Loveday, Marriner: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons (24/96 FLAC)

Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Performer: Alan Loveday, William Bennett, Martin Gatt, Kenneth Heath, Celia Nicklin, Neil Black
Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Decca
Release: 2013
Size: 1.37 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover

The Four Seasons, Spring, Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 269, Op. 8 No. 1
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Largo e pianissimo sempre
03. III. Danza pastorale. Allegro

The Four Seasons, Summer, Violin Concerto in G Minor, RV 315, Op. 8 No. 2
04. I. Allegro non molto – Allegro
05. II. Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
06. III. Presto

The Four Seasons, Autumn, Violin Concerto in F Major, RV 293, Op. 8 No. 3
07. I. Allegro
08. II. Adagio molto
09. III. La caccia. Allegro

The Four Seasons, Winter, Violin Concerto in F Minor, RV 297, Op. 8 No. 4
10. I. Allegro non molto
11. II. Largo
12. III. Allegro

Concerto for 2 Oboes in D Minor, RV 535 (Ed. Hogwood)
13. I. Largo – Allegro
14. II. Largo
15. III. Allegro molto

Bassoon Concerto No. 2 in A Minor, RV 498 (Ed. Hogwood)
16. I. Allegro (ma molto moderato)
17. II. Larghetto
18. III. Allegro

Flautino Concerto in C Major, RV 443
19. I. Allegro
20. II. Largo
21. III. Allegro molto

There was a time when every other recording played on any self-respecting classical radio station was made by Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. There were two reasons for this: one, Marriner and the Academy made some of the best, the brightest, and the most beautiful recordings ever made, and two, classical disc jockeys just loved saying “That was Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.” Of all their hundreds of recordings, this 1969 recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons was perhaps the most played of all. It had everything anyone could want from a Four Seasons. It has thoroughly prepared and brilliantly executed performances by the Academy, entirely elegant and astoundingly virtuosic performances by violin soloist Alan Loveday, wonderfully stylish and irresistibly rhythmic continuo playing by harpsichordist and organist Simon Preston, and marvelously imaginative and highly poetic conducting from Marriner. Although this recording of the Four Seasons was followed by literally hundreds of other recordings featuring everything from thoroughly historically informed performances on period instruments to completely unhistorical performances on a quartet of guitars, hearing it again after 40 years re-affirms the preeminence of Marriner and the Academy’s recording. Coupled here with their slightly later recordings of Vivaldi’s Bassoon Concerto, Piccolo Concerto and Concerto for 2 Oboes, this disc belongs on any short shelf of classical recordings, especially in Decca’s bright, clean, and warm stereo sound.

Take a glimpse:

Marriner: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, L’Estro Armonico etc. (7 CD box set, FLAC) Marriner, Willcocks, Malcolm, Munchinger, Baumgartner, Rampal: The Essential Vivaldi (2 CD, APE) Marriner: Vivaldi – L’estro Armonico (2 CD, FLAC) Marriner: Grieg – Morning Mood; Albinoni – Adagio; Gluck – Dance of the Blessed Spirits; Bach – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Badinerie; Charpentier – Te Deum; Bizet – Les Toréadors & Other Classical Hits (FLAC)