IV. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)02:12
• Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 3, RV 43:
• 9Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 3, RV 43: I. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)05:07
• 10Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 3, RV 43: II. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)03:29
• 11Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 3, RV 43: III. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)05:41
• 12Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 3, RV 43: IV. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)03:29
• Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 6, RV 46:
• 13Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 6, RV 46: I. Preludio: Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)03:21
• 14Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 6, RV 46: II. Allemanda: Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)02:17
• 15Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 6, RV 46: III. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)03:09
• 16Cello Sonata in B-Flat Major, Op. 14, No. 6, RV 46: IV. Corrente: Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)03:00
• Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44:
• 17Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44: I. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)02:11
• Organ Improvisation (VRT Muziek Edition):
• 18Organ Improvisation (VRT Muziek Edition)05:54
• Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44:
• 19Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44: II. Allegro poco (VRT Muziek Edition)03:14
• Guitar Improvisation & "Tu Bella Ca Lu Tieni" (VRT Muziek Edition):
• 20Guitar Improvisation & "Tu Bella Ca Lu Tieni" (VRT Muziek Edition)03:42
• Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44:
• 21Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44: III. Largo (VRT Muziek Edition)03:08
• 22Cello Sonata in A Minor, Op. 14, No. 7, RV 44: IV. Allegro (VRT Muziek Edition)02:23
• Total Runtime01:17:12

Info for Vivaldi: Cello Sonatas (VRT Muziek Edition)

No instrument but the cello is as capable of evoking refined melancholy, devotion, deep sorrow or the sheer joy and lightness of a gallant minuet. That is why Antonio Vivaldi was attracted to this instrument for which he wrote some of his most beautiful music, full of energy and contemplation, and characterized by delightful melodies.

"Antonio Vivaldi had his own cello specialist for part of his tenure at the Ospedale della Pietà, and there were several other virtuoso cellists in his orbit. His six sonatas for cello and continuo, of an unknown date of composition, are surprisingly simple technically and may have been intended as teaching pieces at the Ospedale. Most Baroque cellists and viol players, as well as quite a few performers on the modern cello, have recorded them, but this set by Dutch-Swiss cellist Roel Dieltiens stands out as dramatic and adventurous. It won't be to all tastes, but if you're curious about a northwestern European counterpart to the ultra-operatic Italian approaches to Vivaldi's instrumental music, give this nicely recorded historical-instrument disc from Etcetera a try. The booming continuo group could not be more different from the plain harpsichord and subtle added cello of Jaap ter Linden's budget set on the Brilliant label. Keyboardist Bart Naessens plays both harpsichord and organ, and he is joined by various combinations of Baroque guitar, cello, and violone, seemingly chosen according to the particular character of the movement being played. And that character is heavily emphasized; Dieltiens, save for the fact that he is playing a Baroque cello, sounds like Rostropovich in the emotional intensity and tempo flexibility he gives to the slow movements that open each of the five sonatas recorded here. Even more unusually, the last sonata on the disc, No. 7 (RV 44), features interpolated improvisations for the organ and the guitar, the latter with a sort of sung-along line from guitarist Jurgen de Bruyn. It might have been nice to hear something in the notes about this, but the listener is asked to take it on fait. The bottom line is that this is Vivaldi at maximum intensity level, which generally serves these sonatas well; there are plenty of unexciting versions of them. This is further testimony that many Vivaldi works are just now finding basic interpretations that work." (James Manheim, AMG)

Roel Dieltiens, cello
Ensemble Explorations

Joel Dieltiens
studied in Antwerp (B) and Detmold (D). He swiftly made a name for himself on the international scene and is now regarded as an authority on both modern and Baroque cello. His strong personality, overwhelming musicality and unconventional approach took him right from the beginning of his career to all the world’s great concert centres (Paris, Berlin, London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo). He has also gained international recognition as a chamber musician and founder of the celebrated Ensemble Explorations. Since 2010 he has appeared in trio formation with Andreas Staier (piano) and Daniel Sepec (violin).

He has made a whole series of recordings for the Harmonia Mundi and Etcetera labels that have consistently received praise from the critics and aroused great public interest. Some quotations from the reviews that have greeted his CDs illustrate this nicely: ‘Simply the best’ (Classic CD, USA, on the recording of Kodály’s Sonata for solo cello op. 8); ‘The only significant disc of cello music to appear in 1997’ (Fanfare, USA, on his Franchomme CD); ‘A distinguished disc, and the best Vivaldi recording for a long time’ (Diapason, France, on his first CD of cello concertos by Vivaldi). In 2010 Roel Dieltiens received a Klara award and the Caecilia Prize for his recent recording of the Suites for unaccompanied cello of J. S. Bach.

Roel Dieltiens is Professor of Cello at the Hochschule der Künste in Zurich (CH) and has served as a jury member in international competitions including the Leipzig Bach Competition and the Moscow Tchaikovsky Competition. In addition to this, he is associated with the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven (B), where he teaches chamber music. In 2006 the Belgian TV channel Canvas produced a comprehensive in-depth documentary about this artist.

This album contains no booklet.