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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 22. 1973

The Glory of the Harpsichord: — Rafael Puyana. "Concertos for Violin and Strings": Vivaldi. Luciano Vicari, Walter Gallozzi, Roberto Michelucci, Anna Maria Cotogni, Felix Ayo, violins (Philips)

The Glory of the Harpsichord:

Rafael Puyana. "Concertos for Violin and Strings": Vivaldi. Luciano Vicari, Walter Gallozzi, Roberto Michelucci, Anna Maria Cotogni, Felix Ayo, violins (Philips).

The age of the greatest glory of the harpsichord can be situated between the 16th and late 18th centuries. Derived from a plucked string instrument which had been used since ancient times, the harpsichord served to emphasise the new harmonic orientation of ensemble music and as an important medium for the flourishing solo keyboard work. The music on this recording, composed over a period of almost three centuries in most countries of Western Europe, shows the capacity of the harpsichord for expression as a solo instrument in works of varied mood and style. Even though the harpsichord was to slip in popularity at the end of the 18th century in favour of the more powerful tone of the puno, it still remains as an aura of musical grace and sensitivity a potential factor in a musical world where the combination of sound involves the deep with the delicate.

As a composer, Vivaldi is noted for his architectural quality, his almost dainty and serence elegance of style in expressing sound to serve purely musical instincts. Although he has written opera, religious music and symphonies, Vivaldi has mainly acquired a reputation in the concerto form and this predilection is possibly due to his standing as a famous violinist and virtuoso. These Concertos belong to both his ecclesiastical and secular periods and are very easy to listen to.