Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / Julia Fischer Violin / The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

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

 

 

This is a re-master of the original DVD which has been sold out for more than a year. I am a Fischer fan, so I am very relief that it is being released again.

Aside from the funny costume for both Julia and the members of St. Martin-In-The-Fields, the music is Divine. It actually should be released as a audio CD and not a visual DVD, as the music is fantastic, but the directing is...no comment.

The production was first recorded in 2001, so it was done when Julia was quite young, and this is what makes it amazing. At such a tender age, the mastery and the artistry of her musical talent is oozing out already. She plays it without Sir Neville Mariner conducting and the concerto came out beautifully.

In the DVD, the Winter is absolutely serenely beautiful until the tempest come and gone, then it becomes picturesque again.

The glass structure, in case anybody interested, is in England designed by the world famous architect of Norman Foster.

The is a DVD that is worth keeping. I have been waiting for more than a year for this and now I am happy.

I would highly recommend this to you if you are a Julia Fischer fan.

Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is one of my favotire pieces of music, but I have not always been safisfied with proliferating performances of this masterpiece. Julia Fischer's perforamce in both a great achievemnts but a lesson for those who revel in the art of violin-playing. A delight ot the ears--and eyes!

I had a previous version of this concert in the past, so was surprised that Vivaldi's masterpiece had been downgraded to Dolby 4.0 surround from 5.1 on older version. Picture is amazing though. The same terrific musicians guided by German diva. This one is the best version of the "Four Seasons" I have ever heard. I don't have any objections of what Julia wears, although there were some negative comments about her dresses. To tell you the truth, I don't care. Music is what important here and how all musicians follow Julia's directions. Five stars no matter what. My home theatre system handles it very well, and is pretty much happy with Dolby 4.0 sound, so am I.

Ótima apresentação além de uma constatnte modificação do cenário lembrando a aparencia das estaçòes que tanto se diferenciam tanto na natureza com música. Parabéns Julia.

I am a big time Julia Fischer fan. The first time I heard Julia playing was when I was listening to local classical FM radio. I immediately noticed beauty of her performance.
It was Mozart violin concerto. I thought it was better than Arthur Grumiaux, Anne Sophie-Mutter, Itzhak Pearlman et al.
Her Mozart cycle became my favorite since then.

So I purchased Vivaldi DVD, my expectation was wonderfully fulfilled by Julia. Her technique is impeccable, interpretation is fresh and powerful; all in all this performance is at least equals or even surpasses the legendary recording of I Musici with Felix Ayo.

Why then two stars?
It is visual. I just do not comprehend who picked those four dresses she wore for four seasons.
Those are beyond bad taste. It especially hurts because her playing so beautiful, Julia is so pretty, and Wales Botanical Garden surroundings are so exquisite.
How can someone chose that green hair piece for Spring? Who were the stylist/costume and stage designers?

Oh, I am so sorry Julia. And forgive me if you got upset reading my review!
But I just wanted to say those dresses failed your magnificent achievement.