Four Seasons - Winter

Track Listings

1. Sonata for Piano No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27/2 “Moonlight Sonata”,Adagio sostenuto

2. Winterreise Op. 89, Der stürmische Morgen

3. Children’s Corner Suite, “The Snow Is Dancing”

4. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Allegro non molto

5. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Largo

6. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Allegro

7. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2 Op. 55, “Stormy Evening On The Sea"

8. Träumerei Op. 15 No. 7 (Dreaming)

9. Suite Bergamasque “Clair de Lune”

10. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Vivace grave

11. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Allegro

12. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Adagio-Allegro-Adagio

13. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Vivace

14. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Allegro-Largo (Pastorale)

15. Winterreise Op. 89, Frühlingstraum

16. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Allegro

17. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Cantabile

18. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Allegro

19. Ballet Suite from “The Nutcracker” Op. 71a, Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy

Tracks:

'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Allegro
'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Largo
'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Allegro
Verano Porteno: Summer In Buenos Aires
'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Allegro Non Molto
'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Adagio
'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Presto
Otono Porteno: Autumn In Buenos Aires
'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Allegro
'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Adagio Molto
'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Allegro
Invierno Porteno: Winter In Buenos Aires
'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Allegro Non Molto
'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Largo
'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Allegro
Primavera Portena: Spring In Buenos Aires

Amazon.com

Despite global warming, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is more popular than ever. But it still seems strange that Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica ensemble--a group that continues to stun us with riveting performances of lesser-heard works--would tackle the tried-and-true baroque masterpiece. Luckily, Kremer inventively separates each Vivaldi season with a corresponding composition from Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons Suite, making for fascinating comparisons. Kremer's performances of the Vivaldi are remarkable, sounding solid and fresh. And like an infectious Broadway musical, Piazzolla's seasons always seem on the verge of a giddy dance number. Kremer really gets to show off on these tango-inspired pieces, but he's charming throughout. The programming probably won't make this your reference Four Seasons, but for those who love their Vivaldi in small doses or fans of Kremer's Tango Ballet disc, this is a must-have. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Music ALIVE!.......2006-03-12

I really know hardly anything about Argentinan music or Kremer, but I bought this album after I became enraptured with the spring and summer suites at a ballet. My local company created a piece inspired by the works of expatriate artist Amaranth Ehrenhalt and set to alternating Vivaldi and Piazzola selections. I was amazed by how Vivaldi's Seasons took on new life. Everything was vivid and fluid and meshed perfectly with the dance. I recommend this--you can truely feel the seasons alive in all of their glory.
BTW: Rio de la Plata means River of Silver.

Full Circle With Kremer's Eight Seasons.......2005-10-19

Gidon Kremer has been building himself quite the reputation as an interpreter of the music of the late and great Argentine musical polymath, Astor Piazzolla. Here he takes the very well-known Four Seasons of Vivaldi and stands them up to the Four Seasons of Piazzolla and the result is an aural delight.
Most who are reading this are probably curious about this CD for one of two reasons: either they are Vivaldi fans, or they are Piazzolla fans. But who says that being a fan of one has to exclude the other? After you listen to this, you are likely to become a fan of the music of both composers and of Gidon Kremer as well if you were not already.
Being a huge Piazzolla fan,I never tire of hearing different interpretations of one of his most important works. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires may be born of tango, but it is much more than that. It is a masterful marriage of classical elements with those of tango. Piazzolla could do many things with music and what he has created with his Four Seasons is an electrifying blend that will stand the test of time.
And so here is Gidon Kremer with yet another skillful and faithful interpretation of the both the spirit and the letter of Astor Piazzolla's music, cleverly juxtaposed with that of one of the Old Masters. Kremer brings us full circle with his presentation of the Four Seasons sequences of both composers, beginning with Vivaldi's La Primavera (Spring) and after a musical journey through the year, ending with Primavera Portena (Buenos Aires Spring) so that we finish where we began.
Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica do a virtuoso job throughout. Though I am a partisan of the music of Piazzolla, I enjoy Kremer's interpretation of Vivaldi as well. If you know and love this music as I do, then Eight Seasons merits an esteemed slot in your CD collection.

Rapturous.......2004-07-21

Parts of this recording are so beautiful that when I listen while working, I have to pause what I am doing and close my eyes. I don't remember how I ended up buying this CD (it certainly wasn't planned), but I am so grateful.

My rabbit hates it though. When I listen to it at home, he stamps his feet. So I can only listen to it at work. :(

"Eight wonders".......2003-02-24

Gidon Kremer's musical explorations were very famous from the beginning and during the last few years he is gaining almost a "classical superstar" status. I was a little suspicious about those beautifully packaged CDs with sort of "trendy" and almost too interesting sounding titles for serious classical achievements. BUT!! I couldn't be more wrong. "After Mozart" or "Eight Seasons" seem to be some of the most inspiring recordings I've heard. While listening to "Eight Seasons" at "concert" levels in a privacy of my room, I felt "goose bumps" for several times and I had to laugh out of pleasure, thinking: this is SOOO good. Gidon Kremer and his "baltic fresh" Kremerata Baltica are pursuing and tacking the pure essence of music. Programming the mix of Piazzola and Vivaldi doesn't seem extraordinary anymore. It is pure music, pure joy. Technical bravura and excellent sound are only side things. Tango nuevo - widely popularized music form and one of the most (ab)used baroque masterpieces join as one in a fresh and artistically meaningful entity. What more can we wish for ?
Piazzola sounds energetic and powerful and Vivaldi the freshest out of numerous interpretetions. Mixed in an interesting sequence they form a new "Opus".

I also strongly recommend "After Mozart" with its mixture of contemporary music and timeless, for many "godlike" Mozart. A recording that makes him human and even more divine at the same time.

From the River Plate (Rio de la Plata)........2002-11-10

The River Plate, an akward translation from the spanish "Rio de la Plata", is the widest river on the world. It both separates and bonds Buenos Aires with Montevideo, capitals cities of Argentina and Uruguay respectively. If I could ask Billy Joel how would he name this river, I think that much alike his excellent album "River of Dreams", he would call it "River of Tango".
Yesterday night I attended Mr. Kremer and the Baltic Kamerata's performance, where in addition to Mahler's 10th Adaggio, they played these "eight seasons". I think that for Mr. Kremer and his ensemble, coming to play to South America and precisely to the birthplace of tango, could be a "tour the force".
Well, he & the Kamerata were magnificient, classy. He kept us on our feet, applauding, for more than fifteen minutes.
This CD has capture the thrilling of his live performances.It is the kind of recording that becomes a milestone in our "audio memory", as Mr. Karajan liked to say. Enjoy it.

Vivaldi's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Four Seasons

Average customer rating:

Active or Passive Voice?
Four Seasons a Winner
A New Twist for an Old Favorite!
Not as much fun as it could be given the premise

Vivaldi's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Four Seasons

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000894R5
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

I. Allegro - Vladimir Spivakov
II. Largo - Amsterdam Guitar Trio
III. Allegro - Michala Petri
I. Allegro Non Molto - Larry Coryell
II. Adagio/Presto - Tracy Scott Silverman
III. Presto - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
I. Allegro - James Galway
II. Adagio Molto - Larry Coryell
III. Allegro - Vladimir Spivakov
I. Allegro Non Molto - Ransom Wilson
II. Largo - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
III. Allegro - James Galway
I. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Michala Petri
III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
II. Adagio/Presto (Alternate Version) - James Galway
III. Presto (Alternate Version) - Larry Coryell
III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Amsterdam Guitar Trio
I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - James Galway
II. Largo (Alternate Version) - Vladimir Spivakov
II. Largo (Alternate Version) - Larry Coryell
III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz

Customer Reviews:

Active or Passive Voice?.......2006-11-29

Part One: It must have been the wax.
------------------------------------
While it is essential for any artist to interpret the work of another before them, a regard for the original author must remain intact. This is an ambitious recording, however, we are rarely judged by our intent and far more often by our act. All too often in this recording we are listening to the artist playing an author's work rather than the author's work being played by an artist. Hubris abounds in this recording, from its conception to its release, and unfortunately suffers an all too predictable fate.

Part Two: I can see the numbers.
-------------------------------
However, even more disenchanting than the usurping of a masterwork is the lack of inspired performances, as if each is so out of context that within the confines of these "snippets" the artist never engages leaving the listener equally disengaged, akin to a polished paint-by-numbers canvas executed in water color by a haphazard collection of period icons. If this was the very first recording of this sterling composition, it may well have been the very last.

end

Four Seasons a Winner.......2005-07-21

This is the second copy of Vivaldi's Greatest Hit I have purchased. I liked it so much, I decided to buy another copy to give my 15-yr-old nephew, who is a violinist and lover of classical music. He loves it, too, so two thumbs up from this reviewer.

A New Twist for an Old Favorite!.......2004-05-28

I own two other renderings of "The Four Seasons" in addition to this one, and this disc is my favorite. Vivaldi intended for "The Four Seasons" to be a multimedia experience, incorporating music, image, and poetry. This collection truly captures that spirit of versatility by arranging the work for several different instruments (not just guitar, as the previous review would have you believe). In addition, the movements rendered with soloist Gottfried von der Goltz on the Baroque violin sound almost completely different from any previous recordings. His style is hard, almost violent, while his instrument sounds much darker and richer than a modern violin. It adds a depth to "The Four Seasons" lacking in many new studio recordings. The third movement from "Summer" in particular is stunning, with von der Goltz transforming it from a mere succession of rushing 16th notes into an exuberant, virtuosic portrait of a prairie thunderstorm. The guitar, flute, and electronic arrangements (only one electronic arrangement, however) are excellent, retaining the true spirit of the original while managing to add something new. The disc contains the entire cycle of the seasons twice, with various different instrumentations playing each movement. Lovers of "The Four Seasons," Baroque music, or classical music in general will find MUCH to appreciate here!

Not as much fun as it could be given the premise.......2003-04-16

This isn't a bad album. It's a perfectly nice run-through of Four Seasons, twice. But the premise is that there are many different performers in many different styles, and the actuality comes out less varied than one would hope.

The performers are certainly all-stars, and there's nothing wrong with any of the performances. It's just that, they're, well, the same performances those all-stars could give any time. There are no new interpretations of the work. There are very few adaptations to unusual instruments - except for the movements done mainly on guitar, everything else is essentially the basic original orchestration, with different soloists filling in instead of the violin - Michaela Petri on recorder, James Galway on flute, etc.

And I didn't feel that the choice of which soloists did which movements was as inspired as it could have been. In several movements, the soloists hardly came across as soloists at all. The order in which the performers appeared, appeared to have been chosen at random. That is, every movement was played in order, with some randomly chosen set of artists doing it. Then, the (nearly) whole thing was played again, this time with the artists chosen randomly a different way, so that Michaela Petri was doing a different movement from the first time through.

Many casual listeners to classical music aren't aware that each "Season" is actually made up of three sections. The recording switches performers with every section. I personally think this would have been more effective if one set of performers had done all three sections of a season, long enough for the listener to really get a feel for their sound, then switched to another performer only with the change of seasons. With 8 seasons to go through (four times two), that still would have allowed for plenty of variety, and left one much more able to appreciate that variety.

Tracks:

'Aria' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
'Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude No.1 In C Major, BWV 846 - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Minuet In G Major From Anna Magdalena Notebook - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 891 - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
'Siciliano' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
III. 'Rondo Alla Turca' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
I. Allegro - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fantasy In D Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
II. Adagio Cantabile - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
I. Adagio Sostenuto - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fur Elise - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
II. Minuet - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Impromptu Op.90 No.3 In G-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Moment Musicaux No.3 In F Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fruhlingslied (Spring Song) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Venetian Gondola - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics

Tracks:

Waltz Op.64 No.1 In D-Flat Major Minute Waltz - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.15 Raindrop Prelude In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.9 No.1 In B-Flat Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Etude Op.10 No.12 Revolutionary - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.27 No.2 In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
GRand Valse Brilliante Op.18 In E-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.9 No.2 In E-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Etude Op.10 No.3 In E Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.20 In C Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.4 In E Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Waltz Op.69 No.1 In A-Flat Major Farewell Waltz - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Kindererszenen (Scenes From Childhood) Op.15 No.7: Traumerei (Dreaming) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fantasiestucke (Fantasy Pieces) Op.12 No.1: Des Abends (In The Evening) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Widmung (Dedication) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Consolation No.3 In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Aria - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics

Tracks:

Hungarian Dance No.5 In F-Sharp Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Intermezzo Op.118 No.2 In A Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Waltz Op.39 No.15 In A-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
June - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Berceuse - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Tango - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Granada - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
To A Wild Rose - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Clair DE Lune - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Golliwogg's Cake Walk - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Arabesque No.I - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Gymnopedie No.I - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
The Maiden And The Nightengale - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Prelude Op.3 No.2 In C-Sharp Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Prelude Op.23 No.5 Ini G Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
I. Pavane - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs

Customer Reviews:

Not the best recording.......2007-07-15

The songs were played flawlessly, however, it's really quiet. When you turn up the volume, you will hear hissing in the background.

Stunning Goldberg Aria.......2006-02-21

Who is the performer of that amazing recording of the Goldberg Aria??!?! It must be Gould.

Great CD.......2006-01-29

Nice set of songs. I enjoyed it a lot, I see no reason why anyone wouldn't like this CD set.

Piano Perfection!.......2005-10-16

Saw it on TV and thought the music was beautiful, but forgot to write the information down... but managed to buy it online (now I see it frequently at the music stores)and I absolutely love this album -- all my favorite pieces! (I'm not big on writing comments or reviews, but was compelled by the artistry and passion I heard throughout this CD!)

A Classic in Every Sense!.......2005-10-12

I overheard some people at the record store talking about this album - one guy was actually a piano teacher and couldn't stop raving about it. I bought the album on his recommendation and couldn't be happier - it's stunningly beautiful. Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is haunting and Chopin's "Minute Waltz" is spectacular in its precision and speed! This will make a great stocking stuffer at Christmas for my friends (... I'm getting them now cause I've gone to a couple places and they're out of stock). If you're into piano, this is truly a classic!

Average customer rating:

Zur Herbstzeit, a highly nuanced work
Seize the Seasons!
First Recording of the Complete 'Seasons' Tetralogy by Raff

Raff: Symphonies 8 - 11 "Four Seasons"

Manufacturer: Cpo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000269QV6
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Customer Reviews:

Zur Herbstzeit, a highly nuanced work.......2006-12-27

This work offers some unusual textures for a romantic symphony of the 19th century. The first movement is carried forward from start to finsish by an undulating figure both slow in tempo and fairly low in dynamic. Raff seems to be defying the convention of the declamatory first movement. Loud passages frequently occur but are always brief and structurally transitional. The movement becomes a touchstone of Germanic discipline and tact by showing off the composer's capacity to keep his full resources in reserve. The second, scherzo movement also achieves a subtle effect. It begins and ends with a faint figure by the tympany, typical of Raff's commitment to a rhythmic beat but deliberately understated. Low-pitched woodwinds present the rhythmic theme also at low dynamic at first. This melody, still in minor key, is handed off to so many groups of instruments that it sounds rather like theme and variations without becoming that. The third, slow movement turns to a lyrical, consolatory major key theme often played by an oboe. Toward the close of the movement, the theme turns minor and decidedly elegiac. The finale is conventionally bright and celebrative in a major key for the most part. It echoes Mendelssohn's style. The minor key restatement of its main theme is welcome when it comes. These effects are intended to represent the texture of autumn in the "Four Seasons" context of this outstanding CD.

Seize the Seasons!.......2006-06-13

Besides Bruckner, the 11 symphonies of Joachim Raff are perhaps the greatest complete symphonic cycle composed in the 19th century (Mahler was of course writing into the early 20th).
Although the 4 symphonies featured here are masterworks, they are not recommended as a good starting point for those wishing to discover this particular composer.
Yes, they represent the Raff at his most original, free at last from the great influence of Beethoven and Mendelssohn, and because of this one might be tempted to skip his earlier efforts and go straight for the center of the oreo cookie.
I personally feel that this is a mistake because upon hearing these symphonies, one is less likely to become enamored with the work of this musical giant. The reason being that these are subtle, descriptive pieces, lacking the great highs and lows of symphonies 1, 3 and 5, for example.
But, once you have listened to the earlier symphonies and traced the development of this composer you will reap great rewards with the 'Seasons'.
These descriptive, programmatic symphonies clearly illustrate why it was that Raff had a major influence on Richard Strauss, as well foreshadowing many of the early 20th century film music techniques.
Each symphony is a gem, worthy of repeated listening, but it is number 11 that commands center stage here. There are moments of true greatness in each of the 4 movements, most notably in movement 1 and a particularly exquisite, stunning return of the theme in the horns (under high strings with wood wind figures) just after the midpoint of movement 2.
One note regarding the 11th symphony (In Winter). This work was left unfinished at the time of Raffs death, and finished by his friend Ermanndsdorfer. It is unclear how much was actually left unfinished by Raff, but I suspect that the answer to this question is "Very Little". Raff's composing method was to sketch a movement in it's entirety in one sitting. He believed that by returning to a sketch, a movement would lose it's natural flow (Raff was a VERY fast composer, by the way). I suspect that Erdmannsdorfer most likely did nothing more than fill in some missing orchestration, unless of course, he was a towering genuis who understood Raff's music as well as the composer himself.
To sum up, a first rate performance, (although I see room for improvement), good sound quality, and informative liner notes earn this 2 CD collection very high marks.
A must-have for all you Raffians out there.
I had a great time with this one.
Enjoy

First Recording of the Complete 'Seasons' Tetralogy by Raff.......2004-07-05

I'm not the greatest fan of Raff's music, much as I admire some of it. His style is a little hard to characterize and even in his lifetime he was chastised for being a bit of a magpie, collecting bits and pieces of others' styles, or at least imitating them. Still, during his lifetime he was one of the most renowned composers, spoken of in the same breath as Brahms and Wagner. Further, he was no mere epigone, as some have suggested; rather, he had his own mind and went his own way musically. He even risked getting exiled from Weimar by Liszt and his circle (and this while he was living amongst them) by making some rather harsh criticisms of Wagner's 'Ring' in a famous essay, 'The Wagner Question.' He spent the next few years living in poverty in Wiesbaden before he was chosen to become the director of the newly founded Hoch Conservatorium in Frankfort. These four symphonies were written while he was in Wiesbaden and Frankfort and they were premièred in the former city. They are presented here in the following order, No. 8 'Spring,' No. 10 'Autumn,' No. 9 'Summer and No. 11 'Winter.' Presumably this slightly awkward arrangement has to do with fitting all four symphonies onto two CDs. 'Winter' was not completed and was put away in a drawerby Raff. It was later completed by Ermannsdörfer and it is not clear how much of the symphony represents Raff's own work.

These performances were recorded in 1992-1994, not long before the Philharmonica Hungarica, founded after the 1956 Hungarian uprising by emigré Hungarian musicians and based for almost forty years in Germany, disbanded for financial reasons. They are expertly conducted by Werner Andreas Albert. The sound is variable. In the 8th symphony the sound is somewhat congested with the strings rather too much to the fore. The rest of the symphonies benefit from somewhat better sound, and particularly so in the case of the 9th, which is also the best performance here. Particularly impressive in the 9th are the second and third movements. The fairy music in II ('Die Jagd der Elfen' ['The Elves' Hunt']) is like late-19th century Mendelssohn. III, 'Eclogue,' has gentle winds and strings playing delicate and memorable pastoral melodies. It may be my favorite of all sixteen movements here. The finale is gentle and tightly constructed allegro with some stirring four-horn passages.

Symphony No. 10 'Zur Herbstzeit' ('In Autumn') is notable also for its second and third movements. II is a spooky evocation of ghouls and goblins (Hallowe'en, get it?). III, 'Elegie,' is a lovely adagio. No. 11, the one not completed by Raff, has its strongest movement in I, subtitled 'Der erste Schnee,' ('The First Snow'), with its striking syncopations and an evocation of a bleak but exciting winter storm. II has no subtitle (the only untitled movement in this set of sixteen movements); it has lively antiphonal effects back and forth between the winds and pizzicato strings; there are some nice harmonic twists as well. (The Philharmonic Hungarica plays very well here.)

The good news is that this is being issued a mid-price, essentially two CDs for the price of one. The bad news is that the performances (and sound) are somewhat variable. But there is plenty of good ripe echt-Romantic lusciosity here and if you're one of those who eats that up (and you know who you are!), this may indeed be for you.

TT: CD1 = 76:48; CD2 = 75:35

Tracks:

The Four Seasons: Concerto No. 1 In E Major 'Spring,' I. Allegro
Overture No. 3 BWV 1068: Air
Water Music: Alla Hornpipe
Orpheus and Eurrdice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Piano Sonata In A Major K. 331: Alla turca
Symphonie No. 3: Allegretto
String Serenade: Waltz
Foreign Countries And People op. 15 No. 1
Flute Concerto No. 1 In G Major, K. 313: Rondo. Tempo di Minuett
Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor Op. 21: Larghetto
Quintet In A Major 'Trout': Theme & Variations
Waltz In A Flat Major
Impromptu In G Flat Major D 899,3
Sinfonia concertante In E Flat Major K 364: Presto

Tracks:

Voices Of Spring Waltz Op. 410
Serenade Op. 3 No. 5
Songs Without Words In E Major Op. 19,1
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E Flat Major K. 447: Allegro
Fausts Verdammnis: Dances Of The Sylphes
Flute Concerto In G minor
Salomon: Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major K 488: Andante
Holberg Suite Op. 40: Prelude
Carmen: Intermezzo
String Serenade op. 22: Tempo di valse
Impromptu In B Flat Major D 935 No. 3
I Love You Op. 5 No. 3
Roses From The South, Waltz Op. 388

Tracks:

Peer Gynt: Morning
The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarole
Melody In F, Op. 3 Nr. 1
The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Flowers
Standchen
Etude In G Sharp Minor 'La Campanella'
Peer Gynt: Anitras Dance
Moment Musical D 780 No. 3
Canon In D
Overture No. 2: Menuet & Badinerie
Piano Concerto No. 21 In C Major: Andante
Carmen: Seguedille
'Songs without Words': The Venetian Gondola
Eugen Onegin: Waltz
Romance For Violin And Orchestra In G major Op. 26

Tracks:

Die Fledermaus: Overture
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Waltz No. 1 Op. 18 In E flat major 'Grande Valse brillante'
Lullaby
L'Arlesienne: Intermezzo
The Seasons Op. 37b: Barcarole
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Fairies' March
Clarinet Concerto In A Major K 622: Adagio
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz
La Traviata: Prelude
Carmen, Suite No. 2: Chanson du Toreador
Happy Farmer
Menuet
On The Beautiful Blue Danube, Waltz Op. 314

Tracks:

A Little Night Music K 525: Allegro
Sonata No. 2 In E Major BWV 1031: Siciliano
Op. 11 No. 5: Menuet
Songs Without Words: Duetto
The Nutcracker: Dance of the Toy Flutes
Fruhlingslied (Spring Song)
Waldszenen: Abschied
Mandolin Concerto: Allegro
Music For The Royal Fireworks: La paix: Largo alla Siciliana
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: Allegro
Waltz In B Minor Op. 69 No. 2
Romance Op. 5
Impromptu In A Flat Major D 935 Nr. 2
Tales from the Vienna Woods, Waltz Op. 325

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Humoresque Op. 101
Sleeping Beautiful: Panorama
Impromptu In E Flat Major, D899 No. 2
Melancholy
Waltz Op. 54,1
Nocturne In B Major Op. 9 No. 3
Caro mio ben
PARTITA IN D FLAT MAJOR: Pastorale
An den Fruhling
The Sleeping Beauty: Pas de quatre, Adagio
Rosamunde - Ballet In G Major
Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor Op. 37: Largo
Emperor Waltz, op. 437

Tracks:

Harp Concerto In B Flat Major: Andante allegro
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: Adagio
Flute Concerto In F Major, Op. 10 'La Tempesta di Mare': Presto
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor Op. 13 'Pathetique': Adagio cantabile
Horn Concerto In E Flat Major K 495: Rondo. Allegro vivace
Poeme Op. 41 No. 6
Wilhelm Tell: Soldier's Dance
Liebestraum No. 3 In A flat Major
Violin Romance No. 2
Flute Concerto In E Minor: Rondo
Intermezzo In E Flat Major Op. 117,1
Carmen: Habenera
Symphony No. 3 'Scottish': Vivace non troppo
Vienna Bonbons: Waltz Op. 307

Tracks:

Symphony No. 40 In G Minor K. 550: Molto Allegro
Preghiera - Mozarianna Suite: Ave Verum
Arietta Op. 12,1
Concerto BWV 1056: Arioso
The Four Seasons: Concerto Nr. 3 Autumn: Allegro
Des Abends (Evening)
Holberg Suite Op. 40: Gavotte
Melancholy Galliard
Flute Concerto No. 2 In D Major K. 314: Rondo. Allegretto
Spinning Song
Orchestral Suite No. 3: Valse Melancolique
Flute Quartet K. 285a: Tempo di Minuetto
Moment Musical In A Flat Major, D 780 No. 2
Piano Concerto No. 9 In E Flat Major K 271 'Jeunehomme': Rondo - Presto

Tracks:

String Serenade: Moderato
Traumerei Op. 15
Ave Maria
Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Major: Allegro
Minuet In D Minor
Suite No. 1: Marche Miniature
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Notturno
Mazurka In D Major Op. 33 No. 2
Divertimento K 251: Andantino
On Wings Of A Song
Carmen: Nocturne
Melody
Sonata In C Major BWV 1033: Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor 'Winter Dreams': Adagio cantabile
Sound Of The Spheres, Waltz Op. 235

Tracks:

The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture
Sonata In C sharp Minor Op. 27,2 'Moonlight Sonata': Adagio sostenuto
German Dance No. 1
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor Op.posth.
Haffner Serenade: Minuet
Septet In E Flat Major Op. 20: Tempo di Minuetto
Symphony No. 4 Italian: Andante con moto
Prelude In D Flat Major Op. 28, No. 15 'Rain Drops'
'3 Small Pieces': Impromptu
'The Nutcracker': March
Romance In E Flat Major Op. 44
Piano Sonata No. 16 In C Major 'Sonata facile': Allegro
'The Nutcracker': Scene No. 10
Enjoy Your Life Waltz, Op. 340

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I'm Mad About Baroque
Amazing!

Mad About Baroque

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mad About Bach
Mad about Vivaldi
Mad about The Classics
Mad about Piano
Mad About Guitars

ASIN: B000001GKF
Release Date: 1993-07-13

Tracks:

The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Canon In D
Rondeau (Masterpiece Theater Theme)
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Water Music: Allegro-Andante(Allegro da capo)
Water Music: Air
Water Music: Bourree
Water Music: Hornpipe
Xerxes: Largo
Sound Of The Trumpet, Sound
The Four Seasons 'Winter': Largo
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Adagio In G Minor
Music For The Royal Fireworks: La Rejouissance
Concerto For Lute In D Major: Largo
Christmas Concerto: Allegro, Pastorale. Largo
Concerto No. 1 For Oboe & String Orchestra: Adagio - Allegro
Concerto No. 12 In B Minor: Aria. Larghetto e Piano
Le Coucou
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

I'm Mad About Baroque.......2007-01-05

I love this CD and am so pleased to have purchased it. I put it on almost daily at work -- it is the perfect length equipt with the perfect choice music.

Amazing!.......2002-12-18

I thouroughly enjoy this CD! The music is beautiful enough to listen to all by itself, but also quiet and peaceful enough to listen to while studying for exams or doing homework. Mad about Baroque has been in my discman for many weeks and accompanied to the library many times. This is a great CD!

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christmas music
Relaxing it is.
Here's Your Chance to Hear the Masters and Masterpieces of Christmas Music in Superb Sound

The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album 2
Christmas Adagios
A Christmas Festival
A Festival of Carols in Brass
Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

ASIN: B00006LHWN
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Tracks:

Christmas Bells - Mantovani & His Orchestra
O Holy Night - Mantovani & His Orchestra
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos
White Christmas - Mantovani & His Orchestra
The Christmas Waltz - Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos
Winter Wonderland - Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos
Mary's Boy Child - Mantovani & His Orchestra
The Christmas Song - Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos
Adeste Fideles - Mantovani & His Orchetra
The Golden Carol (What Child Is This?) - Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra
Coventry Carol - David Willcocks
Away In A Manger - Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra
In Dulci Jubilo - David Willcocks
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen - Georg Ratzinger
Ave Maria - Arthur Grumiaux
O Tannenbaum - Vienna Boys' Choir
Winter (Largo From Concerto No.4 In F Minor, RV297 'The Four Seasons') - Sir Neville Marriner
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Mantovani & His Orchestra
I Saw Three Ships - Mantovani & His Orchestra
Sinfonia From Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 - Sir Neville Marriner
Silent Night, Holy Night - Mantovani & His Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

christmas music.......2007-01-14

this was a very nice cd for quiet listening, but it did not inspire any emotional feelings.

Relaxing it is........2007-01-09

This music could be played at any Dentist or Doctor's office just to take the edge off. It's not a masterpiece, but it is relaxing.

Here's Your Chance to Hear the Masters and Masterpieces of Christmas Music in Superb Sound.......2006-01-08

Decca has come out with the "Ultimate" Series of albums, ranging from Opera Divas to Tango, from Patriotic to Relaxing Classical. I ordered this album last fall from a high school student in my neighborhood going door to door raising funds for her hockey team. I had no idea what the Christmas music was, I just wanted something relaxing. When it arrived in the mail I was delighted to hear favorites from my youth - Annunzio P. Mantovani, Frank Chacksfield (remember him?), and Ronnie Aldrich - all remastered in terrific sound! The liner notes are fun to read, providing a story for each carol and song. This generous album of 22 tracks runs a total time of 63:25, providing holiday ambience from Thanksgiving through New Years Day.

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classic performances
Pina Carmirelli's Is The Best By I Musici If Not The Best Period
I-Musici + Vivaldi; wow!
Buena interpretación de I Musici
okay Four Seasons, the other concerti are not as good...

Antonio Vivaldi: Concerti Op. 8

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Vivaldi: Complete Flute Concertos
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Vivaldi: L'Estro Armonico, Op.3 (complete)
Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos

ASIN: B00000416D
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

Concerto No.1 In E, RV269 (Spring): I - Allegro
Concerto No.1 In E, RV269 (Spring): II - Largo
Concerto No.1 In E, RV269 (Spring): III - Allegro (Danza pastorale)
Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV315 (Summer): I - Allegro non molto - Allegro
Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV315 (Summer): II - Adagio - Presto - Adagio
Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV315 (Summer): III - Presto (Tempo impetuoso d'estate)
Concerto No.3 In F, RV293 (Autumn): I - Allegro (Ballo, e canto de' villanelli)
Concerto No.3 In F, RV293 (Autumn): II - Adagio molto (Ubriachi dormienti)
Concerto No.3 In F, RV293 (Autumn): III - Allegro (La caccia)
Concerto No.4 In F Minor, RV297 (Winter): I - Allegro non molto
Concerto No.4 In F Minor, RV297 (Winter): II - Largo
Concerto No.4 In F Minor, RV297 (Winter): III - Allegro
Concerto No.5 In E Flat, RV253 (The Sea Storm): I - Allegro
Concerto No.5 In E Flat, RV253 (The Sea Storm): II - Largo
Concerto No.5 In E Flat, RV253 (The Sea Storm): III - Allegro
Concerto No.6 In C, RV180 (Pleasure): I - Allegro
Concerto No.6 In C, RV180 (Pleasure): II - Largo
Concerto No.6 In C, RV180 (Pleasure): III - Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto No. 7 in D Minor, RV 242: I - Allegro
Concerto No. 7 in D Minor, RV 242: II - Largo
Concerto No. 7 in D Minor, RV 242: III - Allegro
Concerto No. 8 in G Minor, RV 332: I - Allegro
Concerto No. 8 in G Minor, RV 332: II - Largo
Concerto No. 8 in G Minor, RV 332: III - Allegro
Concerto No. 9 in D Minor, RV 236: I - Allegro
Concerto No. 9 in D Minor, RV 236: II - Largo
Concerto No. 9 in D Minor, RV 236: III - Allegro
Concerto No. 10 In B Flat, RV 362 'La caccia': I - Allegro
Concerto No. 10 In B Flat, RV 362 'La caccia': II - Adagio
Concerto No. 10 In B Flat, RV 362 'La caccia': III - Allegro
Concerto No. 11 in D, RV 210: I - Allegro
Concerto No. 11 in D, RV 210: II - Largo
Concerto No. 11 in D, RV 210: III - Allegro
Concerto No. 12 in C, RV 178: I - Allegro
Concerto No. 12 in C, RV 178: II - Largo
Concerto No. 12 in C, RV 178: III - Allegro

Amazon.com

Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is actually part of a larger group of works, the Twelve Violin Concertos, op. 8. This set, in turn, has an additional subtitle: "The Contest Between Invention and Harmony"; not that anyone is quite sure what this means. Aside from The Four Seasons there are several other works with subtitles, including "Storm at Sea," "The Hunt" and "Rapture." It's only natural that when you've composed some 600 concertos for various instruments, the ones with the catchy names will become the most popular. But the others are no less fine, and if your interest in Vivaldi goes beyond the "Big Four," then you might want to check out this excellent set. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

classic performances.......2007-07-10

"The Four Seasons" naturally tend to overshadow the other eight concertos of Vivaldi's op. 8, of which Spring, Summer, Autumn, & Winter are merely a part. That these four concertos form a suite of their own adds to the relative neglect of the other concertos; but, the other eight concertos are full of great music, even if they aren't as brilliantly conceived as their famous relatives. But what other music did Vivaldi write that can live up to the reputation of "The Four Seasons"?

For several decades beginning in the 1950's I Musici was the leading ensemble specializing in Italian Baroque music, & these performances were standard-setting in their time. They still hold up exceptionally well even though approaches to early music, driven by the period instrument revolution, have changed somewhat since then.

Perhaps the simplest way to define the differences between I Musici & more contemporary ensembles is that I Musici's approach, while spirited & completely authentic, is also refined & elegant without being extravagent, whereas more modern groups often sound scaled down & a little more earthy. Both definitely have their merits, although I find myself attracted more to I Musici's grandeur & sweep.

The stereo sound here is acceptable. The first four concerti ("The Four Seasons") date from 1959 & appear to have been recorded in a bigger hall than the other eight, which were recorded in 1961.

If you are looking for a classic set of op. 8, then I Musici is the way to go. If you looking only for "The Four Seasons," expand your horizons & buy this set.

Pina Carmirelli's Is The Best By I Musici If Not The Best Period.......2005-10-20

Although I Musici is certainly one of the best chamber groups in the world for Baroque music if not the best as claimed by Toscanini, there is also a standard of excellence for the violin soloists in I Musici itself over the past 50 years and Felix Ayo is simply not a top contender. Ayo is decent for the concerti but the crucial 'Four Seasons' is very average by the standards of I Musici itself. Although I find Ayo's interpretation better than Michelucci's with I Musici, this performance of 'The Four Seasons' itself is not I Musici's best for this piece by a long shot. I have not heard one rendition anywhere whether chamber or symphonic that even compares to the absolutely brilliant 1982 performance by I Musici and Pina Carmirelli. It is truly the clearest and most passionate performance available to date. Carmirelli's proficiency for this piece completely surpasses Ayo's rather safe and monotone interpretation. Michelucci's is even worse. With a steady but constant pace, Carmirelli swings the bow and soars the scales with impeccable clarity and proficiency: there is simply not one hesitation or moment of faltering in transitions. It is simply a breathtakingly divine performance that surpasses Ayo's rather cautious performance.

For those who are debating other options, don't be deceived into buying other performances even if they have skilled violinists such as Perlman or Zuckerman. The latter are specialized in the German Romantic and Klezmer traditions of violin and so tend to perform better with Northern European composers from the Romantic period such as Brahms or Wienawski but not with Italian ones generally and Italian Baroque violin pieces least of all! As for performances by great conductors and symphonies such as Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic or Solti and the Chicago/London Symphonies, the orchestral ensembles they use are generally too large for chamber pieces and most of the instruments used are modern. They are also recorded in too large of spaces so the performances sound like Beethoven's 9th instead of a chamber lyrical piece. There are other groups and recordings that are more faithful to Baroque techniques and traditional interpretations but their performances tend to suffer in their lyrical aspects and recording quality. The artists in such chamber groups generally come from academic backgrounds in traditional techniques and instruments instead of professional circles and so are more focused on applying the techniques instead of evoking from them the lyrical mood required by the piece. This results in clumsy and lifeless performances where each musician is so painfully struggling to apply the correct technique to their individual instrument that the entire piece comes out sounding as a cacophony instead of a symphony. Vivaldi was an innovative and demanding composer and this piece is one of the most difficult pieces to perform in the repertoire of music for the solo violin. I Musici have been world acclaimed leaders in performing Italian Baroque for over 50 years and have performed with many of the best musicians in this field. They emphasize more on a passionate Italian Romantic interpretation in its performances instead of a rigid Baroque one but reach a good balance with tradition by performing in the Italian style almost exclusively on Stradivarius instruments and within the size of a small Baroque chamber orchestra. The Stradivarius is the gem of traditional string instruments and really an instrument in and of itself that no other period instrument can even compare to. There are also really no chamber groups in existence that perform on so many Stradivari at once as they are simply too rare and even many professionals simply lack sufficient talent to play one proficiently.

Ayo's performance is not the worst in terms of I Musici but it is definitely not the best the group ever performed. He actually does quite well in the remaining concerti. It is simply not a good performance of 'The Four Seasons' which is the most technically demanding and where Ayo starts to slip. It is still better than most of those by your typical chamber groups out there however. The best for I Musici if not across the board is its 1982 performance with Pina Carmirelli. Carmirelli's performance is extremely hard to find these days and sometimes ridiculously expensive so a close match by a comparable Italian chamber group is Salvatore Acardo's Stradivarius performance with I Solisti delle Settimane Musicali di Napoli which is available in abundance here on Amazon. Accardo himself had already played several times with I Musici before making his legendary performance with Il Solisti and had cultivated his talent to mastery. That peformance is the only close contender I can think of that comes even close to Carmirelli's passionate and legendary performance. Unless you are interested purely in symphonic interpretations, I would stick to either Carmirelli's performance or Accardo's as an alternative because the quality of their performances is exponentially superior to everyone elses' without question.

I-Musici + Vivaldi; wow!.......2000-07-17

Los doce conciertos Op.8 de Vivaldi son sin duda alguna una de las obras de "música clásica" más conocidas y más desconocidas al mismo tiempo. Son las más conocidas porque los primeros 4 conciertos son las célebres "cuatro estaciones", obra de referencia obligada incluso para quienes no gustan de este tipo de música; pero son desconocidas porque los 8 conciertos restantes han pasado desapercibidos para la enorme mayoría del público, a pesar de su gran belleza. I Musici durante mucho tiempo fue considerada una de las mejores orquestas de cámara del mundo, y si a ello añadimos que también era considerada como una de las mejores intérpretes de la obra de Vivaldi, entonces tenemos que en este disco combinamos lo mejor de ambas opiniones, para obtener una colección excepcional. Quizá la única crítica que se les podría hacer es que no utilizan "instrumentos originales" como se ha puesto de moda últimamente, pero su interpretación es tan brillante que fácilmente se les perdona eso y más. Quizá la calidad de grabación deje algo que desear (estas grabaciones fueron hechas alrededor de 1960, cuando la tecnología de almacenamiento de audio aún no estaba tan perfeccionada), pero por su precio y por la calidad de la interpretación bien vale la pena probar estos dos discos.

Buena interpretación de I Musici.......2000-06-16

I Musici durante mucho tiempo fue considerada una de las mejores orquestas de cámara del mundo, y si a ello añadimos que también era considerada como una de las mejores intérpretes de la obra de Vivaldi, entonces tenemos que en este disco combinamos lo mejor de ambas opiniones, para obtener una colección excepcional. Quizá la única crítica que se les podría hacer es que no utilizan "instrumentos originales" como se ha puesto de moda últimamente, pero su interpretación es tan brillante que fácilmente se les perdona eso y más. Quizá la calidad de grabación deje algo que desear (estas grabaciones fueron hechas alrededor de 1960, cuando la tecnología de almacenamiento de audio aún no estaba tan perfeccionada), pero por su precio y por la calidad de la interpretación bien vale la pena probar estos dos discos.

okay Four Seasons, the other concerti are not as good..........2000-06-01

An overall great recording, but the Four Seasons here could be a little more energetic, but that is a matter of taste. This recording sounds just a little too slow. The other concertos are not nearly as satisfying as the big four, but the ones in minor keys are pretty good. I usually listen to the Four Seasons on other recordings and come to these CD's for No.6, No.7, No.8, and No. 10, the rest not being as interesting in my humble opinion. Of course, virtuosity and showmanship permeate all of these violin concertos. The recordings were made in 1959 and 1961, but the sound quality is relatively excellent, with great balance between solo violin, harpsichord, and orchestra. The liner notes are informative and sincerely point out that not all of Vivaldi's concertos are of equal interest, with a few hints as to which ones are considered outstanding. Whatever you do, please consider a period instrument recording of the Four Seasons too so that you hear the real Baroque sound as well as more modern interpretations, both approaches are beautiful, thanks to Vivaldi's creativity.

An Introduction to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons"

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The best of its kind--and at budget price!

An Introduction to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons"

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Classics Explained: Pastoral Symphony
Classics Explained: Brandenburg Concertos 4 & 5
An Introduction to Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2
An Introduction to Ravel's "Boléro" and "Ma mère l'oye"
Symphony 9: Introduction to Dvorak

ASIN: B00005COY5
Release Date: 2001-07-17

Tracks:

First Concerto: Spring. Intro; Opening, Upward-Pointing Figure
First Concerto: Spring. Answering, Downward Figure Complete The Phrase
First Concerto: Spring. Beginning Of Dialogue
First Concerto: Spring. The Nature Of Musical Conversation; Repetition, 'Echo' Effect
First Concerto: Spring. Upward Pointing To One 'Target' Note
First Concerto: Spring. 'Answer' Points To Two, Downward Notes 'And Here Is A Prong With Two Hooks')
First Concerto: Spring. Same Idea Repeated Three Times
First Concerto: Spring. The First Solo Section: Birdsong From Three Soloists, Not One
First Concerto: Spring. Repeat Of 'Two-Pronged' Theme In Orchestra
First Concerto: Spring. Orchestra Depicts Murmuring Stream, But Still There's No Real Melody
First Concerto: Spring. Further Illustrative 'Water Studies'
First Concerto: Spring. Orchestra Erupts Into Thunderstorm
First Concerto: Spring. Orchestral Thunder, Virtuosic 'Lightning' From Soloist - But Still No 'Tune'
First Concerto: Spring. Soloistic 'Birds' Return To The Air
First Concerto: Spring. Variant Of Opening Theme, With 'Argument' Between Two Notes, One High...
First Concerto: Spring. Cue To First Movement
First Concerto: Spring. First Movement (Complete)
First Concerto: Spring. Scene Setting And Main Theme Of Second Movement
First Concerto: Spring. Analytical Comment And Main Theme Again
First Concerto: Spring. Main Theme Varied
First Concerto: Spring. Further Var. Tracing Slow, Descending Scale-Steps
First Concerto: Spring. Analytical Discussion Of 'Pace' And 'Tempo'; Further Variant Of Main Theme
First Concerto: Spring. Vivaldi Springs A Surprise, Reversing Direction And Heightening Tension
First Concerto: Spring. Analytical Cue To Second Movement
First Concerto: Spring. Second Movement (Complete)
First Concerto: Spring. Undercover 'Bagpipes' Initiate The Finale
First Concerto: Spring. Second Part Of Main Theme: New Notes, Same Rhythm
First Concerto: Spring. An 'Echo' With A Difference
First Concerto: Spring. Reminder Of 'Echoed' Phrase In Its Original Form
First Concerto: Spring. Surprise Variant Provides Springboard Into New Descending Four-Note Pattern
First Concerto: Spring. Unexpected, 'Flowing' Entrance Of Soloist
First Concerto: Spring. The Use Of 'Sequence' In First Extended Solo
First Concerto: Spring. Vivaldi Prepares Expectation...
First Concerto: Spring...And Frustrates It By Bringing In A New Theme, Using His Four-Note 'Motto'
First Concerto: Spring. Violins Accompanied By Flowing 'Commentary' In Lower Strings
First Concerto: Spring. Soloist Returns With New Variant
First Concerto: Spring. Pace Slows As Violins Trace Another Four-Note Scalewise Decent
First Concerto: Spring. The Peasants Return With The Main Theme, Which Turns Unexpectedly Downward
First Concerto: Spring. Intensification As Harmonies Change Under Broad, Descending Four-Note...
First Concerto: Spring. Mini-Earthquake Transformed Into Harmonic Landslide
First Concerto: Spring. Critical Mood-Change In Soloist's Lonely Soliloquy
First Concerto: Spring. Cue To Restoration Of Main Theme In Its Entirety As The Movement Ends.
First Concerto: Spring. Third Movement (Complete)
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Scene Setting And Opening Of First Movement
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Expanded Groups Of Answering Phrase
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Upper And Lower Strings Alternately Succumb To Lethargy
Second Concerto: 'Summer': As In 'Spring', Soloist Enters With Birdsong
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Orchestra Hijacks Soloist's Material
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Soloist Returns, First As Turtle-Dove, Then As Goldfinch
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Gentle Breezes Give Way To North Wind
Second Concerto: 'Summer': The Storm Subsides; Soloist Enters As Weeping Peasant Boy
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Movement Ends As Storm Returns
Second Concerto: 'Summer': First Movement (Complete)
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Second Movement Opens With Extreme Contrasts
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Second Movement (Complete)
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Stormy Weather; Thunder
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Lightning From Upper Strings
Second Concerto: 'Summer': More Lightning; 'Heat' Lightning From Violins, 'Fork' Lightning From...
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Torrential Rain, Depicted By Entire Orchestra
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Deferred Entry Of Solo Violin, In Virtuoso Vein
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Peasant's Failing Resolve As Violin Spirals Down
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Nature Triumphant; Soloist Draws On Orchestra's 'Rain' Music
Second Concerto: 'Summer': The Peasant's Capitulation
Second Concerto: 'Summer': Third Movement (Complete)

Tracks:

Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Repetitiousness And Folk Music; The Movement's Opening
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Secondary Theme, A Closely Related Development Of The First
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Solo Entry Restates The Opening Theme, 'Double-Stopping'
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Unexpectedly, A New Theme Where A Repeat Might Be Expected
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': The Soloist As 'Drunkard'
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Further Violinistic Slips And Slides
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Orchestra Re-Enters With Main Theme, But Is Interrupted By The Drunkard
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Other Drunks Join In 'Dialogue' With The Orchestra
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': The Orchestral Peasants Continue Their Dancing, But Things Have Changed
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Enter Another Drunk, Courtesy Of The Virtuoso Soloist
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': The Dance Breaks Up
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': The Drunkard Interrupts Again, Then Falls Asleep, Breathing Heavily
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Conversation Amongst The Sober Peasants Leads To Their Final Dance
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': First Movement (Complete)
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Scene-Setting For Second Movement
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Second Movement (Complete)
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Similarities Between The Third Movement And The First
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Expection And Surprise: Vivaldi Tacks On One Bar Too Many
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': A Case Of Predictable Unpredictability: Novelty And Repetition
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Soloist's Double-Stopping Depicts Hunting Horns
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Orchestra Yields To Unexpected Display Of Virtuosity By Soloist
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Soloist Suddenly Takes The Part Of The Fleeing Beast
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Symmetrical Parallels With First Movement: 'Beast'/'Drunkard' Etc.
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Death Of The Quarry, End Of The Movement
Third Concerto: 'Autumn': Third Movement (Complete)
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Orchestral Strings Enter, Part By Part; Soloist Depicts The Biting Wind
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Wind Subsides And Returns, Tormenting The Trudgers Through The Snow
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Soloist Depicts Snow Flurries
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Soloist's Flurries Interrupted By Six Blasts Of Orchestral Wind
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Teeth Chattering, And With Stamping Feet, The Travellers Finally Reach...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Cue To First Movement As Whole
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': First Movement (Complete)
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Soloist's 'Aria' Accompanied By Pizzicato 'Raindrops'
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': A Sequence Of Simple Scales, Accompanied By Opening Rhythm
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Two Scalewise Ideas For The Price Of One, Foreground And Background
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': New, Rising Scale-Pattern Unfurled With Ever-Greater Breadth
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': The Pace Increases Eight-Fold In Concluding Downwards Scale
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Against An Unvarying Tempo, The Pace Is Repeatedly Varied
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Foreground/Background
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Detailed Discussion Of Foreground/Background Perceptions, Analogies...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Second Movement (Complete)
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Scene-Setting; Soloist Begins For The First Time
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Soloist Rises Progressively, In Sequence, Decoratively Outlining Chord...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': First Orchestral Section; Pace Is Halved; The Undermining Onset Of...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': The Walkers Lose Their Balance And Stylishly Fall Down
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Soloist Returns As The Original Solitary Walker And Strides Away From...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': One Tempo, Two Rates Of Speed: Fast For The Soloist, Slow For The...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Orchestra Evokes The Warm Winds Of The Sirocco
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Answering Blast From The Borea, The Cold Wind Of The North; Struggle...
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Cue To Final Movement
Fourth Concerto: 'Winter': Third Movement (Complete)

Customer Reviews:

The best of its kind--and at budget price!.......2001-08-24

Naxos has done it again! After beginning several new series--the lives of famous composers, introductions to operas, Shakespeare plays--they are now offering one called "Classics Explained." In the first three entries, one long or two shorter works are analyzed, practically bar by bar, on two CDs by writer and narrator Jeremy Siepmann; and from what I have heard, this is going to be the most perfect effort along these lines yet--and with a budget price, something not to be passed up. Each CD set is accompanied by a thick booklet that is divided into 15 sections: The Composer and the Work, A Biographical Sketch, Place and Importance, The Work's Reception, an Essay, the Track List, an extremely detailed analysis (all the words of which are given in the text), Challenges to the Interpreter, Structural Overview, Ways of Listening, What Music Is, What Music Isn't, Guide to the Composer's Tools, The Basic Forms of Music, and a Glossary. Obviously, some of these chapters will be the same from set to set, others specific to the work at hand. The only extra step this can go--and I have suggested this to Naxos--is to make videos of the orchestra actually playing the selections. Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" (8.558028-29) spends a good deal of time on the Spring section to show how truly complex this simple-sounding movement is, and then gives a slightly quicker overview of Winter, Fall and Summer. In Brahms' "Piano Concerto No. 2" (8.558030-31), the first CD is devoted to the first 2 movements, the second to the last 2. Finally in the Ravel set, the first CD analyzes "Bolero" and the second "Ma Mere l'Oye." In all cases, each analysis is followed by an uninterrupted playing of the entire movement or section. The music is, of course, drawn from Naxos' endless line of its own recordings. And, do not fear, the explanations are quite non-technical for the most part, and the glossary will help when the inevitable technical term (always explained by the narrator) is used. Grab them all.

RCA Red Seal Century: Soloists and Conductors

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RCA Red Seal Century: Soloists and Conductors

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005OLDB
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Sicilienne And Rigaudon - Mischa Elman/Percy Kahn
Nocturne in G, Op.37 No.2 - Vladimir de Pachmann
Ste No.1 in D, Op.43 - IV: March Miniature - Boston SO/Karl Muck
Vn Con in D, Op.35 - II: Canzonetta - Fritz Kreisler/Carl Lamson
Litanei, D.343 - Alfred Cortot
Gotterdammerung - Closing Scene - Leopold Stokowski
Ste, Op.15 - Valse - Harold Bauer/Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Mazurka in D, Op.33 No.2 - Ignace Jan Paderewski
Vn Partita No.3 in E, BWV 1006 - I: Prld - Sergei Rachmaninoff
Etude in a, Op.25 No.11 'Winter Wind' - Josef Lhevinne
Jalousie - Tango Tzigane - Boston Pops Orch/Arthur Fiedler
Vc Con No.2 in e, Op.30 - II: Lento - Andante Tranquillo (Abridged) - Emanuel Feuermann/Albert Hirsh
Schon Rosmarin - William Primrose/David Stimer
Ser in C, Op.48 - II: Waltz - Boston SO/Serge Koussevitzky
Beatrice Et Benedict - Ov - Boston SO/Charles Munch
Messiah, Pt.II, No.44 - Hallelujah Chor - Hugh Porter/Robert Shaw Chorale/Robert Shaw
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan - Gregor Piatigorsky/Ralph Berkowitz
Don Pasquale - Ov - NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini
Mazurka In a, Op.7 No.2 - William Kapell
Cancion De Cuna (Cradle Song) - Jose Iturbi

Tracks:

Prld in c#, Op.45 - Arthur Rubinstein
Fant On Themes From Bizet's Carmen - Vladimir Horowitz
Fant in c, BWV 906 - Wanda Landowska
Coppelia - Prld: Mazurka - Boston SO/Pierre Monteux
Colas Breugnon, Op.24: Ov - Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner
Porgy And Bess - Jascha Heifetz
A Woman Is A Sometime Thing - Jascha Heifetz
Five Bagatelles - No.1: Allegro - Julian Bream
I Vespri Siciliani-Ballet: The Four Seasons: Winter - New Philharmonia Orch/James Levine
L'Isle Joyeuse - Van Cliburn
La Flute De Pan: Pan And The Birds - James Galway
Rosamunde, D.797 - Ballet Music No.II - Cologne RSO/Gunter Wand
Fantasiestuck, Op.73 No.3 - Rasch Und Mit Feuer - Richard Stoltzman
Light In Darkness - Evelyn Glennie
Fanfare For The Uncommon Woman, No.1 - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Transcendental Etude No.5 'Feux Follets' - Evgeny Kissin
A Hymn To New England - Boston Pops Orch/Keith Lockhart
Fanfare For The Common Man - San Francisco Sym/Michael Tilson Thomas

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Music Review

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Music Review

Let's Hear It for the Boys, Vol. 2

Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No1, Op. 35 / Antonsen · Rudy · Berliner Phil. · Jansons

Song of Yorkshire

The Duke at Fargo, 1940: Special 60th Anniversary Edition [Box set] [Live]

The Caveman's Valentine [Soundtrack]

Sir Henry At Ndidi's Kraal [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Technical Ecstasy [Import] [Original recording remastered]

The World Still Turns Without You

Song for Liberty

Stokowski Conducts Tchaikovsky

St. Louis Blues

Rockola Bohemia, Vol. 3

The Bassman of the Acropolis

The Road Less Traveled: Byways of American Music

Picture Perfect Morning

1. Sonata for Piano No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27/2 “Moonlight Sonata”,Adagio sostenuto
2. Winterreise Op. 89, Der stürmische Morgen
3. Children’s Corner Suite, “The Snow Is Dancing”
4. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Allegro non molto
5. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Largo
6. Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, 4 “Winter”, Allegro
7. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2 Op. 55, “Stormy Evening On The Sea"
8. Träumerei Op. 15 No. 7 (Dreaming)
9. Suite Bergamasque “Clair de Lune”
10. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Vivace grave
11. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Allegro
12. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Adagio-Allegro-Adagio
13. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Vivace
14. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor (Christmas Concerto), Allegro-Largo (Pastorale)
15. Winterreise Op. 89, Frühlingstraum
16. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Allegro
17. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Cantabile
18. Concerto Op. 10/3 for Flute and Orchestra in D Major “Il Gardellino”, Allegro
19. Ballet Suite from “The Nutcracker” Op. 71a, Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy