Resurrecting these somewhat shopworn performances from the early-1970s Philips catalog ostensibly serves a single goal: to show off quadraphonic sound the way it was meant to be heard. This disc is part of Pentatone’s series of remastered quad recordings (under the rubric “RQR”). On the evidence here, there is a huge improvement over original quad sound, but by today’s multi-channel SACD standards it still sounds like nothing more than enhanced stereo. With no center channel or subwoofer required, the front speakers feature prominently with instruments placed forward–and some, like the continuo bassoon, are too close, upsetting the balance. Thankfully, artificial echo has not been added, and thus the surround effect is just subtle enough to create a plumper overall soundstage. The strings have lost the stridency heard in earlier incarnations and come forth with a surprisingly smooth, lush quality. The rather beefy bass reminds us that, while I Musici may have presaged some period-style practices, there is no mistaking the group for the more thin-toned “authentic” ensembles that later appeared on the scene.
Despite being dressed up to 21st century sonic standards, these merely serviceable performances resonate with datedness, lacking the sort of stylistic ornamentation and crisp articulation exemplified by more recent recordings–whether in these or other flute works by Vivaldi. Moreover, the liner notes (why not the original Philips versions?) skimp on biographical and musicological detail, misspell the flutist’s surname, and extol the virtues of quad sound a bit too heavy-handedly. Somehow this particular effort seems more like an engineering experiment than a necessary or vital release.
