Göteborgs Konserthus Vivaldi’s world

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Antonio Vivaldi developed the instrumental concert form and took it to new heights. Today, there are many hundreds of concertos preserved, of which more than 300 are composed for a soloist, string orchestra and general bass. The rest are double concertos, concerti grossi for three or more soloists, chamber concertos or string concertos without a soloist. In his concertos, Vivaldi standardized and perfected the format itself with three movements (fast-slow-fast) written in ritornello form. Ritornell means alternating passages for orchestra - which return almost as choruses - with more elaborate digressions for possible soloists. This opens up new ways of combining themes with more virtuosic elements, especially in the fast movements. Based on this pattern, Vivaldi was able to express a technical energy and passion with memorable and dramatic melodies - as, for example, in the much-loved The Four Seasons. Many composers in the 18th century such as Bach and Telemann would follow Vivaldi's model. In the concerts without a soloist, Vivaldi explored to a greater extent counterpoint, variations on themes and dialogic elements between different groups of instruments. His Sinfonias for the opera stage can also be counted among these concerts. During the 17th and 18th centuries, a sinfonia was an orchestral piece that, like an overture, opened an opera, cantata or oratorio. Vivaldi used a slightly bolder tone there to create greater effect in front of an audience – for example in the Sinfonia in C major (RV 709) which was composed for the opera Dorilla in Tempe. The opera premiered in 1726 and is said to be one of Vivaldi's own favourites. Carl Magnus Juliusson

The Baroque Academy Gothenburg Symphony was formed around 2008 and consists of 20 musicians who are driven by the desire to explore and bring to life music from the 17th and 18th centuries. Concert master is Terje Skomedal. The ensemble has performed several concerts over the years with guest soloists and baroque specialists, such as Iwona Muszynska (violin), Takashi Watanabe (harpsichord), Stefano Veggetti (cello) and Philippe Pierlot (viola da gamba).In addition to a series of concerts in Gothenburg's Konserthus, the Baroque Academy has also played at the Auktionsverket in Gothenburg, Kulturbruket på Dal and several other places in Västra Götaland. In March 2022, BAGS recorded a disc for BIS with the Italian soprano Nicolò Balducci.

Stefano Veggetti is an Italian cellist and conductor and was artistic director of the Baroque Academy at the Gothenburg Symphony, BAGS 2016-2021. He trained at the Conservatory of L'Aquila and continued his studies in Philadelphia with the cellist Orlando Cole. He then returned to Europe and participated in masterclasses with Anner Bijlsma. Stefano Veggetti has played as a soloist and in chamber music ensembles with performances in Europe, Mexico and the USA together with musicians such as Stanley Ritchie, Alfredo Bernardini, Ottavio Dantone, Eric Höbarth and Rachel Podger. He has performed at the Wiener Konzerthaus, Settimane Musicali di Stresa, Bachfest Leipzig, Concerti del Quirinale-Rome and the Utrecht Early Music Festival. In 2000, Stefano Veggetti started Ensemble Cordia, whose repertoire consists of well-known and lesser-known works from the Baroque period.

Norwegian Terje Skomedal is principal for violin 2 in the Gothenburg Symphony. He studied at the Barratt-Due Music Institute in Oslo and with Giuliano Carmignola in Lucerne where he took a soloist diploma. Terje Skomedal has worked as concertmaster in the Norrandsoperan orchestra in Umeå and in several Norwegian orchestras. He has extensive experience as a chamber musician and has toured internationally with the chamber orchestras Oslo Camerata and Spira Mirabilis as well as appeared as a soloist with several Norwegian and foreign orchestras.