This album is a special 30th-anniversary recording for Europa Galante, an ensemble led by Fabio Biondi.
Performer Biography
Fabio Biondi and his ensemble Europa Galante made their recording debut thirty years ago with the music of Antonio Vivaldi, starting with a set of The Four Seasons.
Interpretation
Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante's interpretation of Vivaldi's music has evolved to be more mature, lyrical, and sensual, moving towards a 'smoothness' while retaining an athletic aspect.
Notable Performances
The concerts given by the female musicians of the Venetian ospedali, numbering over sixty with choral forces, were hugely popular, attracting audiences who listened without being able to see them due to religious restrictions.
Interpretation
Through their research, Biondi and his musicians found that the 'period style' for Baroque string instruments was not solely about short articulations, allowing for more stressed and spacious phrasing.
Historical Context
Antonio Vivaldi composed hundreds of works for his pupils at Santa Maria della Pietà, a Venetian hospice where orphaned girls received excellent musical education.
Instruments
Fabio Biondi plays a viola d'amore by Genaro Vinaccia from 1758, which is the only surviving instrument of its kind from this Neapolitan maker and remains in its original, unreconstructed state.
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