Magnificat, RV 610/611

Vivaldi's Magnificat probably dates from shortly after the 1726 death of composer C.P. Grua, which resulted in his having to provide sacred music for the Venetian orphanage and convent he enjoyed a long-standing relation with: the Ospedale della Pieta. There are actually three versions of the work: 1) for single chorus and orchestra (RV 610); 2) for double chorus and two orchestras (RV 610a); and the final version (RV 611), which takes six movements from replaces the other three movements woth solos written for specific singers at the Pieta: Apollonia, la Bolognesa, Chiaretta, Ambrosina and Albetta.The present edition, originally published by E.F. Kalmus in 1969, retains the material from the original single-choris version (RV 610), while including the added solo material Vivaldi inserted for RV 611 as alternatives, making it eminently practical for today's choral groups. Now available in a digitally-enhanced reprint.