Vivaldi Cello Sonatas

[bbates77]

Just interested if anyone has played any of the Vivaldi Cello Sonatas...

What edition did you use?

What continuo did you use?

I'm performing the 6th Sonata on my 5-string DB with a harpsichord for my final recital and still deciding on whether we should use a cello to double the harpsichord.

I've also had comments from a pianist that the continuo realisation by Luigi Dacap...whatever his name is, sounds a little modern with the chromaticism involved and sounds a little like Rimsky-Korsakov and not Vivaldi.

Please tell me there is someone out there who understands this, there seems to be a lot of BG forums active and rarely any DB forums moving at all.

Also... a request for the moderators... is there a possibility of getting a smiley playing the upright bass?

:Contra:

[pat1151]

I'm using the Schirmer Edition.. The realization of the figured bass doesn't sound that bad... I think it would be interesting if you could try to find an actual continuo part with the figured bass (If your harpsichordist can harmonize it as you play).... Just an idea... but the schirmer realizations aren't bad. I'm working on the 3rd right now (A minor)... These Vivaldi sonatas are surprisingly really nice when played well. Good luck!

[Pete G]

Get the recordings of these done by Barrie Lieberman -- they're not stylistically pure (by his own admission), but the sound he gets on the recordings is utterly fantastic.

The CD is available on Amazon and through Lemur.

[bbates77]

I've got the original manuscripts with the figured bass, but how did you go on finding a harpsichordist who can read the figured bass?

The guy I'm using is an organist. I decided against using the cello, if someone makes an intonation fault it's hard to pick out who it was due the similar sounding instruments and the harpsichord bashing away.

I'll check out the Schirmer edition though.

[Andrew Chilcote]

when ed barker performed it, he used a harpsichord and cello for the continuo

[Kjetil Laukholm]

When I did them I had a violone play the continuo with portatif organ. The sound is remarkable. I believe the player was Sandor Ostlund. When Paul Ellison did one in recital I backed him on violone with a harpsichord. The violone sound adds a wonderful color and does not get as much in the way as a cello or modern bass would as it has a different sonority all together.
We both used the manuscripts, but transposed down a fourth.
I used Peter Wispelwey's recording as a starting point. He has an amazing use of ornamentation that works quite well on the bass.