Zauber der Mandoline

Silvery tone and virtuoso sparkle: Italian composers of the Baroque and Early Classical periods were particularly fond of the mandolin, with its soft and supple sound. The mandolin concerts by Giovanni Paisiello, best-known for his operas, are all summer lightness, with a hint of melancholy. Antonio Vivaldi wrote several concertos for this distinctive instrument, whose delicate, playful cantilenas and virtuoso arpeggio sections delight the listener in the fast movements, while they call for elegance and the utmost dexterity from the soloist.