Priest On the Run

Dorian DOR 93208

A few ensembles in the past several years have broken out of the rather stuffy Early Music movement and reached entirely new and larger audiences through various devices that might be described as popularization informed by a serious love of the music. Il Giardino Armonico and their gutsy playing of normally over-refined fare such as The Four Seasons would be one example. The quartet of performers making up Red Priest debued in l997 and their theatrical and often shockingly different approach has won over audiences all over Europe. Piers Adams is an amazing recorder player - his virtuosity can handle about anything and his tone never sounds even a nervous slip away from the dreaded "recorder squeal" which is even more painful than on a clarinet.

It's not just the exciting performance style of the ensemble but also their choice of fascinating early music repertory. For this CD they chose works influenced by various "wilder" ethnic music, such as Spanish, Gypsy, and music from Carnaval time in Venice. The sonata by Johann Schmelzer imitates a cuckoo, and the closing concerto with its pounding bass line - the only one by Vivaldi himself - caries the posthumous title "Priest on the Run," which is where the ensemble got it's name. Also aiding the listening experience of dynamism, varied musical styles and virtuoso playing by all concerned is the super-clean and highly detailed sonic picture of the performers provided by Dorian's engineering.

John Sunier