WILL-FM’s Vic Di Geronimo hand-picked selections from among Vivaldi’s some 500 concertos and 90 sonatas to create the series.

Vivaldi Overload
“This is not an academic treatment or a documentary,” Vic says. “It’s an excuse to enjoy four hours of Vivaldi’s music. I am sharing stories and tidbits of information, but in a fun way.” He chose from among the cream of the crop in performances and compositions. Vic spent more than three years creating the mix of full-length concertos, sonatas, overtures, and some selected movements. “The first year I spent listening to all the Vivaldi recordings in the Friends of WILL music library. I listened to so much Vivaldi that if one of my neighbors had been playing Vivaldi, I might have called the police!”

At first, Vic says, he wasn’t going to include the Four Seasons concertos in the series, because he wanted to introduce listeners to Vivaldi’s other music. But when he heard some of the spectacular performances of “the seasons,” he was so impressed that he decided to include them, he says. Each program in the series includes a standout performance of one of the Four Seasons concertos.

“I didn’t want to organize the series around the seasons because I wanted each program to stand alone,” he says. Instead, he uses other themes to group the music. The first program is a tribute to Vivaldi’s composition of great tunes. Part two focuses on Vivaldi the dramatist. The third program presents Vivaldi’s music as highlights from the career of an all-time “champion” among composers, including a play-by-play of the Autumn Concerto. The final in the series is a feast of Vivaldi concertos, sinfonias and sonatas.

Performance on Period Instruments
All of the music in the series is performed by early music groups on period instruments, he says. “When you play Vivaldi on original period instruments, the music has a whole new vitality that is very exciting,” Vic says.

Most of the recordings are from the last 10-15 years. However, one is from 1980: a violin concerto with echo features the ensemble I Solisti Veneti, directed by Claudio Scimone. The echo violins are led by a young Giuliano Carmignola, an internationally acclaimed Vivaldi interpreter of today who performs with the Venice Baroque Orchestra. “I chose that recording because I was so moved by the sweet tone of both of the soloists,” Vic says. “Actually, I’d say the echo is sweeter–that’s no surprise, it’s Carmignola playing!” He is also featured as the soloist in the Autumn and Winter Concertos, as well as another violin concerto in the first program.

WILL-FM’s Lisa Strassheim was production engineer for the series. “Her musical and technical skills and sensitivities are top-notch, and she deserves a lot of credit for how good the series sounds,” Vic says.