Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: 4 Violin Concertos; Itzhak Perlman

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

 

 

Vivaldi wrote hundreds of concertos, many of them had an influence on Bach. The most popular and well known of his works are of course the four seasons but if you have heard them too much and want more Vivaldi, this is a great CD to get, great not good.

It is arguable that Itzhak Perlman is the greatest living violinist, certainly one of the best I have ever heard. His technique is fantastic and he plays with incredible feel and a lush romantic vibrato. His tone is fantastic and every note is expressive and emotional and full of meaning and color.

Some think baroque music should be played with little or no vibrato, that in the day vibrato was to be used as an ornament or as an effect. I personally love the way Perlman uses vibrato and his interpretations here are so expressive. I have many Perlman CDs and some are better than others, this is one of the best I have heard.

This is easily one of my favorite CDs, I couldn't ask for a better Vivaldi CD than this. I give this CD five stars without hesitation: great music played and recorded incredibly well, isn't that what you want?

One of my favorites. If you're ready to get away from "The Four Seasons" and want one other Vivaldi album, this is it. Pearlman's interpretation, as usual, is lush, sensitive. I give this cd as a gift to classical music lovers more than any other.

I play this DVD when I need to "settle" my head and have a peaceful moment. The music especially the violin is very soothing

I LOVE this CD and play it constantly in my car. It makes traveling less stressful, and is a nice way to start the day. The sound is clear, and you certainly can't beat Itzhak Perlman when it comes to talented musicians! If you love Vivaldi as much as I do, this is a "must have"!

I bought this CD only to find there are 4 concertos, RV 199, RV 356, RV 317, and RV 347, and 3 out of the 4 are already on a CD that I have by Perlman "Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Violin Concertos [includes 199, 356 and 347]". I would recommend the Four Seasons CD instead which is less than half the price of the one I'm reviewing. That is, unless you really like the G minor RV 317.

But then, Perlman's playing is beautiful, romantic and inspiring.

In this concerto that creates a tremendous dramatic power due to the constant dialogue or other forms of « discussion », « discourse », « competition » or « contrast » among the four violins, we feel a deeper emotional strength. One violin is really a « weeper » or an egotistic hedonist and the others hesitate between or just vary from consoling or comforting him and chasing or running after him. This composition reminds us of the opera in which a castrato was leading the game, escaping in very rich and intense solos, chased, imitated or recaptured by the other singers and the choir every so often. In other words Vivaldi transposes the composition technique of the opera with castrati to this concerto for four violins. So it becomes at times very erratic, multiple, unpredictable and multivaried in coloration and composition. Some may even think Vivaldi has introduced Napolitan musical forms into the Venitian tradition.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, ...