BaL 17.09.16 - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

[Richard Barrett]

too extreme

It might well be too extreme for Mahan Esfahani who I think has quite a conservative streak. But, as I say, my interest in these pieces was rekindled by this recording and I haven't found its "extremities" to start getting annoying on repeated listening. Vivaldi was an "extreme" composer in many ways (ie. not an accompaniment to bobbing gondolas etc.) and although no doubt his music was performed in hundreds of different ways in his lifetime I'm sure some of them would have been more "extreme" than any 20th/21st century rendition.

[BBMmk2]

Tasmin Little has just released this work, c/w Roxanna Panufnik work.

My favourite recording though, has to be Alan Loveday, ASMF & Marriner.

[pastoralguy]

What, no:

I'm sure I have that disc too!

[Bryn]

I'm sure I have that disc too!

I have the HMV Classics re-issue somewhere, but a brief search failed to uncover it.

[pastoralguy]

I'll be interested in the 'winner' since I've not long come back to the Four Seasons following a VERY long break. It's a work I must have performed dozens of times and I got to the stage where I couldn't bear to listen to it. It's a work that often surfaces in charity shops so I probably have a few versions of it. I have a soft spot for the late, great Mr. Michael Schwalbe kit Herbert von Karajan und Die Berliner Philharmoniker. I remember my mother buying me 4(!) DG Lps for my sixteenth birthday and this was one of them.

And, although I may get lynched, I secretly like Nige's latest version with all the added bits. Although I realise I may be in a minority of 1 here.

[umslopogaas]

On LP, as well as several that are on Ein Alp's list, I have several that are not, presumably they didnt get transferred to CD:

Konstanty Kulka and the Stuttgart Chamber Orch., cond. Munchinger Decca SXL 6557
Luigi Ferro and the Virtuosi Di Roma, cond. Fasano HMV ALP 1234
Renato Biffoli and Gli Accademici di Milano, cond. not stated Stereovox ST.GBY 511480
Reinhold Barchet and the Stuttgart Chamber Orch. cond. Munchinger Decca LXT 5377
Reinhold Barchet and the Stuttgart Chamber Orch. cond. Munchinger Decca LXT 2600

The Stuttgart Chamber Orch. and Munchinger seem to have had a bit of an obsession, since they made three recordings, two with the same violinist. I can see why they made the SXL one, because that was in stereo, whereas the other two were in mono only. Why Decca made two mono versions with the same conductor, soloist and orchestra, I have no idea. I am pretty sure that they are separate recordings, rather than one just being a reissue. Does anyone have any ideas?

[pastoralguy]

Ein Alp, this is dedication beyond the call of duty! You have my congratulations, and also my sympathy, how long must it have taken to compile that list? .

[underthecountertenor]

It might well be too extreme for Mahan Esfahani who I think has quite a conservative streak.

I'm quite surprised by this remark, as he doesn't strike me as particularly conservative at all. I'd be interested (genuinely) to know on what you base your perception.

[Tony Halstead]

Further congrats to EA on what must have been a Herculean task!

I'm curious to know what happened to the TWO recordings of the 4 Seasons that I am playing on ( no, not violin, harpsichord! ). The violin soloist on both of them was the now late and lamented Jose-Luis Garcia. The first one, on 'ASV', was directed 'from the violin' by Garcia, with the ECO. The 2nd one, for 'RCA', also with the ECO, was conducted by Leonard Slatkin, who I seem to remember insisted that I keep playing chords filling in the harmony even when the score instructs the harpsichord to play only 'tasto solo' ( literally 'single touch', meaning 'play only the bass line without harmony') !

[pastoralguy]

I have the directed recording but not the conducted one. Very fine playing indeed.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This isn't a work (or group of works) I know particularly well. I've been put off it by telephone muzak and renderings of Spring & Autumn movements in school assemblies. I first heard the collection in its entirety, in a live performance, about years ago, and my only recording (Stokowski) is the one in the Decca Phase 4 box set.

So I've actually spent more time compiling the list of recordings than my total time of actually listening to it.

[Tony Halstead]

This isn't a work (or group of works) I know particularly well. I've been put off it by telephone muzak and renderings of Spring & Autumn movements in school assemblies. I first heard the collection in its entirety, in a live performance, about years ago, and my only recording (Stokowski) is the one in the Decca Phase 4 box set.

So I've actually spent more time compiling the list of recordings than my total time of actually listening to it.

WOW, that 'Stokie' version has the beatific HUGH BEAN playing solo violin, I seem to remember.

[CallMePaul]

Ein Alp, this is dedication beyond the call of duty! You have my congratulations, and also my sympathy, how long must it have taken to compile that list? I also have sympathy for the poor reviewer, is it conceivable that they will actually listen to all those performances?

I agree completely with these sentiments, but one question crosses my mind - how many of these recordings are easily and practically available? How many are only in mega-boxes, are any of them only available as "used and new" from Amazon (implying that the record company has deleted them but there are stocks available somewhere)? I personally am not interested in arrangements for other instruments, violin and piano etc and prefer hard copy to download - I peresume that the reviewer will only consider violin concerto versions.

My only copy of this is an LP from the Academy of Ancient Music with different soloists in each concerto, so I will be interested to listen, despite reservations about a reviewer who has probably played with some of the artists and may have opinions of them that colour his views of their recordings. There are some that appeal from a quick look at the list, but I may wait to see if Rachel Podger is planning a recording of the entire Op8 set.

[Richard Barrett]

I'm quite surprised by this remark, as he doesn't strike me as particularly conservative at all. I'd be interested (genuinely) to know on what you base your perception.

On his choices of contemporary music (eg. Górecki and Reich on a recent CD)... of course you could say that for a harpsichordist playing any contemporary music is radical.

[MickyD]

Of all the HIP recordings, I find Giuliano Carmignola (baroque violin), Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon very pleasing and easy to listen to on repeated occasions. I recently bought the (then) controversial Harnoncourt version - and I must say I love the fast speed he takes the slow movement of 'Winter'...probably maddening to some, but I find it really works for me.