Ton Koopman reviews

It takes a brave man to attempt a new recording of Vivaldi’s most frequently played concertos, but then Ton Koopman’s direction is nothing if not bold. Of the nearly one hundred recordings currently available, this new one is one of the most successful in conveying the extraordinary range of mood in this early programme music, from steamy languor to frenzied impetuosity. Koopman’s account of ‘Summer’, in particular, is a tour de force, conjuring up all the drama of stormy weather on the Venetian lagoon.