Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni) Op 8 Nos 1-4

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Le Quattro Stagioni ("The Four Seasons"). Performed by Simon Standage, solo violin, and The English Concert, directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock. No details of when and where recorded are included in the booklet. First published in 1982 on LP (2543 003), on cassette tape (3311 003) and a little later on CD (DG Archiv 400 045-2). Total playing time: 38 minutes.

This is in every way a landmark recording. There had been period-instrument recordings of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" before this (a fairly middle-of-the-road offering from the Collegium Aureum and a typically somewhat hard-on-the-ears version from Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his Concentus Musicus Vienna), but this was the first (as far as I am aware) for which the players had taken the trouble to examine the early manuscript source from the Henry Watson Music and Arts Library in Manchester, England, and to compare this with early printed editions, thus enabling them to come up with a version which is probably nearer to what Vivaldi actually wrote and intended than anything that had been produced before this. This musicological accuratesse, coupled with the silky sounds of period violins with gut strings, the excellent playing of Trever Pinnock's English Concert and the almost uniquely good Deutsche Grammophon engineering made this, back in 1982, a sensational achievement. The accompanying booklet is also excellent, giving a very clear picture of what is happening when and making listening to The Four Seasons a new pleasure over again. The details in the recording are sometimes startlingly clear, and I can understand why some other reviewers have recommended getting out warm winter clothes for the last part of the recording!

However, I must add that time has passed, and if one thing has become plain, it is that ensembles such as The English Concert with their more Northern European background and their Anglo-Saxon temperament are perhaps not the ideal interpreters of a work like "The Four Seasons". Yes, the English Concert are very, very good. But over the past few years there have been some mainly Italian ensembles who appear to have stolen the English Concert's laurels. In particular, I am thinking of I Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, whose "Four Seasons" appeared in the 90's on the Swiss Divox Antiqua label. Compare that recording with Simon Standage's and I think you will recognize the difference. The Italians have a "fuoco" and an understanding of Italian weather conditions to boot which make The English Concert sound, well, just very English. The Sonatori are not as brutal as Il Giardino Armonico, but in every way as brilliant.

I will never regret purchasing The English Concert's version which remains a benchmark recording. But if you are looking for the "crème de la crème" on Vivaldi then I advise looking around for the Sonatori version, which, incidentally, also contains a couple of other pieces and does not suffer from the extremely short playing time of the English Concert's CD.

This DG performance of the perennial Vivaldi Seasons featuring Pinnock, Standage and company may be the only Baroque CD in my collection, but it is in essence an invigorating performance of this perennial and much-loved (and much-played) classical music cornerstone. Recorded during the advent of digital technology, it makes use of manuscript parts and brushes all cobwebs off this work, without even sacrificing drama and vibrancy, given the timbre-related and tonal limitations of the period instruments. Standage's violin-playing sounds as if he might have been Vivaldi's protige, smooth-toned yet a little virtuosic in his stylish ornamentation, and Pinnock's superbly inspired direction, not to mention harpsichord-playing, enhances the gusto of the orchestral contributions. All this is capped by a clear and well-balanced recording set amidst the atmospheric acoustics of the Henry Wood Hall.

Standage's violin-playing in this work is able to capture its many subtleties. These subtleties can be found in the lyricism of Spring, the agitation of Summer, the nimbleness of Autumn and the atmospheric feel of Winter. The Spring concerto shows him excelling in his sweet-sounding interpretations of the birdsong and the dancing nymphs, and his lyrical portrayal of the goatherd in the slow movement. Then, in Summer, he is able to take on the role of an agitated-sounding water-bird in his so-called comments on the proceedings. Here, the highlight of his violin contributions can be seen in his depiction of the troubled countryman in his first-movement lament and in his troubled second-movement sleep. But nimbleness takes over in the Autumn concerto, where his fleet-fingered bowing admirably suits the tipsy drunkard in the first movement, and the helplessly-fleeing beast during the hunting sequence of the third movement. And so does some sort of relish when Winter sets in, as he seems to make his playing sound like some sort of keen enjoyment of the season itself and its related delights, even at the expense of the biting cold.

Standage's shining, polished and confident contributions are well-matched by Pinnock's atmospheric orchestral accompaniments. From the very first opening bars of Spring, the orchestra (with Pinnock's harpsichord at the helm!) is able to make effective use of Vivaldi's tone colouring to back Standage's playing. It can be particularly loud, for instance, when depicting the various storms (to the point of creating the effect of cracking thunder) and during the hunting scene that ends the Autumn concerto, or subtle as in the sweetness of the atmosphere of Spring and in the second movement of the Autumn concerto. But no matter how they play, every string player can work effectively in the various harmony and unison passages, and they are also greatly enhanced by the subtle lute accompaniments and Pinnock's astute direction and harpsichord accompaniments.

On the whole, I would like to say that this performance of the Vivaldi Seasons is on par with the various modern-instrument recordings by Alan Loveday (with Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields), Gil Shaham and the vigorous yet sometimes self-indulgent Nigel Kennedy, but it is in a class of its own and also the period-instrument equivalent of these modern-instrument readings. In fact, I find it so enjoyable that even beginners can actually turn to this performance rather than the over-indulgent Nigel Kennedy recording should they be seeking a quality recording of the piece. The texts of the sonnets and their translations are provided in the booklet, and this can be helpful to beginning listeners in following along with the music and pinpointing what happens during each movement.

Simon Standage has been a leading violinist for the English Concert for some time. Now he is independent and records with Chandos. Nowhere more he appears scarily demonic then here in Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I actually discovered this cd much later from other Archiv cds (with Pinnock): to my surprise it proved the best version as I could hear the violinist under the shadow of excellent Pinnock wonderfully conscious of his presence. Pinnock and the English Concert-as always-conveys the unerring sense of vitality somewhat different from Hogwood's. Early digital recording nevertheless sounds better with the authentic instruments. I really highly recommend this cd not only to Vivaldi-Pinnock fans but to anyone who are interested in Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

This recording of Vivaldi's Le Quattro Stagioni op.8 is the only one you need. After one listen, you will likely never turn to the (onetime favorite) Marriner recording. After playing it for a friend who had only heard the "standard" Marriner, Perlman, etc. cd's, he said "I never thought it could sound go fresh, so bright". Even the plucking of strings sound much more lively on the Pinnock cd. If you're looking for the best, pick this up (or the Hogwood recording which is equally fantastic).

This is a wonderful recording of the seasons-in fact for years I have measured all other recordings of Vivali's 'Four Seasons' by it.

Standage and Pinnock bring a fresh breath into an often heard piece, giving it a life that is not only palatable, but highly enjoyable to the Twentieth-Century ear, while at the same time highlighting the sound of the Baroque instruments!

Standage's interpretation of the music is "right on" and I love (not like) the gentile highlight of Pinnock's harpsicord!

This is baroque the way it was meant to be! If you have friends who say classical music is boring, just smile beatifically, put on this disc and watch their eyes pop open in awe. Trevor Pinnock intuits Vivaldi's original intent in an interpretation of this classic that is breathtakingly fresh, sharp and intense. Original instruments, including a virtuoso violin performance by Simon Standage, playing from an original score with impeccable Deutsche Grammophon production. What more can you ask? I have owned seven copies of this disc, but continue to buy it because when I see the impact on people the first time they hear it (and most of them have owned other versions of this piece) I just give them the disc! If there ever was a "desert island" disc, this is the one. Buy it and enjoy! (but you'll probably need another one soon)

Mr. Pinnock is the 18th century man. The English Concert's version of this very popular cycle is as powerful as the inclimate weather Vivaldi tries to evoke. This is among Simon Standage's best recorded perfomances. I feel the "Red Priest" himself would be amazed. Standage's playing is articulate, yet lively, supreme musicianship. This is a recording on period instruments. If you don't like the Early Music Movement, then move on from this page. Powerful, lively playing that demonstrates chamber music is not dull. The bass line is used effectly. You will hear the cracks of thunder and the wind blow. You shall be chilled to the bone as you slip and slide upon the ice. If teen-agers would listen to this CD, I believe they would that it "rocks". Of course, the sweet, gentle pastoral parts are presented with extreme asthecism. Mr. Pinnock manges to have the music transcend. Although this cycle is often thought of being violin music, it is just as much harpsichord music and we are treated to Pinnock's superb musicianship on the harpsichord, giving the cycle new life, perhaps the intended life, to Vivaldi's crowd pleaser. I belive this to be among the best recordings of the 4 seasons.

This rendition gives me goosebumps. I usually take that to mean its as good as it gets. If you don't have the Pinnock & company version yet, get it -- other versions seem sleepy by comparison. The viola-cello counterpart is played with such feeling, it seems to bring out a story about the four seasons of love more so than simply the weather. Brilliant playing.

Very good quality recording, fantastic sound with great informational product insert. I have heard different recordings of this compliation, but this is one of my favorites. A real attempt was made to record these pieces as close to Vivaldi's original intentions. Great gift for the Vivaldi fan!

Trevor Pinnock supported by the magnificent leader Simon Standage gained a widely worldy reputation with this superb rendition of one the most famous classical pieces ever composed.

Pinnock recorded a refined, aristocrat and well balanced Four Stations without sentimental approach, replacing emotion by noblesse and nostalgia by enraptured cosmovision.

Despite all the recording achieves the highest standard, the best achievement of these four stations is -to my mind-the Winter. Perfect rhythmic pulse, superb articulaton and fabulous phrasing make of this album an authentical revelation measure by measure.

A must-have. Don't think it twice!