12 Concerti A Cinque, Op. 5 (2001)

"Albinoni might be described as a specialist in the medium of the Concerto a cinque, of which he composed 54 under five opus numbers, published at intervals during almost half of his productive life. They were 'halfway houses' on the road to the violin concerto as we know it, as Vivaldi established it four years later. Virtuosic passages for a solo violin appear only en passant in flanking movements and 'symmetrically' in the Adagios of Nos 3, 6, 9 and 12. Each Concerto is in three-movement form and all the finales are fugal, though in their simplicity they sound rather like rondos. There was little by way of innovation in Albinoni's concertos, but the lyricism of the Adagios of No 2, 5, 8 and 11 (again symmetrically placed) was indeed new. Their strength is in his gift of melodic, invention, their clearly defined form and thematic material, their conciseness and their vitality and freshness. The recording and performances are of the highest standard." (John Duarte, Gramophone, 2001) Zie ook Classics Today.