Albinoni: Sinfonie e Concerti Op. 2

Tomaso Albinoni's Sinfonie e concerti, Op. 2 (here rendered as Sonatas and Concertos, Op. 2, for the works are five-part sonatas, not "symphonies" in the later sense), date from around 1700, early in the composer's career. This recording by the Insieme Strumentale di Roma has been suggested as a standard one for the set, and it is certainly attractive and well played; director Giorgio Sasso elicits a very rich, tuneful sound from his group of period string players. The question is whether this "authentic" performance ... Read More

Tomaso Albinoni's Sinfonie e concerti, Op. 2 (here rendered as Sonatas and Concertos, Op. 2, for the works are five-part sonatas, not "symphonies" in the later sense), date from around 1700, early in the composer's career. This recording by the Insieme Strumentale di Roma has been suggested as a standard one for the set, and it is certainly attractive and well played; director Giorgio Sasso elicits a very rich, tuneful sound from his group of period string players. The question is whether this "authentic" performance matches what Albinoni had in mind. Included are six sonatas (or sinfonie ) with four movements each and six concertos with either three or five; 46 short tracks in all, with the melodic aspect but not the large ritornello structures of the Italian Baroque firmly in place. These works are designated "sinfonie e concerti a cinque," but other instruments besides the central two violins, two violas (one the rare tenor viola), and one cello are involved. There's a continuo, realized here... Read Less