Rinaldo Alessandrini Essentials

At the helm of his sublime early music ensemble, Concerto Italiano, this conductor and harpsichordist specializes in glowing interpretations of works by Vivaldi and Monteverdi. Given his stature as one of the world's foremost performers in the Italian Baroque tradition, it shouldn't be a surprise to find that there's a strong cantabile sense to everything Alessandrini touches. His catalogue boasts a brisk, Italianate approach to Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, as well as the most songlike and exuberant version of modernist György Ligeti's “Passacaglia Ungherese” ever recorded.