Vivaldi - Sacred Works For Soprano And Concertos

BBC Music Magazine

the bright, youthful tones of Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas have an appropriate authenticity. She tackles its dazzling virtuosity with impressively fluency and clarity (...) Overall, the stylish performances on this effectively programmed and well-recorded collection make a strong case for a nuanced and relatively understated approach to Vivaldi.

TOM [tijdschrift oudemuziek]

Net als op hun vorige cd’s (...) speelt het ensemble Florilegium hier weer met veel schwung (...) en wat zijn die cd’s van Channel toch altijd prachtig opgenomen!

HVT

(...) Voor de liefhebbers van de muziek van Vivaldi een 'must' en zeker voor hen die het minder bekende werk van deze Venetiaanse componist willen ontdekken. Een aanwinst voor je discotheek!

Music Web

I listened to the 24/44.1 version and thought the sound as excellent as I have found all the recordings that I have heard from Channel Classics, in any format, thanks to the oversight of Jared Sacks – he’s very much more than a recording engineer. He’s certainly that, but he also takes a personal interest in everything that the label produces (...)

International Record Review

Manahan Thomas manages all with pleasing athleticism, great textual clarity and an avoidance of anything in the way of intrusive mannerism. She and the sympathetic support provided by Florilegium are sensible to Vivaldi’s deftly portayed images complementing the text. (...) All is played with finesse and affection by soloists and ripienists alike. (...) ‘Outstanding’

American Record Guide

The music is performed here with great vitality. I especially enjoy Miss Thomas’s voice – a lovely, light, agile soprano that seems especially suited to Vivaldi’s work (...) this is a nice collectors item (...) The sound is excellent.

Classics Today

The world-class British period-instrument ensemble Florilegium dispatches the two concertos with expected stylistic flair and technical ease, recorded in Channel Classics' vivid, detailed sound (...) Every period-instrument group does Vivaldi, but none better than this one (...) don't hesitate to check this one out, for its vital performances and vibrant sound. (...)

Fanfare

For whatever reason, this selection of workst functions extremely well together, probably because the often delicate and sensitive performance by the Florilegium ensemble. (...) Ashley Solomon’s flute playing blends so well with Thomas’s voice in their duet in the Psalm that they seem to merge into their lines (...) The interpretations here are outstanding (...) Vivaldi lovers will want to check this disc out and ad it to their collection.

Presto

Containing a mixture of instrumental concertos and sacred vocal works for solo soprano, it provides welcome variety and contrast that you don’t always get on discs of Vivaldi. (…) with flautist Ashley Solomon and his superb period instrument ensemble Florilegium, this whole disc represents music making of the highest caliber. (…) ravishly sung, and superbly supported (…)

Klassik.com

Diese Vivaldi-CD mit gemischtem Programm ist interpretatorisch erstklassig gelungen. (...) Ihr (Elin Manahan Thomas ) strahlend helles, leicht metallisches Timbre passt hervorragend zu Vivaldis Kompositionen (...) schön sind die Aufnahmen des Ensembles Florilegium. Das 'Concerto Madrigalesco' sowie das Doppelkonzert für Violine und Violoncello RV 547 wirken organisch stimmig und klangschön musiziert. Zusammen mit Elin Manahan Thomas präsentiert das Ensemble ein lebendiges, farbenreiches 'Laudate Pueri', das sowohl von der virtuosen Gesangstechnik der Solistin als auch vom fein ausdifferenzierten Spiel der Instrumentalisten lebt.

SA-CD.net

Ashley Solomon and his superb period instrumental ensemble Florilegium continue to produce recordings of the Baroque repertoire for Channel Classics that are thrilling in execution and imaginatively conceived. (...) Florilegium's accompaniments are exemplary throughout and especially memorable is the intertwining of Manahan Thomas's finely spun vocal line and Ashley Solomon's ethereal flute playing in the 'Gloria Patri' (...) The soft and finespun tone of Solomon's baroque flute and his agile playing in this work are a constant delight. (...) The sound quality on this SACD, even by Channel's consistently high standard, is quite exceptional. The acoustic of the recording location - St. John the Evangelist church, Upper Norwood, London - bathes the instruments in a warm glow giving them an almost holographic presence and richness, while the voice of Elin Manahan Thomas is perfectly integrated with the accompaniments.

BBC

It has been recorded at least a dozen times but we may comfortably consider Elin Manahan Thomas. Her fresh sounding, youthful voice, agile technique and secure intonation are a delight and are rare qualities that will serve the sometimes theatrical demands of Vivaldi’s virtuoso writing. (...) instrumental concertos are played with vitality and finesse. (…) performance 5 stars, recording 5 stars

www.pstracks.com

Another strong contender this quarter was Ashley Solomon’s well-considered collection of chamber concertos and “motets” (...) Throughout the album, Florilegium’s flair for this music asserts itself. (...) ‘best of winter’