Notes and Editorial Reviews
This appealing new recording of The Four Seasons recalls (in period-instrument terms) the elegant, stylish recordings of I Musici and other top-notch Italian chamber orchestras. Martin Pearlman and soloist Christina Day Martinson approach the music through its vocal origins: everything sings, particularly the arias that constitute the slow movements of Spring and Winter, with their characterful ornamentation and sweet tone. Pearlman also presides over a restrained but crystal-clear continuo of harpsichord and theorbo, a far cry from some performances whose "everything including the kitchen sink" approach threatens to overwhelm the string ensemble.
I am not saying that these performances lack anything in the way of
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color or character. The opening of Winter has the requisite, raspy tone color, and the peasant dances in Autumn are nicely earthy. But unlike some other period-instrument versions (say, Harnoncourt or Il giardino armonico) Pearlman never sacrifices the music's cantabile lines in a relentless pursuit of programmatic detail (sometimes to the point of ugliness). The two Geminiani concertos make apt and enjoyable couplings, and Telarc's multi-channel sonics are very warm and naturally balanced, if perhaps just a touch lacking in presence. A fine release.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording
1.
Concertos (4) for Violin, Op. 8 no 1-4 "Four seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Christina Day Martinson (Violin)
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: 1725; Venice, Italy
2.
Concerto for Violin in E major, Op. 8 no 1/RV 269 "Primavera" by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Christina Day Martinson (Violin)
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1725; Venice, Italy
Length: 9 Minutes 2 Secs.
3.
Concerto for Violin in G minor, Op. 8 no 2/RV 315 "L'estate" by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Christina Day Martinson (Violin)
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: 1725; Venice, Italy
Length: 10 Minutes 6 Secs.
4.
Concerto for Violin in F major, Op. 8 no 3/RV 293 "L'autunno" by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Christina Day Martinson (Violin)
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: 1725; Venice, Italy
Length: 10 Minutes 18 Secs.
5.
Concerto for Violin in F minor, Op. 8 no 4/RV 297 "L'inverno" by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Christina Day Martinson (Violin)
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: 1725; Venice, Italy
Length: 8 Minutes 9 Secs.
6.
Concerti grossi (12) after Op. 5 of Arcangelo Corelli: no 12 in D minor "La Follia" by Francesco Geminiani
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1729; London, England
7.
Concerti grossi (12) after Op. 5 of Arcangelo Corelli: no 4 in F major by Francesco Geminiani
Conductor:
Martin Pearlman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Baroque
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1929; London, England
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