The violin concerto accompanied Vivaldi throughout his life. And more than any other genre, the circa 220 extant violin concertos reflect the biographical and professional events relating to the "Red Priest". Hence the idea - proposed, we believe, for the first time on disc - of recording 18 concertos, divided into three "seasons" that illustrate the evolution of Vivaldi's art through the three different stages of his career: the early years, his maturity and the late period.

Giuliano Carmignola grew up with Vivaldi's music, first in his own family and subsequently in various collaborations with ensembles specialised in the Baroque repertoire, leaving us recordings that still today stand as landmarks in the Vivaldi discography. The project of the Three Seasons offers an intriguing parallel between these two inimitable virtuoso violinists by assembling 18 Vivaldi masterpieces which Giuliano Carmignola has carefully selected and never before recorded, including a world premiere recording, that of Concerto RV 289. This box set of three CDs wishes to be a summa not only of Vivaldi's art, but also of Carmignola's, interweaving their personal histories and careers. The violinist is here accompanied by Riccardo Doni, directing the Accademia dell'Annunciata, musicians with whom he has enjoyed an over-ten-year collaboration.