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

[Resident Loser]

...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...)

[JohnMichael]

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

[Mr Peabody]

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.

[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).

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.

[noddin0ff]

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.

[Resident Loser]

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

...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...)

[JohnMichael]

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.

[Dusty Chalk]

...hope that clarified things...

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