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| Vivaldi: The Four Seasons | 
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| Creator: Joshua Bell
Label: SONY CLASSICS
Category: Music
List Price: $18.97
Buy New: $10.49
You Save: $8.48 (45%)
New (41) Used (11) from $10.38
Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 435
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 711013
UPC: 886971101324
EAN: 0886971101324
ASIN: B001BN1V7Q
Release Date: September 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Concerto in E Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269, "La Primavera" (Spring)/I. Allegro | | • | Concerto in E Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269, "La Primavera" (Spring)/II. Largo | | • | Concerto in E Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269, "La Primavera" (Spring)/III. Allegro | | • | Concerto in G minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)/I. Allegro non molto | | • | Concerto in G minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)/II. Adagio | | • | Concerto in G minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)/III. Presto | | • | Concerto in F Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293, "L'autumno" (Autumn)/I. Allegro | | • | Concerto in F Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293, "L'autumno" (Autumn)/II. Adagio molto | | • | Concerto in F Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293, "L'autumno" (Autumn)/III. Allegro | | • | Concerto in F minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)/I. Allegro non molto | | • | Concerto in F minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)/II. Largo | | • | Concerto in F minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)/III. Allegro | | • | Sonata in G minor for Violin and Basso Continuo, "Devil's Trill Sonata" |
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Album Description
Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, who has enchanted audiences for two decades with his breathtaking playing and tone of rare opulence, has recorded Antonio Vivaldi's concertos The Four Seasons. Widely considered as one of the premiere violinists of his generation, Bell is joined on this studio release by the celebrated musicians of the Academy of St.Martin in the Fields, who toured the work with him prior to the recording sessions. This recording of The Four Seasons is coupled with another masterpiece of Baroque virtuosity, Giuseppe Tartini's The Devil's Trill. The liner notes by Linda Kobler explain the curious genesis of Tartini's piece and the indisputable place of Vivaldi's concertos in the history of sonata composition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 JOSHUA BELL'S SUPERB, EXTRAORDINARILY PERSONAL "FOUR SEASONS" September 2, 2008
25 out of 28 found this review helpful
Five BIG Stars!! Grammy-winning violin virtuoso Joshua Bell, one of the greatest on the planet, steps into the baroque world and delivers an unusually personal, superb version of Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". This is an oft-recorded work (in the past year alone I've purchased a wonderful version by violinist Viktoria Mullova/Claudio Abbado and enjoyed a very nice transcribed slice of "Winter" by cellist Sol Gabetta in full baroque gear), but in Mr Bell's hands he reveals even more wonderful tempo elasticity and more personal nuances in this classic work by "the Red Priest". On this CD, not only is Mr Bell in the role of dazzling virtuosic soloist and conductor, but he is fortunate to have the superb Academy of St. Martin in the Fields as his orchestra and they have had a year of performances leading up to this august recording.
The entire work is breathtakingly wonderful and should find it's way into music libraries as a benchmark work. My favorites are the third movement (presto) of Summer (with Mr Bell daringly ahead of the normal pulse) which is outstanding and unrelenting in it's intensity, the first movement of Autumn, and the entire wondrous four movements of Winter. It's amazing how the familiar becomes fresh in different hands. Mr Bell successfully pairs the Vivaldi work with a 14 minute exposition of Tartini's Sonata in G Minor for Violin and Basso Continuo (aka The Devil's Trill Sonata) which is a lovely work of elegance and virtuosity, the last four minutes of which are stunning. Throughout Mr Bell pulls off difficult passages with ease and depth of feeling. This is truly beautiful music that leaps into the realm of pure enjoyment and over any possible controversies about period instruments, baroque strings & bows, and vibrato. It took Joshua Bell decades to finally work his way to Vivaldi's Four Seasons but the wait was worth it. Bravo, Mr Bell. My Highest Recommendation. Five BIG Stars (This review is based on an iTunes download, also containing the translations of the very poetic seasonal sonnets Vivaldi wrote to accompany the music.)
Four Seasons - Five Stars September 5, 2008
10 out of 14 found this review helpful
How a Bloomington, Indiana musician successfully managed to interpret a baroque masterpiece by Italian Composer Vivaldi is amazing. Partly because Bell uses a Violin better known to the Baroque era; The Stradivarious. Thanks also go to London's acclaimed "Academy of St. Martin in The Fields", (a chamber orchestra specializing in Baroque era music) of which Bell felt very comfortable playing with. Most of all Joshua Bell is not only a great musician, but a hard working determined student of the baroque era. He puts his stamp on one of the most interpreted musical pieces of all time. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!
 Lukewarm September 19, 2008
10 out of 16 found this review helpful
While there's no doubt Joshua Bell is a fine violin player, his interpretation of this work feels awkward at times. His rhythm is occasionally off, and his dynamics are too exaggerated - though his pitch is almost always right on. His emotive style is much better suited for more Romantic pieces, and anyone who's listening for a good baroque interpretation of the Four Seasons would likely be disappointed.
Invigorating and inspiring September 7, 2008
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
To say that Joshua Bell is a virtuoso is an understatement. To say that this album is an inspiration and a renewing of the spirit is yet again an understatement. Put them both together and you have an amazing work of art and ingenuity. His interpretations of Vivaldi's Four Seasons is not only remarkable, but a true inspiration. I have many versions of this work, but by far yet, Joshua Bell's is my absolute favorite. He is a miracle to the world of classical music. I highly recommend this album!
Bell is a Great Fiddler... September 20, 2008
9 out of 25 found this review helpful
... but why would he perform and market something so awkward and inappropriate to his technique? Might it be filthy lucre that he's expecting from another performance of Vivaldi's most overworked evocative masterpiece? For a fiddler with plenty of flair in his bow, Bell takes most of the tempi lumpishly slow - over 10% slower than most baroque violinists on recordings, of which there are dozens - and he seems to equate baroque style with odd exaggerations and specials effects. In short, this isn't even close to the top of the list of best performances of Vivaldi; number one, if anyone is willing to take my recommendation, is that of Fabio Biondi with the ensemble Europa Galante. "The Four Seasons" is the first disk of two in Biondi's generous recording of the whole of Vivaldi's Il Cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, available on the Virgin Veritas label.
If you want to hear Bell play well, listen to "The Red Violin," muisc by American composer John Corigliano.
And now for a wish list of anachronisms. How about:
1. Death of a Salesman staged in a Roman forum, with the actors in togas.
2. A remake of Rocky I in colonial Philadelphia, with John Dickinson replacing Apollo Creed and Ben Franklin played by Sly Stallone.
3. The Ring of the Nibelung reorchestrated to match the verve of Sweeny Todd.
All of which would sound about as plausible as Bell playing Vivaldi.
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