Vivaldi Four Season LP

[LR319]

Hi everyone, pardon me that i am not a big fan of classical music except a few titles. I would like to know which copy of vivaldi four season LP has the best recording and presentation. Appreciate your sharing in advance. Thank you.

 

[Joel27]

Of my three different copies of that performance my favorite is this one.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

here are two good one's that i enjoy; both 45 rpm. both maybe hard to find. great tone, lovely pace and explosive in an italian style where appropriate. both dripping with ambience and mood.

the link and picture of the 'Fone' pressing is for the 33rpm version. my 45rpm 4 disc 45rpm is un-obtainium at this point....and could not find a link for it.

Antonio Vivaldi, Le Quattro Stagioni "a parti reali" - Marco Fornaciari, fonè ensemble

[LP] ANTONIO VIVALDI, LE QUATTRO STAGIONI "A PARTI REALI" Marco Fornaciari Maestro Concertatore e Violino Solistafonè ensemble Pure Analogue Recording, Pure Analogue Cutting, One-Stage Pressing Process, 180gr. Virgin Vinyl Pressing, Heavy Quality Sleeves, 33rpm, Tube Processed Analog Master...

foneshop.it

Antonio Vivaldi, Sonatori De La Gioiosa Marca, Giuliano Carmignola - Le Quattro Stagioni

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2013 Vinyl release of "Le Quattro Stagioni" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[Mike Lavigne]

None of these are bad. The Metha, Telarc, and Jamie Janson are digital recordings but still sound pretty good.

 

[tima]

To say there are alot of Vivaldi 4 Seasons recordings is an understatement. Many qre quite good. I own several. At the end of the day there is only one you need. Zesty, vivacious, intense. It has stood the test of time since its release.



Argo ZRG 654
1970 with 60+ releases

The 1959 Munchinger posted by @Joel27 is also good. London CS 6044

 

[Paul1960]

Hi everyone, pardon me that i am not a big fan of classical music except a few titles. I would like to know which copy of vivaldi four season LP has the best recording and presentation. Appreciate your sharing in advance. Thank you.

I really like the Janine Jansen version and I think the vinyl is a bit better than SACD. And this Japanese pressing is quite good also.

https://www.discogs.com/release/137...-Neville-Marriner-The-Four-Seasons-Op8-Nos1-4

 

[LR319]

wow thank you so much guys for the sharing. I shall log in to discog right away. Really appreciate your inputs.

 

[zerostargeneral]

 

[zerostargeneral]

The look on Kremer's face says it all.

 

[zerostargeneral]

 

[zerostargeneral]

Well done if you got this far.

 

[dcc]

The look on Kremer's face says it all.

Phillipe Hirschhorn... Such a great violinist. He was a legend in my home country where settled in 1973 until his premature death...

 

[XCop5089]

I have two favourites.

I second the 1970 Neville Marriner/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields vinyl copy recommended by @tima, which I have owned the longest.

I also greatly enjoy the 2003 CD release on BIS, of The Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble, recorded in a Swedish church on period instruments. A delightful recording!

 

[A-Line]

To say there are alot of Vivaldi 4 Seasons recordings is an understatement. Many qre quite good. I own several. At the end of the day there is only one you need. Zesty, vivacious, intense. It has stood the test of time since its release.

View attachment 154356

Argo ZRG 654
1970 with 60+ releases

The 1959 Munchinger posted by @Joel27 is also good. London CS 6044

Good choice here. There's many interpretations, pick one that appeals to you.

 

[MikeHorns]

Lots of excellent suggestions here.

Of all the ones I have, the Vanguard Stereolab is probably my favorite for both sound and performance.

​

 

[dcc]

I would have two categories of interpretations.

The "classical" ones where Marriner is my reference.

The interpretations on period instruments where I have several ones including the two versions by Sigiswald Kuijken. Carmignola is definitely a keeper. Though a digital recording, Channel Classics issued a vinyl of Rachel Podger's Four Seasons.



But in all honesty, Vivaldi's Opus 8 is not my favourite and I much prefer the Opus 3 L'Estro Armonico by Hogwood and Schroeder.

 

[tima]

One thing I like about the Marriner/ASMF performance is that he uses both a Harpsicord and an Organ as the Basso Continuo so you get the zesty luminance of the Harpsichord and the rich fullness of the Organ. Easily heard in Winter.

 

[Bobvin]

One thing I like about the Marriner/ASMF performance is that he uses both a Harpsicord and an Organ as the Basso Continuo so you get the zesty luminance of the Harpsichord and the rich fullness of the Organ. Easily heard in Winter.

Now you’ve gone and spoiled it Tim! If there is an instrument that makes my skin crawl its harpsicord. No logical reason, illogical I’m sure. When someone comes to audition I pray they don’t have harpsicord reference tracks. A bowl of ground glass for supper would be preferred. (Of course, I’ll play the harpsicord tracks, hoping my earplugs won’t be noticed.)

<insert tongue-in-cheek emoji>

 

[tima]

Now you’ve gone and spoiled it Tim! If there is an instrument that makes my skin crawl its harpsicord. No logical reason, illogical I’m sure. When someone comes to audition I pray they don’t have harpsicord reference tracks. A bowl of ground glass for supper would be preferred. (Of course, I’ll play the harpsicord tracks, hoping my earplugs won’t be noticed.)

<insert tongue-in-cheek emoji>

So much Baroque music is orchestrated to include the harpsichord, that, if you are serious, pretty much rules out an entire genre for you. The harpsichord leads the piece and gives it structure. The group's conductor is the one playing the harpsichord. Perhaps try music where the harpsichord is present but not prominent, such as the Vivaldi here or Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Or try to find some music with Wanda Landowska -- say Bach's Goldberg Variations -- she's the best I've heard. Baroque isn't a strong area of knowledge for me but it makes for an historical perspective on music and nice change of pace.

But don't hurt yourself.

 

[astrotoy]

The Marriner Academy of St. Martin in the Fields recording on Argo was engineered by Decca. Decca had bought Argo in 1957 and took on the production and engineering leadership responsibilities. The Vivaldi engineering was led by Stan Goodall while Michael Bremner produced. Philips did lure Marriner and the Academy to do recordings under their label, but the Academy continued to record under the Argo label also. We saw Marriner conduct the Academy in their original home, the St. Martin in the Field Church in Trafalgar Square in London about 15 years ago, when the great violinist, Ida Haendel played the Brahms Violin Concerto. We sat in one of the front pews only a few feet from her - quite an experience. The Academy continues to perform, sometimes in the church, and we again saw them perform there last year (May 2024). Marriner died at age 92 in 2016. According to wiki, he and the Academy have more recordings together than any combination of conductor and orchestra.

Larry