Forza Azzurri! La Serenissima & Adrian Chandler

• Lorenzo Gaetano Zavateri (1690 - 1764): Introducione in G Major for Strings & Continuo, Op. 1:
• 1 Zavateri: Introducione in G Major for Strings & Continuo, Op. 1: I. Largo e spicco – Allegro assai – Largo e spicco – Allegro assai – Largo e spicco – Adagio 03:16
• 2 Zavateri: Introducione in G Major for Strings & Continuo, Op. 1: II. Allegro 01:52
• Concerto for Recorder, Strings & Continuo in F Major:
• 3 Concerto for Recorder, Strings & Continuo in F Major: I. Allegro 04:05
• 4 Concerto for Recorder, Strings & Continuo in F Major: II. Largo 04:59
• 5 Concerto for Recorder, Strings & Continuo in F Major: III. Allegro assai 04:18
• Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco (1675 - 1742): Concerto No. 12 for Strings & Continuo in D Major, Op. 6:
• 6 Dall'Abaco: Concerto No. 12 for Strings & Continuo in D Major, Op. 6: I. Allegro 03:04
• 7 Dall'Abaco: Concerto No. 12 for Strings & Continuo in D Major, Op. 6: II. Grave 01:13
• 8 Dall'Abaco: Concerto No. 12 for Strings & Continuo in D Major, Op. 6: III. Allegro mà non troppo 04:48
• Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in A Major, RV 353:
• 9 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in A Major, RV 353: I. Allegro 04:38
• 10 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in A Major, RV 353: II. Andante 02:53
• 11 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in A Major, RV 353: III. Allegro 03:47
• Concerto for Sopranino Recorder, Strings & Continuo in C Major, RV 433:
• 12 Concerto for Sopranino Recorder, Strings & Continuo in C Major, RV 433: I. Allegro 04:04
• 13 Concerto for Sopranino Recorder, Strings & Continuo in C Major, RV 433: II. Largo 04:36
• 14 Concerto for Sopranino Recorder, Strings & Continuo in C Major, RV 433: III. Allegro molto 03:11
• Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in E Minor, RV 281:
• 15 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in E Minor, RV 281: I. Allegro 04:01
• 16 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in E Minor, RV 281: II. Largo 03:10
• 17 Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Strings & Continuo in E Minor, RV 281: III. Allegro 04:19
• Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello (1758 - 1690): Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major:
• 18 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: I. Ouverture – Fuga 04:29
• 19 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: II. Aria – Allegro 01:59
• 20 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: III. Aria – Presto 01:29
• 21 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: IV. Rondeau 01:18
• 22 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: V. Bourée 01:02
• 23 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: VI. Aria – Adagio 02:09
• 24 Brescianello: Overture-Suite for Strings & Continuo in D Major: VI. Ciaccona 07:25
• Total Runtime 01:22:05

Info for Forza Azzurri!

Following on from their first complete album of Brescianello, Behind Closed Doors, La Serenissima present a world premiere recording of his Overture-Suite for strings & continuo in D alongside Italian Baroque masters with their new album Forza Azzurri! They are joined by recorder player Tabea Debus for two recorder concertos (Sammartini and Vivaldi) and showcase lesser-known, but equally worthy, composers Zavateri and Dall’Abaco. A feast of lesser-known Italian Baroque instrumental music, Forza Azzurri! is possibly their most bangin’ recording yet!

Looking at the variety of Italian baroque instrumental music on offer to today’s listener, one could be forgiven for thinking that Vivaldi had faced little competition during his lifetime. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst the volume of music that flowed from Vivaldi’s pen was unusually plentiful, many other composers were needed to fulfil the needs of the regional courts and churches throughout Italy. Expert early-music ensemble La Serenissima perform works by Lorenzo Gaetano Zavateri, Giuseppe Sammartini, Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco and Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello alongside works by Vivaldi on this new album of Italian Baroque masterpieces.

Tabea Debus, recorders
La Serenissima
Adrian Chandler, director, violin

Adrian Chandler
Born on Merseyside in 1974, Adrian Chandler is recognised internationally as a leading interpreter of Italian baroque music. Whilst a student at the Royal College of Music, Adrian founded La Serenissima with whom he has performed as Director/Soloist at major festivals and has recorded extensively for the Avie label (winning a Gramophone Award in 2010). He has been Guest Director and Soloist with many ensembles and will make his debut with Concerto Copenhagen in 2019. Adrian’s performances have been broadcast extensively worldwide; his disc of virtuoso violin sonatas Per Monsieur Pisendel 2 released in 2014 attracted rave reviews and featured on the soundtrack of hit American TV series The Originals. His interpretation of The Four Seasons was released in 2015 to outstanding critical reception and his unique combination of research, editing and performing work has been recognised by twice winning the Gramophone Award for Baroque Instrumental for recording projects The French Connection (2010) and The Italian Job (2017). Adrian’s most recent recording with La Serenissima is a disc of double concertos Vivaldi x2, released in 2018, which went straight to No.1 in the Classical Charts and attracted great critical acclaim.

Known for his virtuosity and commitment as performer, Adrian also works tirelessly to research and edit new repertoire for La Serenissima. He held an Arts and Humanities Research Council fellowship at Southampton University to research the development of the North Italian violin concerto 1690 – 1740, and subsequently a two-year post as Turner Sims Professor. He curated La Serenissima’s first ever residency The Grand Tour at St John’s Smith Square, London during the 2016/17 season, devised and directed three concerts for the 2017 Vivaldi in Venice festival, and in 2018 directed the UK premiere of Brescianello’s opera Tisbe for the Buxton International Festival.

During the 2018/19 season, Adrian will direct La Serenissima in a flagship programme The Godfather at venues around the UK, will perform two bespoke programmes at London’s Wigmore Hall, and will tour to Italy, Denmark, Germany and Spain.

Booklet for Forza Azzurri!