When it comes to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, pity the poor purchaser: how on earth do you ... more
choose from such a plethora of versions? Does the cheapest tempt, or would a version with a star violinist be a safer bet? Or could you be swayed by a scantily clad young female pouting at you from the cover? Or how about a bit of novelty value--an arrangement featuring flute or oboe soloist, or for guitar quartet or even brass ensemble? Or how about this one--a gimmick-free, period-instrument performance from the first-rate Enrico Onofri with a distinguished Italian band which cuts straight through the accumulated grime of ages and makes the pieces as vividly theatrical as they must have been when they were composed in 1725. This isn't a reading to lull you with straightforward beauty but one that buzzes with life, whether it's the riveting drama of the finale of "Summer" or the ghostly middle movement of "Autumn". Vibrato is used sparingly, always for a particular expressive effect, and sudden changes of emotion (particularly in the first movement of "Summer") are brilliantly handled. The two extra concertos are a welcome bonus, the beautiful one for oboe expertly played here by Paolo Grazzi. As far as Four Seasons go, this version comes very near the top of the pile. --Harriet Smith
Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
B&B Vivaldi's Four Seasons is located in Venice, just a few steps from the Grand ... more
Canal, between San Polo Square and the Rialto Bridge, in a prime location in the magical historic centre of Venice. This B&B is literally just 50 metres from the Grand Canal, in the Rialto Bridge neighbourhood which is easy to reach on foot or by public transport. From here, it is only a five-minute walk to places
Advantages: Classic Concertos for Everybody Disadvantages: Strings only!!!no woodwind...boo!
The FourSeasons by Vivaldi
Made famous by countless car adverts and Nigel Kennedy at the Albert Hall amongst other places. This has got to the piece that all fiddle player long to play and solo in!
My first exposure to this came when I was seven, we had a hat making competition at school, the Hat Parade, and dad suggested making a musical hat and came up with the FourSeasons which was a favourite of mine as a youngster. Mum and me made the hat, which turned out to be a master piece in the end (for a 7 year old anyway!) and I won first place! I was fixed with Vivaldi for a long time after!
Even a novice in classical music would recognise some of the notation!
Vivaldi composed in Vienna, and was born 1678 and died in 1741.
In these times, most music was composed and performed by telling a story and acting and dance were very ...
The four sessons is a barroque composition by Antonio Vivandi at the XVI century, that it is composed by 12 concerts, (3 concerts for each concert: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) who described many situation about somethings that happens in a season of the year.
The fourseasons was composed for a quertet cord musical instruments like: a violin, a viola and a contrabass, that describes us:
Spring:
Allegro
The birds coming with its singing with a water source, when the storms presents the birds try to scape to a tree, and after that they continues flying.
Largo
Tuq quiet with the leaves whispering, a dog barking and a man sleeping
Allegro
A dance
Summer:
Allegro non molto:
The music sounds like a hotter season with some winds
Adagio:
The flies in the place
Presto:
A sorm
Fall
Alegro:
Some dance ...
Advantages: vivid, passionate and entirely against type. Totally first class Disadvantages: the foldout CD is bizarre!
Before I go any further, I would like to express an extremely large THANK YOU to my dear friend Teresa, also known as zerbine28, who is not only a most friendly lady, but also an erudite and knowledgeable writer in her own right, far moreso than I could ever hope to be. It is she who so marvellously provided me with this CD, a gesture which goes far beyond the shelling out of $18 for the purchase of the music. So, in return, I say you all go out and at least read some of her reviews on my behalf. Thanks a bunch, Teresa!
Anyhow, we've all heard Antonio Vivaldi's FourSeasons, at least in some form. There always excerpts of them playing on the TV commercials, or something equally innocuous. This is usually accompanied by a sonorous voice announcing "Gainsborough's Furniture ? your first choice in elegant furnishings and accessories ...
![Vivaldi: Four Seasons [IMPORT] -](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/93772879.jpg "Vivaldi: Four Seasons [IMPORT] -")
