Locatelli: 6 Introduttioni teatrali

Locatelli, like his contemporary Vivaldi, was both a composer and a virtuoso violinist, and his deftly varied string writing energises this set of six Introduttioni teatrali (Theatrical introductions) published in 1735. The Introduttioni are short, three-movement pieces, probably intended as curtain-raisers for performances of opera, theatre or ballet. They are certainly full of incident, with Locatelli embedding a solo string quartet within a broader panoply of players. In Introduttione No. 1, for instance, the quartet instruments peel off frequently to play breaks of their own, while in the middle movement Locatelli creates a cleverly distanced, nocturnal effect. The opening of No. 4 fizzes with vitality, as does the solo violin writing in the opening movement of the Concerto in A major, appended as an encore. Europa Galante’s performances, led by period instrument expert Fabio Biondi, are by turns zestful and beguilingly elegant, fully liberating the sense of joy and lively invention in Locatelli’s music.