Italy was a little behind its northern neighbours in hopping aboard the period instrument revival and attendant historically informed approach to performance. But with groups such as Il Giardino Armonico (The Garden of Harmony), founded in Milan in 1985, it has more than made up for lost time. Under recorder and Baroque transverse flute specialist Giovanni Antonini, the ensemble turned heads early on with an invigorating rethink of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. And the “Red Priest” has bestowed extensive blessings to date, whether prompting collaborations with mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, cellist Christophe Coin, or, more recently, free-spirited violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, whose disc What’s Next Vivaldi? interleaves concertos with works (many specially commissioned) by contemporary composers. Not that the ensemble is fazed by straying out of its comfort zone. Creative risk-taking has been part of Il Giardino’s hallmark from the beginning, and as they advance towards a complete set of Haydn’s symphonies in tandem with Kammerorchester Basel for the composer’s tercentenary in 2032, Bartók has proved an illuminating interloper in the volumes released so far. Arresting programming, high-octane vivacity and exhilarating technical precision ensure that Il Giardino’s harmonious garden is as well-tended as it is bountiful.