2 Concertos For Mandolin (P.133 & P.134) / 3 Concertos For Viola D' Amore (P.233, P.286, P.288)

This recording, released on the Musica Viva label under catalog number M.V. 90.035, captures a selection of concertos by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by The New-York Baroque Ensemble. The record serves as a mid-20th-century exploration of Vivaldi's instrumental repertoire, specifically highlighting the mandolin and the viola d'amore. Produced during a period when the burgeoning early music movement was seeking to revive interest in Baroque compositions using period-appropriate sensibilities, the release aimed to bring scholarly attention to these less-frequently performed works.

The New-York Baroque Ensemble was known for their dedication to authentic instrumentation and rigorous performance practices, distancing themselves from the heavily romanticized interpretations of Vivaldi common in earlier decades. The selection of the mandolin concertos, P.133 and P.134, along with the viola d'amore concertos, P.233, P.286, and P.288, reflects a curated attempt to showcase the tonal variety and technical demands inherent in Vivaldi’s writing. The release was received as a technically competent contribution to the label's mission of providing accessible yet informed classical recordings to an enthusiast audience.