Il Giardino Armonico ~ Musica Barocca

Editorial Reviews
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Founded in 1985 in Milan, Il Giardino Armonico was one of Italy's earliest period instrument groups. Directed by Giovanni Antonini, who also acts as solo flutist, it consists of about 30 players, all highly accomplished and, to judge from their photograph, appropriately taken in what looks like the garden of a country house, all young. Many of them take solo turns, most prominently the concertmaster, the wind players, and the lutist. Their style is very "baroque," with lower pitch, speedy tempos, especially in fast movements, clipped articulation, lots of swells as well as sudden contrasts, and lavish, imaginative ornamentation. The program, except for improvised variations on "Greensleeves" for solo lute, is all-Baroque and a bit strange. It opens with Bach's Suite No. 3 in a brilliant, exuberant performance, enhanced by a Trumpet Consort from Innsbruck, and then alternates complete concertos for various single and multiple solo instruments with short works, including separate movements. This produces variety but also frustration: the playing is so good that one wants to hear the rest of the piece. Apart from the Bach, Purcell's G-minor Chaconne and the Pachelbel Canon are most familiar. A Vivaldi Concerto for flautino (a sort of piccolo recorder) is a bravura showpiece, but the instrument sounds like a mechanical bird. Also notable are a somber, dramatic Oboe Concerto by Marcello, and several lovely slow movements, including one by Telemann and three by Albinoni. Surprisingly, the saddest and most dissonant of these brings the program to a very mournful close. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Bach: Suite No. 3: Overture
Bach: Suite No. 3: Aria
Bach: Suite No. 3: Gavotte I & II
Bach: Suite No. 3: Bourree
Bach: Suite No. 3: Gigue
Albinoni: Oboe Concerto in D minor, op. 9: Adagio
Vivaldi: Concerto for Flautino: Allegro
Vivaldi: Concerto for Flautino: Adagio
Vivaldi: Concerto for Flautino: Allegro molto
Albinoni: Adagio for Solo Violin & Strings
Marcello: Concerto for Oboe in D minor: Andante
Marcello: Concerto for Oboe in D minor: Adagio
Marcello: Concerto for Oboe in D minor: Presto
Telemann: Grave for two Flutes & Strings
Pachelbel: Canon
Pachelbel: Fugue
Greensleeves
Purcell: Chaconne
Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Albinoni: Adagio for two Violins & Continuo

Amazon.com

Founded in 1985 in Milan, Il Giardino Armonico was one of Italy's earliest period instrument groups. Directed by Giovanni Antonini, who also acts as solo flutist, it consists of about 30 players, all highly accomplished and, to judge from their photograph, appropriately taken in what looks like the garden of a country house, all young. Many of them take solo turns, most prominently the concertmaster, the wind players, and the lutist. Their style is very "baroque," with lower pitch, speedy tempos, especially in fast movements, clipped articulation, lots of swells as well as sudden contrasts, and lavish, imaginative ornamentation. The program, except for improvised variations on "Greensleeves" for solo lute, is all-Baroque and a bit strange. It opens with Bach's Suite No. 3 in a brilliant, exuberant performance, enhanced by a Trumpet Consort from Innsbruck, and then alternates complete concertos for various single and multiple solo instruments with short works, including separate movements. This produces variety but also frustration: the playing is so good that one wants to hear the rest of the piece. Apart from the Bach, Purcell's G-minor Chaconne and the Pachelbel Canon are most familiar. A Vivaldi Concerto for flautino (a sort of piccolo recorder) is a bravura showpiece, but the instrument sounds like a mechanical bird. Also notable are a somber, dramatic Oboe Concerto by Marcello, and several lovely slow movements, including one by Telemann and three by Albinoni. Surprisingly, the saddest and most dissonant of these brings the program to a very mournful close. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Picnics in the Sun.......2006-06-11

Conducted by Giovanni Antonini, the Il Giardino Armonico proves to be one of the finest early instrument ensembles playing today. The thirty member ensemble, each member sufficiently accomplished to act as occasional soloist, is now some twenty years old and they play with a sensitivity to each other that is the hallmark of fine chamber ensembles. They are a delight and the recording is of very high caliber in technology.

Included on this generous CD are JS Bach's 'Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major' (one of the true highlights of this performance), Albinoni's 'Concerto a cinque, for oboe, 2 violins, viola, cello & continuo No. 2 in D minor', Vivaldi's 'Piccolo Concerto, for piccolo, strings & continuo in C major', Albinoni's famous 'Adagio for violin, strings & organ in G minor, Marcello's 'Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in D minor, Telemann's 'Concerto for 2 flutes, calchedon , strings and continuo in E minor, Pachelbel's ubiquitous 'Canon and gigue, for 3 violins & continuo in D major', Purcell's 'Chaconne for harpsichord in G minor', one of the most satisfying performances of Handel's 'Arrival of the Queen of Sheba' from 'Solomon' (another reason for owning this CD!), and an elegant 'Improvised Variations on Greensleeves, for lute composed and performed by Luca Pianca.

If ever there were a recording meant to accompany an afternoon picnic in Arcadia then this is it. Highly Recommended on every level. Grady Harp, June 06

Bits of Baroque.......2002-03-01

With eleven Baroque composers on this beautifully played CD, Il Giardino Armonica gives us a broad taste of some popular pieces and some less well-known from the period. The flavor changes often - but how else can one get to taste everything !

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