“The ensemble Tempesta di Mare performed an all Vivaldi concert last Saturday evening, presented by Early Music Now. The five-member ensemble of two violins, recorder, cello and lute plays with wonderfully tight ensemble, divining one another’s direction in changes of tempo, an important feature of Vivaldi’s style. I appreciated the attentive avoidance of the Baroque auto-gyro syndrome, where a piece is launched and propels itself to an inevitable but dull conclusion. Four of the seven pieces on the program featured solo recorder, played by Gwyn Roberts, who made the best possible case for the instrument, with an even tone and agile ornamentation.” Shepard Express (Milwaukee), March 15, 2007.
“Early Music Now presented Tempesta di Mare in an all-Vivaldi program Saturday. Played indifferently, Vivaldi can sound like a melodious sewing machine. Tempesta was having none of that. They shaped and interpreted the music freely and attractively. In the “La Folia” Variations RV63, they weighted and timed each note of the theme to feel the solemn tread of the dance and its hesitation steps. Humphrey made phrases of the bass lines. Ngai declaimed the Adagio of the Sonata in D RV10 on his violin as if it were an elaborate, ornamented recitative from one of Vivaldi’s operas. Ngai came off as the concert’s star. Vivaldi was one of the greatest violinists of his day and invented all sorts of new techniques. The speed, rhythmic precision and infinitely varied touch of Ngai’s bowing did the master justice.” Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee), March 10, 2007.