I have many versions of the Four Seasons, on CDs and vinyls around 20 different performances and the comparison to each other is always very interesting. I often wonder what Vivaldi would have thought of all the interpretations that are out there. I must confess, the Academy/Marriner recording is among the more authentic, at least, to my ear. The sound then, as now, was sparkling and clear. Marriner and violinist Alan Loveday recorded this in the best tradition, with modern instruments playing sprightly and spirited Vivaldi. This was before the gritty and hyper-energized recording by Giuliano Carmignola revolutionized everyone’s idea of what the Four Seasons should sound like. There are zillions of versions of this work and many of them are outstanding. But for clarity, unaffected brilliance and sheer elan, there is nothing like this recording.
Farewell, Maestro Marriner. R.I.P. 🙁
# Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
# Performer: Alan Loveday, Simon Preston
# Orchestra: Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
# Conductor: Neville Marriner
# Vinyl (1970)
# Number of Discs: 1
# Format: Flac
# Label: Argo (Decca)
# DR-Analysis: DR 13
# ASIN: B000E6EH0E
# Size: 859 MB
# Scan: yes
# Server: FileFactory
Continue reading HD-Vinyl 24/96 (Argo) Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons (Loveday/Marriner)
