228. Obsessed

Works for string orchestra and voice by Meder and Vivaldi performed by A Far Cry and Amanda Forsythe, soprano on November 16, 2014.Meder: Sonata di Battaglia from Die bestandige ArgeniaVivaldi: Sonata a tre "La Folia" Op. 1 No. 12Vivaldi: Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630On this podcast, we feature three pieces from A Far Cry’s recent program of Baroque works, titled “Obsession.” Each of the works is bursting with relentless passion, though it is directed at very different subjects, for very different reasons. In the first piece, Johann Meder’s Sonata di Battaglia, that alternates between aggressive, military-like marches and tender, reflective passages, perhaps depicting the characters’ mixed emotions at setting off for the battlefield. Next comes Vivaldi’s variations on the famous Spanish theme “La Folia,” a tune that was a common test of a composer’s mettle. The piece gets wilder as it progresses, demanding ever more virtuosic playing from the featured violinists. We close out the podcast with a piece featuring A Far Cry’s special guest for this concert, soprano Amanda Forsythe, in another Vivaldi work—his motet Nulla in mundo pax sincera. An ode to the bliss of heaven, the piece scorns the pains and empty pleasures of earth. Forsythe tackles the dazzling vocal passagework with delicious enthusiasm, and A Far Cry is with her every step of the way.