Search - Vivaldi, Biondi, Galante :: Four Seasons

Four Seasons
Vivaldi, Biondi, Galante
Four Seasons
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (18) - Disc #1

This recording of The Four Seasons sold something like 50 billion copies in France. Now, I know that's not necessarily a recommendation. After all, this is the country that thinks Jerry Lewis is America's greatest film sta...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Vivaldi, Biondi, Galante
Title: Four Seasons
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Opus 111
Release Date: 11/24/1998
Genre: Classical
Styles: Forms & Genres, Concertos, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Instruments, Strings, Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 709861009121

Synopsis

Amazon.com
This recording of The Four Seasons sold something like 50 billion copies in France. Now, I know that's not necessarily a recommendation. After all, this is the country that thinks Jerry Lewis is America's greatest film star. But in this case, they have a point, because here is a sensational recording of the fabulous Four. The secret of making a great new recording of music that you've heard until it drives you crazy lies in the performers' ability to make the music sound fresh. That's exactly what Biondi and his forces do. To listen to this record is to realize that classical music is what it says it is--great art that constantly reveals something new when subjected to vibrant and original interpretation. One more for the CD shelf! --David Hurwitz
 

CD Reviews

Vivaldi reborns
Kenneth J. Luurs | 01/11/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Fabio Biond's way of playing show us how the so called ancient-music-performed-by-ancient-intruments should be executed. His "Four Seasons", the world best one, it's a model of power and kind. He plays his instrument sometimes like a sweet bird in the trees, sometimes like a noisy distorced guitar. We can feel the wetness of the rain. Fabio Biondi, and the powerfull Europa Galante, made "The Four Seasons" an unique experience. Listen up with the eyes closed...."
Path breaking--Still Available
Paul Van de Water | Virginia, USA | 02/05/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the earlier of Biondi's recordings of the Four Seasons--set down for Opus 111 in 1991, but it in no way pales in comparison to Biondi's later traversal on Virgin. It was considered path breaking at the time of its release, and it still makes Vivaldi's warhorse sound remarkably fresh. Two less familiar concertos offer a wonderful bonus: RV171 for violin and RV163 for strings (called "Conca," or conch, after a kind of Bohemian trumpet).



Although this disc is no longer available by itself, it can be obtained as part of two four-CD sets on Naive at the price of a single CD. One package combines it with three discs of string concerti Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; String Concertos (Box Set). The other includes discs of concerti for winds, strings, and bassoon and oboe Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni; Concerti [Box Set]. All the additional discs are taken from Naive's Vivaldi edition. Either way, this recording of the Four Seasons is a thoroughly delightful bargain."
The one to choose
Kenneth J. Luurs | Oak Park, IL USA | 04/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have a large music collection (over 10,000 recordings) and have heard most of the "name" versions of this work. While I must admit, I have outgrown some of my enthusiasm for the 4-seasons due to the number of times it is played, this performance demands hearing. It is breathtaking. Indeed, when it was first released, I ranked it as my favorite album of the year. At the price, it can't be beat."