Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus & Motets / Scholl

From the earliest planning stages for this recording, Andreas Scholl had only one orchestra in mind: the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. It's no surprise that Decca was skittish about the idea--there are, after all, many good baroque-instrument bands much closer to London--yet the star countertenor insisted that his rapport with this group was special and that it would be well worth the trouble to make the record in Sydney. Well, from the very first notes, it's clear that Scholl was right: conductor Paul Dyer and the ABO launch into the opening of Nisi Dominus with an energetic gusto that you'd sooner expect from Rinaldo Alessandrini's Concerto Italiano than from an Anglo-Saxon band. Scholl responds in kind: his vocalism is as smooth, clear, and assured as ever, but he goes beyond that--his innumerable subtle inflections of tone and timing are more reminiscent of a good orator than an opera singer. The up-tempo arias are exciting, with high-precision coloratura; Clarae stellae, a cheerful solo motet that lacks flashy vocal fireworks, gets a wonderfully insouciant little bounce. Yet the real magic is in the soft, slow arias, where Scholl and his colleagues create an almost palpable sense of wonder (slightly tinged with tension) and hold a listener in thrall as surely as an expert storyteller. Let's hope these artists make more recordings together--and that (with luck) they'll all be as marvelous as this one. --Matthew Westphal Amazon.com

a voice teacher and early music fan

AN EXCELLENT RENDITION OF VIVALDI; JUST NOT MY FAVORITE!

About half of Vivaldi's sacred vocal music was written for solo voice. His 'Nisi Domimus' in G minor,RV608, is a comparatively rare example of a Vesper psalm set for solo voice. It is not known for what occasion this was composed, but the setting is remarkable for its variety of style and mood.

The 'Salve Regina' in C minor,RV616,is one of two settings for alto and double orchestra. The liturgical text for this delicately beautiful composition belongs to one of the four Great Antiphons sung at the end of Vespers.

"Clarie stellae,scintillate,Rv625" is a motet written for performance on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (July 2).

"Vestro Principi divino",RV633, is an exhortation to receive the risen Christ, written for performance at the close of Holy Week.

The recording also includes two concerti a quattro(concertos for strings in four parts). To my mind, Paul Dyer and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra do a fine job interpreting and performing the music of Vivaldi. While Andreas Scholl does his usual accurate and good singing, keep in mind that there are other countertenors who have recorded this music, particularly the 'Salve Regina' and the 'Nisi Dominus'. They are Michael Chance and David Daniels, who also do a very fine job of it. I think it does depend on which type of countertenor you prefer. November 7, 2006

Thank God for Andreas Scholl

I place Andreas Scholl in the same stratosphere as Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballe, artists that at their very best can make you weep with joy.

This recital came after Scholl's debut recital for Decca, called Heroes. It seems that with Heroes, Andreas was trying to adopt a more vibrato-laden, operatic style. Those familiar with his earlier recordings for Harmonia Mundi undoubtedly noticed the difference. I, for one, was not quite happy with the "new" Scholl; however, with this recital, he reminded all of us what all the fuss was about.

The past year has witnessed an awakened interest in Vivaldi's music, particularly his operas. This recital, Nisi Dominus, features religious music, and it is utterly sublime. The moods range from dark and pensive to jubilant, and Andreas Scholl captures each one perfectly. The voice is like liquid gold.

I strongly urge anyone with a taste for Vivaldi to discover this recital. June 20, 2005

The most amazing voice!

I first heard Andreas Scholl's voice from my roommate's copy of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and was totally captivated by Mr. Scholl's amazing voice. I went out and bought this CD and was not at all disappointed. The Nisi Dominus pieces are just amazing. In fact, I liked it so much I went out and bought more of Andreas Scholl's CDs. I highly recommend this CD to everyone. November 11, 2001

Seraphic

The James Bowman/Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood recording of Vivaldi's "Nisi Dominus" has been the unassailably supreme amongst many since the late 1970s - now it has been brutally and irretrievably summoned to contest by this beguiling recording of Andreas Scholl. Lie down, close your eyes, be still, empty your mind, and then listen to track 4 ("Cum dederit delictis suis somnum ...."). This is probably what mediaeval theologians would have described as an instance of celestial "irruption" into our dreary temporal existence. In this passage Andreas Scholl sounds like an angel from the most exalted realms of heaven - he manifests a truly preternatural musical instinct and understanding that beggars the imagination and overwhelms even after repeated listening. January 7, 2001

Andreas Scholl sings Vivaldi

This is the best record Andreas Scholl made until now. Listen to his records of 1997 or earlier, you can clearly hear how much he has developed his voice and technics. Andreas is a great talent, I wonder how good he will get within the coming ten years. The combination with the Paul Dyer orcherstra is very nice. Andreas is a worthy new member of the 'Vlaamse school' of which Philippe Herreweghe is the most prominent. Andreas has developed is own style and still is perfecting this, he does withstand the temptation to sing in some old fashioned Italian opera like style. One setback is the technical quality of the recording. Although the recording sound quality is very good, the recording level is about 20 dB too low. On many cd-players the output is so low that the sound is not optimal due to unideal sound level / noise curves. On some cd-players the cd will not play at all, specially the German pressing, the USA one is slightly better. Hans Hilberink. October 30, 2000

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