Composer: Oliver Davis, Antonio Vivaldi
Performer: Grace Davidson, Kerenza Peacock, Emma Heathcote, Susie Winkworth
Orchestra: Trafalgar Sinfonia
Conductor: Ivor Setterfield
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Signum
Catalogue: SIGCD437
Release: 2015
Size: 641 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Davis: Anno
01. I. Spring
02. II. Summer
03. III. Autumn
04. IV. Winter
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Spring, RV269
05. I. Allegro
06. II. Largo e pianissimo sempre
07. III. Allegro pastorale
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Summer, RV315
08. I. Allegro non molto
09. II. Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
10. III. Presto
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Autumn, RV293
11. I. Allegro
12. II. Adagio molto
13. III. Allegro
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Winter, RV297
14. I. Allegro non molto
15. II. Largo
16. III. Allegro
17. Davis: Anno Epilogue
‘Seasons’ pairs Vivaldi’s timeless concerto cycle ‘The Four Seasons’, performed with flair by the Trafalgar Sinfonia and soloist Kerenza Peacock, with a new contrasting composition by British composer Oliver Davis. Inspired by the same set of poetry upon which Vivaldi based the ‘The Four Seasons’, his new work ‘Anno’ is a beguiling composition for orchestra and solo soprano, performed here by Grace Davidson. This release follows the success of Davis’ debut Signum album ‘Flight’ earlier this year.
Credit composer Oliver Davis and conductor Ivor Setterfield with novel ideas here: the practice of pairing Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons violin concertos with a contemporary work is common (and hasn’t been particularly successful as a strategy for boosting the contemporary works), but Davis and Setterfield, who conceived this project together, have an innovative take on the combination. The new wrinkle is that Davis does not simply write a work evoking the four seasons of the year, but rather returns to the poems about the seasons of which Vivaldi’s works are a programmatic representation. These sonnets may be by Vivaldi himself, and it’s good when they’re included with performances of the Four Seasons. Davis gives them settings for soprano and orchestra in a neo-Baroque style akin to those of Philip Glass and Michael Nyman, and together his four pieces make an effective curtain-raiser for the Vivaldi. Seasons, of course, stands or falls on the recording of Vivaldi’s concertos themselves, and here the news is good. Setterfield’s modern-instrument Trafalgar Sinfonia is one of the best of England’s numerous small orchestras, but the star of the show is violinist Kerenza Peacock, with a gutsy, physical performance taken at fast but not outlandish tempos. This familiar score has the feel of being approached for the first time, and the program hangs together better than do those of other recordings of this type. Worth adding to collections despite the abundance of existing Four Seasons recordings.