Vivaldi: 4 Seasons (The) (Arr. for Recorder) / Recorder Concertos
4/1/2007, 21 Tracks, 1:05:44
Featuring
Dan Laurin
Arte dei Suonatori
Antonio Vivaldi
Did you know?
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Cultural Impact
Vivaldi's Four Seasons is often considered an 'evergreen' in classical music, partly because listeners don't need to be experts to understand its narrative.
Performer Biography
Dan Laurin, the recorder virtuoso on this album, has won numerous awards, including a Swedish Grammy and the Society of Swedish Composers' prize for best interpretation of contemporary Swedish music.
Composer Biography
Like J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi was largely forgotten for a period, with interest in his music only rekindled during the 19th-century 'Bach-fever' among Romantics.
Composition History
The Four Seasons is accompanied by four sonnets, often attributed to Vivaldi, which are written into the score with additions to guide performers on the atmosphere.
Recording & Production
This Hybrid SACD recording was made in October 2005 at the Church of the High Catholic Seminary in Goscikowo-Paradyż, Poland.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Vivaldi's Four Seasons can be seen as his personal 'idylls', reflecting a city-dweller's longing for the simpler country life, a theme with deep roots in European culture.
Interpretation
The first modern interpretation of the relationship between the sonnets and the music in The Four Seasons was by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Concentus Musicus Wien, influencing all subsequent performances.
