^{FIRST PUBLISHED 15 MAY 2026}

The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen have released their new album, Vivaldi in Prague, supported by a grant from Continuo Foundation. Antonio Vivaldi’s famous collection of concertos, The Four Seasons, are dedicated to Count Wenzel von Morzin from Prague. In 1718, he travelled to Venice with his ‘virtuosissimo orchestra’ and hired Vivaldi as ‘maestro di musica italiano’. This marked the beginning of an era of close musical exchange between Venice and Prague. This relationship, which shaped an entire generation of Czech composers, is the focus of this recording ‘Vivaldi in Prague’.

The programme includes concertos by František Jiránek, who was employed in Count Morzin’s chapel and studied in Vivaldi’s circle in Venice from 1724 to 1726, and by Antonín Reichenauer, whose musical thinking was strongly influenced by Vivaldi‘s school.

^{Jiránek Concerto for violin, strings and basso continuo in D minor: I. Allegro non molto}

The programme is complemented by a bassoon concerto by Vivaldi dedicated to Count Morzin, an aria from a Vivaldi opera performed in Prague in 1730, and two arias from Vivaldi pasticcios reconstructed by Robert Rawson for this production. These pasticcios were compiled by the Venetian impresario Antonio Denzio from popular Vivaldi operas, and presented to Prague audiences with new texts, including some in Czech.

Performers:

Hana Blažiková soprano
Ciara Hendrick soprano
The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen
Mark Baigent
Tassilo Erhardt
Sally Holman
Robert Rawson

TRACK LIST
Vivaldi Praga nascente da Libussa e Primislao (Prague, 1734): Aria. La Cervetta
Reichenauer Violin Concerto in C minor
Vivaldi Il confronto dell'amor coniugale (Prague 1727): Aria. We are cheerful, and sing
Vivaldi Bassoon Concerto in G minor, RV 496
Vivaldi Argippo RV 697B (Prague 1730): Aria. Gelido in ogni vena
Reichenauer Concerto for oboe, bassoon, strings & basso continuo, Rk 16
Miča The Four Elements (1734): As the flame rises up
Jiránek Violin Concerto in D minor
Reichenauer Cantata ad Montem Sanctum Quc est ista

Released on Accent Records, this album is available to purchase or to stream on all major platforms.