Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Antonio Vivaldi (Artist), Kyung-Wha Chung (Artist), St Luke's Chamber Ensemble (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 13, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000055WFE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,279 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in E major ('La Primavera,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269: Al

2. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in E major ('La Primavera,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269: La

3. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in E major ('La Primavera,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269: Al

4. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in G minor ('L'estate,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 2), Op. 8/2, RV 315: Alleg

5. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in G minor ('L'estate,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 2), Op. 8/2, RV 315: Adagi

6. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in G minor ('L'estate,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 2), Op. 8/2, RV 315: Prest

7. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F major ('L'autunno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293: 1st

8. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F major ('L'autunno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293: 2nd

9. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F major ('L'autunno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293: 3rd

10. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ('L'inverno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 4), Op. 8/4, RV 297: All

11. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ('L'inverno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 4), Op. 8/4, RV 297: Lar

12. Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ('L'inverno,' The Four Seasons; 'Il cimento' No. 4), Op. 8/4, RV 297: All

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb music-making, no idiosyncrasies, pure and thrilling, August 5, 2003

By 

Passionate "eclectic_collector" (Stoke on Trent, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD)

Why did Kyung Wha Chung make this CD? She has produced recorded performances of legendary artistry, such as the Mendelssohn with Dutoit, the Sibelius Tchaikovsy Bruch (& Scottish Fantasy) with Previn, the Bruch and Beethoven with Tennstedt, and the fabulous Bartok 2 and Brahms with Sir Simon Rattle. Also there is the exquisite Franck Sonata with Radu Lupu.
Meanwhile, the 4 seasons has over the years endured all sorts of pillage and torture, the likes of Nigel Kennedy making mavericke with it etc. So, why did this legend in her own lifetime decide to record these concerti? After listening to this CD over and over, the answer is crystal clear. This is purely and simply an opportunity for magical music-making. Playing Vivaldi with sparklingly unmannered joy shows just how wonderful and fresh this music can be. Listen to the first movement of Winter - a perfectly glacial display of immaculate articulation, but never devoid of feeling. In short, an ensemble performance without exaggeration, without oversentimentalising, but delicious.
My favourite performance till now has been the silvery classics for pleasure version with Kenneth Sillito, now sadly deleted. This new release by Kyung Wha Chung has some of the same spontaneity, and is a very good choice. A pity it's full price, it could have been offered with additional material. Nevertheless, this is one disc you will listen to again and again.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A picturesque recording, February 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD)

I have heard and I own many great performances of The Four Seasons including Gil Shaham, Claudio Scimone and Neville Mariner. But Kyun Wha Chung's new recording of the Four Seaons became my instant favorite. I have never heard any Four Seasons this intense and this animated and yet stylistically correct. This, certainly, is not a dinner music or a background music. But start this CD, lie in your bathtub and close your eyes. You will live four seasons in forty minutes.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent performance and recording, April 2, 2001

By 

chung che kim (suwon,south korea) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD)

Kyung-Wha chung offer a superly imaginative version

of Vivaldi's Four season on modern instruments. The solo playing

is powerful and warmly expressive. Some collectors will find

full price a bit steep for 41 minutes, however excellent

performance and recording.