Vivaldi: Ostro Picta & Gloria - Bach: Magnificat

Vivaldi’s Gloria, his most popular and frequently performed choral work, is an ambitious piece divided into 12 contrasted movements. Three quarters of them showcase a range of choral styles, vividly explored here by the choir of Collegium Musicum 90 who swing along delightfully with the catchy “Domine Fili unigenite”, and project the intricate interplay between voices in the final, fugal “Cum Sancto Spiritu”. Emma Kirkby’s solos are exquisitely clear and precise, while the introductory motet, “Ostro picta”, offers scope for flashes of sparkling virtuosity. The intensity increases for Bach’s Italianate Magnificat, the jostling voices and ringing brass of the opening and closing choruses projected with vital energy and passion. Countertenor Michael Chance’s hushed, flute-accompanied “Erusientes implevit bonis” leads seamlessly into “Suscepit Israel” sung by a meltingly beautiful trio of solo voices.