The works in this fourth volume of Tartini's violin concertos all supposedly belong to the composer's earliest period, the years between c1720 and 1735. One of them, in E minor, has long been popular with soloists and has often been recorded. The remaining three, however, are less familiar and, it's claimed, here make their first appearance on disc. The C major piece sounds as if it might be the earliest concerto here, though many of the distinctive hallmarks of Tartini's style are firmly in place – little chromaticisms and short-lived, playful melodic patterns in the outer movements, and wistfully lyrical solo cantilenas in the tenderly expressive slow one. The author of the accompanying note erroneously claims the tonal plan is more imaginative than in Vivaldi's concertos.
Tartini simply avails himself of a more advanced pool of stylistic knowledge, in no sense improving on the art of his forebears – especially Vivaldi.
An enjoyable programme with engaging solo contributions from Guglielmo. Listeners will notice the acid quality of the tutti playing, and a recorded sound that does little to ameliorate it, though they will quickly adjust to both.