Album: Peter Howard Jensen, Vivaldi

Vivaldi never wrote specifically for the guitar, but since he often recycled parts for different instruments, there's nothing wrong in Danish guitarist Peter Howard Jensen's transposing of these concertos and trios for guitar and strings. The only problem is that the guitar sometimes struggles within the ensemble setting, particularly during passages of gusto, when it occasionally disappears completely. But in the quieter sections its clarity of timbre brings a freshness to the lines, contrasting with the modern tendency towards over-rich interpretations of Vivaldi. While the lute pieces incorporate a more natural balance of elements than those where the guitar is playing violin parts, they suffer from a slightly plodding formality.

DOWNLOAD THIS Concerto in G major, RV310; Concerto in D major, RV230; Concerto in D minor, RV540