Analysis: Blend of style makes piece quintessential Vivaldian

This is one of Vivaldi's most attractive flute concertos - though 20-odd concertos by him for flute and strings survive. In most respects, it is conventional for him in structure and style, but the unusual choice of key for the baroque flute, D minor (not used in any other of his flute concertos) lends the concerto a rather particular, even haunting, aura.

Its authentication is greatly assisted by the fact that a flute concerto of the same very distinctive name, Il Gran Mogol, is clearly and plausibly attributed to him is listed in a sale catalogue of 1759. Further, it can be shown to be the prototype of an already known and clearly attributed flute concerto in E minor by Vivaldi was based.

Its musical characteristics are quintessentially Vivaldian without exception. In short, its genuineness could not be more definite.

It is hard to describe precisely why this concerto proclaims its Vivaldian identity to the rooftops. But it has a unique blend of orderliness and zany fantasy; an ability to harness the power of extreme musical simplicity for expressive purposes (Beethoven has a similar gift); an uncommonly strong feeling for the distinct character and technical possibilities of each instrument; and a delight in contrast (of mood, sound-quality, rhythm etc.) for its own sake.

The find is important because it adds another attractive Vivaldi work to the canon, it provides information about the genesis of the E minor flute concerto mentioned earlier which is derived from it, and, most importantly, it provides evidence of the interest in Vivaldi's music in Scotland, not merely in an amorphous "Britain", "England" or (perish the thought!) "London".

• Michael Talbot is emeritus Professor of Music at the University of Liverpool and an international authority on Vivaldi