Sacred Music 5
This fifth release in Robert King's traversal of Vivaldi's sacred vocal music offers lovely cantatas for solo voices.In turbato mareandO qui coeliconsist of two arias separated by a recitative and a concluding "Alleluia." In both, written for solo soprano, the major emotional thrust (Vivaldi's vocal writing looks ahead toward the bel canto style) is in the sizable arias; the other movements are short and relatively perfunctory.Non in pratiscontains a major solo alto aria (eight minutes of great lyricism, surrounded by several short movements);Deus tuorum militumis a one-movement, quasi-operatic little duet for alto and tenor. TheStabat Mater(for solo countertenor) andConfitebor(for alto, tenor, and bass) are differently structured; both consist of a large number of short, contrasting movements that firm up dramatically. The singing is unfailingly excellent, King and his players provide spirited support, and the disc is beautifully recorded.--Paul Turok