Pietro Locatelli was a fellow countryman and contemporary of Vivaldi’s. He was also both a composer and a virtuoso violinist. During his lifetime and long afterwards his works found their way all over Europe.
Some of his compositions make exceptional demands on the solo violinist. There is testimony of Locatelli playing them himself. But looking at the sheet music one wonders how. Especially the capriccii which the composer inserted in all outer movements of his 12 concertos for solo violin and orchestra opus 3, L’arte del violino.
Such a capriccio - literally “whim” - is a more or less independent, inserted showpiece for the soloist. It needs an interpreter who is not only technically more than capable, but who is able to approach the piece still as music as well. If Locatelli could perform these capriccii they must be playable without alterations or simplifications.
Violinist Mela Tenenbaum - originally from the Ukraine, now resident in the U.S.A. - set herself this very task: She recorded these concertos with several ensembles in a most convincing way proving that there is more to L’arte del violino than meets the ear. This release contains all 12 concertos of Locatelli’s Opus 3.
