Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. 1. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
2. 2. Adagio - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
3. 3. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
4. 1. Allegro e non presto - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
5. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
6. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
7. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
8. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
9. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
10. 1. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
11. 2. Adagio - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
12. 3. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
13. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
14. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
15. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
16. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
17. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
18. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

Disc 2:

1. 1. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
2. 2. Andante e sempre piano - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
3. 3. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
4. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
5. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
6. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
7. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
8. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
9. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
10. 1. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
11. 2. Adagio - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
12. 3. Allegro - Andrew Manze, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
13. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
14. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
15. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
16. 1. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
17. 2. Adagio - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
18. 3. Allegro - Frank de Bruine, Alfredo Bernardini, The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3506 in Music
• Released on: 1999-09-06
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .37 pounds
• Running time: 116 minutes

Customer Reviews

Sparkling Albinoni
From the first notes of the first concerto, it is easy to tell that the playing is going to sparkle. Manze and the Academy of Ancient music are on top form, enthusing the music with warm and virtuosity. The result is immensely satisfying to listen to. And Gramophone Magazine has a similar, if more informed, opinion: "I seem never to tire of these endlessly charming works and it is this set that perhaps contains Albinoni's crowning achievement in the concerto sphere, a lyrical Adagio for solo oboe with a simple string arpeggio accompaniment belonging to the Second Concerto... None of this is lost either on the three accomplished soloists - Andrew Manze, Frank de Bruine and Alfredo Bernardini - or the strings of the Academy of Ancient Music which provide lively and sensitive support. In short, the set affords uninterrupted pleasure from start to finish."

There are so many good bits... but the Concerto for oboe in D minor, Op.9/2: Adagio (Track 5) is sublime. I've heard lots of recordings of this on the radio, but this is the one that stands out and makes the CD worth buying for just this 5min 30 sec! It's the smoothest, least affected version. The oboist, Frank de Bruine, manages to make the notes soar effortlessly without faltering - the result is pure relaxation to listen to.

The rest of the concertos are a delight too. Both elegant and lively, they are as good as Baroque playing gets.

Humble genuis
Hogwood, Manze, Bernardini : with a list a stars of baroque music like this, I was thinking that I will hear some firework ! Unfortunetely,it is not the case here. It'not the fault of Hogwood. He has his usual ardour. We can feel his energy. No, I think the main problem is the composer, Tomaso Albinoni, himself. He does not authorize madness in exhibition, in virtuosity demonstration, and alas, in excess.
So the (beautiful) violon of Manze stay as good as gold ! The latter try to put, in the concertos number 1, 4, 7 and 10 , the maximum of energy he could in the spirit of the music written by the composer; but we stay on our appetite.

The oboes of Bruine and Bernardini, which have a huge place in this program, are sweet but not astounding.

The slow movements are very beautiful.

So, this music is pleasant but do not expect virtuosity here.

Satisfying Op 9
These works are surprisingly inventive and assured. I would rate them highly within the stereotyped world of baroque music. Vastly superior to your average ( or even above average) Vivaldi concerto. Performances of the cti. for one or two oboes ( 8 from 12)could hardly be bettered. My only reservation is the violin tone in the others courtesy of Mr Manze. This is slightly astringent and demonstative for my taste although still enjoyable).