Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" a la Tim Burton?...

...Heard a different take on the "Winter" movement this AM on WQXR here in NYC...Well, maybe not Tim Burton, but different enough to stop me in my tracks...Violinist/conductor Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante are those responsible...

A description taken from comments found in Biondi's discography: "...not from the familiar, published score but from manuscripts held in Manchester, Turin and Dresden. There are marked differences between Vivaldi’s published works and manuscript sources: in the music not intended for publication Vivaldi was able to display a freedom that marks out his typically exuberant and Venetian style. This spirit of freedom is, for Biondi, the key to the works’ interpretation..."

Certainly engaging and a bit challenging at times, the beginng phrases seem quite properly austere in it's winter-y-ness...His later use of either col legno (which seems a style more contemporary with the piece) or chopping (a latter-day bow technique) layered over the other members accompaniment, seems nearly "country/western" in it's rhythm...decidedly different...

FYI:
Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione from original manuscripts
Fabio Biondi / Europa Galante
CD Album/s(x2) : 5454652
CD1 51:39
CD2 51:08
Virgin Classics

Anyone familiar with this gentleman and his other work?

jimHJJ(...interesting to say the least...)

No but I will certainly be checking out those recordings. Sounds interesting. Thanks

Vivaldi is one of my favorite composers. I'll have to investigate this. My favorite recording of the Four Seasons is done by the Ancient Music Society.

Sounds interesting (although I think you mean Elfman rather than Burton, since Danny Elfman is responsible for most of Burton's soundtrack works).

You may also find the 8 Seasons disk interesting. The Vivaldi work interspersed with alternate (more Italian-sounding) works by (Astor) Piazzolla which references the Vivaldi.

That sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip. I was given another Four Seasons recording featuring Anne-Sophie Mutter. Doesn't sound like it's as out there as the one RL mentions, but it did surprise me with it's aggressiveness and livelyness. I never really liked the Four Seasons too much because all the seasons seemed so sleepy. This version actually makes me want to live a bit. Its probably more of a modern interpretation than a traditionalist would like, but I enjoy it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk

Sounds interesting (although I think you mean Elfman rather than Burton, since Danny Elfman is responsible for most of Burton's soundtrack works).

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...what I see as Burton's generally skewed take on things, I was trying to transfer the concept of his off-kilter sensibilities from the visual to the aural...as in "what if?"...Elfman's soundtracks were never in the equation...

As I said previously, perhaps the Biondi's Vivaldi isn't quite as Burton-ized as I might have inferred...it is, however, a bit different from the "Seasons" most of us are familiar with.

jimHJJ(...hope that clarified things...)

I have an interesting version that was recorded direct to disc at 45rpm speed. Two discs with one season per side. The Four Seasons was performed by The Vivaldi Ensemble Tokyo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Resident Loser

...hope that clarified things...

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Yup -- basically, you meant it hyperbollically...hyperbole-ly...as a more abstract comparison, not literally.