Your Preferred Ninth? Four Seasons?

For the four seasons, perthaps not the best ones but two at least interesting and engaging interpretations:

Thanks to you Bert.  I am not familiar with either of these.  By the way, I don't know if I said that I was able to dig out the Stern/Zuckerman/Mintz/Perlman/Mehta version from our storage unit.  And I got to thinking, if those boys were to take a few lessons and practice a little more, they might turn into pretty good fiddlers. 

Russ

Thought I would do a followup on this thread with regard to Vivaldi.  Although I still like the Stern/Zuckerman/Mintz/Perlman CD, I have settled on "Classic Music Studio Orchestra" version. 

I have these on mono vinyl, but they might be available for download...

Don't know about download, but the whole set is available online from a noted seller at bargain prices.  Thanks, Doc.

I am getting ready to take George Frederick's recommendation and order the Klemperer, but the only copy I can find is nearly 40 USD.  I guess a lot of people agree with his Georgeness.   

Russ

Now a complete different but very attractive re-composed version of the Four Seasons:

And of course also a traditional one:

http://www.testament.co.uk/

Dear Russ,

Please don't spend $40 on this. You can buy it from the Testamant Online shop. Put Klemperer into the search engine and look down the list of rare and wonderful [mainly live] recordings and seven down you will find:

Thanks very much, George.  I am going to look at that site now.  I had not ever heard of or come across it, so your suggestion is exciting to say the least.  And my first impression when I read your reply was how great Royal Mail has been to the U.S. for us at least.  Then, it got through my inch-thick skull--if you download, nothing gets mailed.  Duhhhh, to say the least.  Have a great evening and best regards.

Russ

Dear Russ,

I listened to this earlier for you.

Not exactly "hifi" but still viscerally involving. I sincerely hope that the performance and recording brings you real enjoyment. Please do let me know. If not on the Forum, then my email is in my profile ...

It a very fast performance, yet more precise than anything from Toscanini for example - faster than some HIP efforts - and the choir is the best and most bound together I have ever heard in a recording. They never go flat, and the tight Royal Festival Hal acoustic lends them a precision that is almost unique in any recorded choral music. The first three movements - in hind-sight - seem a mere preparation, though that is hardly fair ...

Very best wishes from George

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...&feature=related

10 years later, Klemperer's last concert in the same place with the same orschestra, and even here you can garner that there was a real natural phenomenon of music present, though 86 years old ...

Dear Russ, I added to my above post for you. A nice youtube ... ATB from George

I have a handful of recordings of 'The Four Seasons'. For some reason the one I return to is also  the least expensive- a budget reissue on the EMI Classics for Pleasure label, featuring Kenneth Sillito on violin, and originally recorded in 1973. I first heard this at my local Linn/Naim dealer back in the early 1980s, on a (what else) Linn/Naim system and was captivated. For the full retail price at the time of circa 2 UKP this was unbeatable, and is both a very fine performance and recording. The vinyl is still available on internet auction sites for less than $10US. 

It was also largely this recording that convinced me that Kans were not for me, so I returned them for a refund and kept on using my Tangent RS4 speakers that portrayed this performance so very much better. 

Originally Posted by Bert Schurink: Now a complete different but very attractive re-composed version of the Four Seasons:

Just ordered the Max Richter Vivaldi in vinyl.

This one is pretty good. I like the fiddle player so it helps. ( she's not a Sunday brunch variety )

I agree with Ron T's reko for the Four Seasons. A beautiful recording of a superb performance. EMI's Classic's For Pleasure and Eminence [super budget and slightly less so] labels recorded with the same care and quality which marked out their premium HMV line with most carefully selected artists who were not the most famous, but deserved exposure.

I miss this approach nowadays.

ATB from George