In the bowels of the score, we find that this is Opus 1 No 4 - one of the Trio Sonatas, published when Vivaldi was 34 - and it's rather glorious to see it fit so well on guitar. The Largo is surprisingly lush, with a little double-stopping in guitar three to thicken the texture; the slow pace, usually so difficult with the guitar's lack of sustain, has undulating movement in all the parts - reminiscent of writing for harpsichord - so that the sound is full at all times.
The Allemanda, with an Alberti Bass in Guitar Four, is technically a little more challenging for all, with a full compass and an interwoven texture. Nonetheless, each line looks easy on the eye, and once the ideal position is found (there is no fingering), it's comfortable on the hands too.
The Sarabanda has harmonics in Guitar Three, and these, to the credit of the arranger, are fingered to remove any doubt. Guitar Four has another continuo feat to pull off, but it's a satisfying line to play for sure.
And of course, there is a fiery finish in the form of a Giga, and there are well-chosen ligados that cannot fail to shape the phrases and add a layer of articulation that definitely sounds good on the ear.
This isn't a difficult work, though the opening movement will probably be the last to come good, having tempo and time signature changes. The whole quartet is probably within the grasp of Grade 5-6 players, and it has migrated to guitar without drama and without loss - it has the movement of Bach without the sometimes punishing remorselessness, and it has the lightness of Mozart without sounding, dare I say it, quite so twee as some Mozart does on guitar. I hate to repeat myself, but I need to finish as I began - it's rather glorious to see it fit so well on guitar.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)
