Reviews La Petite Bande's rendition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons album - vibrant, energetic, and emotionally driven
La Petite Bande, under the direction of Sigiswald Kuijken, has released a new recording of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" that showcases a historically informed approach to Baroque music. This recording, titled 'Vivaldi: The Four Seasons', is released by Accent.
The performance features a small-scale ensemble of period instruments, including three violins, viola, a violoncello da spalla, harpsichord, but no double bass or violone. This intimate setup emphasizes clarity, transparency, and rhythmic vitality in the music.
Kuijken's direction focuses on stylistic authenticity, with appropriate tempos, articulation, and ornamentation drawn from Baroque performance practice. The word "concerto" in the Baroque era did not imply a work with a soloist against an orchestra, and this is reflected in the recording, where the main solo violin part is shared among four violinists, one per movement.
The performance is flexible, with the players showing quickness of response, and the scene that opens "Autumn" passes through many stages of intoxication. The recording includes two additional Vivaldi works: the Concerto in D Major, RV403, and the Sonata in D Minor, Op 1 No 12, RV63, "La Follia".
The pleasure in the performance comes from the delicacy of passages like the birdsong in "Spring". The performance is adorned with stylish ornamentation, and each of the four violinists is excellent in their performance.
The Concerto in D Major, RV403, is one of the highlights of the recording, and it demonstrates Kuijken's commitment to performing Vivaldi's works as they would have been heard in the Baroque era. The Sonata in D Minor, RV63, "La Follia", is another additional work in the recording, and it showcases the ensemble's ability to deliver a sound that highlights the detailed interplay of lines and authentic Baroque expressive effects.
Overall, La Petite Bande's interpretation of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" offers a fresh and authentic take on this beloved Baroque masterpiece. The recording is a testament to Kuijken's commitment to historically informed performance and his ability to lead a talented ensemble in delivering a compelling and expressive performance.
The intimate setup of La Petite Bande's performance emphasizes not only clarity and transparency in the music but also the rhythmic vitality of the Baroque era, making it an entertaining exploration of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." The performance, adorned with stylish ornamentation, also includes additional Vivaldi works such as the Concerto in D Major, RV403, and the Sonata in D Minor, RV63, "La Follia," offering music lovers a delightful encounter with this celebrated Baroque musician's body of work.
