"Extravagant" new edition

The present edition of La Stravaganza is not only the first scholarly-critical edition, but also the only complete edition available. Vivaldi first published the twelve concerti in 1716 with Roger, Amsterdam, the best publisher of printed music at the time. Because they became so popular, there were soon many more reprints and pirated editions. The editor Bettina Schwemer collected the sources for this edition in many European countries and in Canada (she was able to draw on extensive preparatory work by the late Christopher Hogwood). The copies by the concertmaster of the Dresden court orchestra, Johann Georg Pisendel, who spent a year with Vivaldi in Venice, make a particularly valuable contribution to this new edition. An alternative version of seven of the concerti is printed; they provide new, contemporary variations on phrasing, voice leading or more virtuosic treatment of the solo violin. In five of the twelve concertos, the part of the violino di concertino is supported by a second solo violin or a solo cello. Some of the alternative versions manage without a viola. The original figures for the bass are included in the scores; in the piano reductions they are omitted. The solo parts are pure Urtext.

When immersing oneself in Vivaldi's compositional style, one is amazed at how varied and diverse the forms of the movements are, the ever new, unexpected rhythms and virtuoso figures, the dancing lightness, emotional depth and, above all, the harmonically bold sequences; no wonder Bach took them as a model!

Antonio Vivaldi: La Stravaganza. Twelve concertos for violin, strings and b.c. op. 4, 2 volumes, edited by Bettina Schwemer, vol. 1 (I-VI): BA 7566; vol. 2 (VII-XII): BA 7567; score € 74.00 each; piano reduction € 29.95 each; Bärenreiter, Kassel