I’ve been collecting Vivaldi for over three decades now, and I’ve whittled down my Four Seasons shelf to a lean 70, with almost 50 more that I’ve trimmed over the years. A recent release that totally surprised me is Jordi Savall’s with Alfia Bakieva as soloist (the version without the interleaved sonnets). The tempos and ornamentations seem perfectly judged, and it feels like a cohesive whole, not just four virtuoso showpieces. Sonics are incredible, and it’s warm yet bright. I kept coming back to it!
Hi, could you permit me that mention something about the Seasons recordings?
This has been on my mind lately, as I just bought Chandler's new Signum version.
I value the Standage and PInnock recording very highly. It knows when to be flighty and when to be even-keeled. Also, it's cutting-edge because it piloted many readings from the Ottoboni manuscripts that are now in Manchester.
If you were to amend the post, could you correct the label of that recording to DG? I've got a feeling that you could have written Decca by mistake.
Yes, of course. I will change it to Archiv, since that was the original label and the one it is still listed under on idagio streaming. Thank you for your message.
Maybe there are really too much recordings of this four concerts. Orient yourself in this ocean can be difficult, but I think your choices are shareable. Generally Italian baroque specialists, both violinists and ensembles, are among the best, but so are the english.
I suggest two editions to consider: the first recording of Giuliano Carmignola himself made some years earlier with "Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca" on DIVOX ANTIQUA CD and later on Brilliant Classic reissue. The second is Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante but also in this case his first recording on OPUS 111 CD. Among the last recordings I like very much also Francesco Fullana with Apollo's Fire directed by Jeannette Sorrell on AVIE CD.
Carmignola gets my vote too! I still feel slightly guilty that I bought my copy of the CD for just 1 Euro plus postage — somehow it was an unwanted secondhand disc. I value it more highly than its price implies.
I’ve been collecting Vivaldi for over three decades now, and I’ve whittled down my Four Seasons shelf to a lean 70, with almost 50 more that I’ve trimmed over the years. A recent release that totally surprised me is Jordi Savall’s with Alfia Bakieva as soloist (the version without the interleaved sonnets). The tempos and ornamentations seem perfectly judged, and it feels like a cohesive whole, not just four virtuoso showpieces. Sonics are incredible, and it’s warm yet bright. I kept coming back to it!
Thank you Phil! I will definitely give it a listen. I especially enjoyed Savall’s recent Beethoven symphony cycle.
Hi, could you permit me that mention something about the Seasons recordings?
This has been on my mind lately, as I just bought Chandler's new Signum version.
I value the Standage and PInnock recording very highly. It knows when to be flighty and when to be even-keeled. Also, it's cutting-edge because it piloted many readings from the Ottoboni manuscripts that are now in Manchester.
If you were to amend the post, could you correct the label of that recording to DG? I've got a feeling that you could have written Decca by mistake.
Yes, of course. I will change it to Archiv, since that was the original label and the one it is still listed under on idagio streaming. Thank you for your message.
Maybe there are really too much recordings of this four concerts. Orient yourself in this ocean can be difficult, but I think your choices are shareable. Generally Italian baroque specialists, both violinists and ensembles, are among the best, but so are the english.
I suggest two editions to consider: the first recording of Giuliano Carmignola himself made some years earlier with "Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca" on DIVOX ANTIQUA CD and later on Brilliant Classic reissue. The second is Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante but also in this case his first recording on OPUS 111 CD. Among the last recordings I like very much also Francesco Fullana with Apollo's Fire directed by Jeannette Sorrell on AVIE CD.
Carmignola gets my vote too! I still feel slightly guilty that I bought my copy of the CD for just 1 Euro plus postage — somehow it was an unwanted secondhand disc. I value it more highly than its price implies.
For those who collect scores, the Dover reprint for these concerti are cheap and surprisingly high quality - IMHO.