Search - Fabio Biondi :: Vivaldi - Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione / Europa Galante, Biondi

Not your momma's Four Seasons

wolfgang731 | 04/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like most younger generation music enthusiasts, I'm sure, Vivaldi's Four Seasons played a very prominent role, in many cases serving as a portal through which many neophytes passed on their journey into the wonderful world of classical music. Even if attempted, how could one avoid it? These eternally ubiquitous concertos have seem to have been arranged for every instrument from harmonica and banjo to celesta and bass trombone and have served as the themes for countless films, including the Alan Alda picture of the same title. It's this same over exposure that would eventually turn my genuine fondness for these works into one of intense dislike. My disdain was so great that if I ever heard the concertos again it would be too soon. Enter the BBC and their weekly program "Building a Library" which featured Vivaldi's complete Op. 8, "Il Cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione" of which The Four Seasons are the first concerto. Normally I would just skip over a segment I didn't particularly care for, but I was interested in what the reviewer had to say about the other works, none of which, though popular, have ever quite achieved the status of the "Seasons." It was these works that held my attention throughout and I found the playing unbelievably intense and alive, with just the right amount of urgency to make the works sound fresh and exciting but never forced or rushed. That same afternoon, I purchased the CD and I couldn't believe what I heard. Even the "seasons" a work that I thought I could hum in my sleep, jumped off the CD and filled the room with amazing colors and a vivacity and relevance that was awe inspiring. Yes, it's incredibly fast where it needs to be, yet it's never done at the expense of the music. The music is not at the mercy of virtuoso ensemble, Europa Galante, but rather the other way around, seemingly swept away by their excitement at reshaping these war-horses into something new without distorting Vivaldi's ideas or beautiful melodies. Using a different manuscript than what is normally used, Biondi and company relish every opportunity to demonstrate just how significant these works can be. There are percussive elements and striking use of pizzicato, oboes replacing violins (as was Vivaldi's original intent) and greater prominence to the continuo. In short, this ain't your momma's Four Seasons. Even if you, like me, can't stand the thought of hearing Concerto No. 1 "Spring" ever again, give this incredible recital a chance; I guarantee you'll be blown away. By the way, the sound quality is through the roof, with striking clarity, presence and warmth.









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Incredible Playing!

Andrew M. Klein | Washington, DC USA | 02/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We've all heard the Four Seasons a zillion times by numerous players. Well, buckle up: you've never heard anything like this! Biondi and his forces end any argument that anyone may have tried to mount favoring modern instruments over the originals. One simply cannot return to any modern instrument performance -- and probably not to any other performance by anyone, period -- after listening to this. If the Autumn segment doesn't give you bring tears of joy to your eyes and have you leaping out of your seat, shouting alocades, nothing will. See your doctor in that case. This is an absolute "must have" performance!"

Yet another (but good) recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Alan Lekan | Boulder, CO | 11/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With the catalog listing dozens of recordings of Vivaldi's ever-popular "Four Seasons," an obvious question is "why do we need yet another recording of this overplayed masterpiece?" While one part of me says we probably don't, another part of me is glad that Fabio Biondi and the Europa Galante produced this interesting period recording. Fabio Biondi shows in this imaginative recording why he is considered one of the top period violinists. Biondi rightfully takes some 'license' inherent in such Baroque music to put his stamp of Italian panache on it. His creative tweaks, imaginative rubato, and aria-like lyricism keep the music lively with slight, unexpected nuances of expression. Sucn an individualistic style as Biondi's can really be considered within the spirit of the Baroque virtuoistic tradition where the soloist was expected to add his/her special touches. Indeed embellishments such as the highly percussive textures the Galante strings brings in certain movements add a fresh drama and creativity to this music.



Vivaldi's Op. 8 was one of his "program music" experiments that brought him great success, and such music is designed to be pictoral, suggestive and above all expressive - all of which Fabio Biondi and the Europa Galante rise to do with vivacious style yet retaining sensible musical taste (no hyper-speed version here). Biondi's dynamic, expressive approach is perfect for Vivaldi and such theatrical music as this and comes off quite remarkable and enjoyable. With his period violin he achieves a highly-expressive, even anguished vocal quality as seen in Autumn finale, the Summer slow movement or the Winter allegro. But no movement is more mesmerizing and alluring than his aria-like solo in the Winter Largo - depicting the contented feeling of "one musing by the warm fire as the rain and snow fall outside." Biondi at his lyrical best. Some movements feature a more forward harpsichord accompanyment - almost as if it is striving to be recognized as co-soloist. Personally, I liked this aspect of the conducting and especially the rich sound of the instrument which added a nice contrast to the string solos - although it will not be to the taste of some.



Yet, Biondi's style is not quite technically flawless and - at times - can lack a smooth progression and unity with the ensemble. In certain parts of the music, Biondi can often favor an over-emphasised style or speed over substance - sacraficing clarity and precision in some of the 32nd-note passages. In some of these passages (such as 20 seconds into the dramatic rising scales of the closing presto of Summer), whole measures of notes were not articulated but seemingly glossed over. I am not sure of the reason for this approach to that exciting part of the movement. It is one of a few places where his technique sounds a bit "on the edge." But, in Biondi's favor, perhaps it is better to risk a little and live on the edge than to remain safe and mundane in such spirited music as this. Regardless, Biondi's playing is always alive and imaginative.



This CD features all of Vivaldi's Op. 8 concertos (which The Four Seasons being only part) and thus makes a great, non-duplicating collection of Vivaldi's concertos from Biondi/Europa Galante along with their separate and equally-exciting CD's of "L'estro Armonica" and "le Tempesta di Mara." There is another CD from Virgin featuring the Four Seasons by Biondi and the Galante along with a sampling of these other CD's mentioned above of you want to expand your horizons beyond Op. 8 on one CD. Penguin, Gramophone and Third Ear Guides all like and recommend Biondi's/Galante's several CD's of Vivaldi's concertos including this one for their spontaneous and imaginative take. But there are many fine recordings of this marvelous work (including those by Simon Standage/English Concert, I Musici, Kennedy or S. Accardo). But, Biondi's spirited performance here might just allow your imagination to run a little more vividly as Vivaldi seemed to expect in such thematic, imagery-rich music as this."