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The Four Seasons Concerto in E major, op.8 no.1 RV269 "La primavera" (Spring) Concerto in G minor, op.8 no.2 RV315 "L'estate" (Summer) Concerto in F major, op.8 no.3 RV293 "L'autunno" (Autumn) Concerto in F minor, op.8 no.4 RV297 "L'inverno" (Winter) Coupled with... Concerto in G "Alla Rustica", RV151
Takako Nishizaki (violin) |
[45'15"] budget-price
Sonnets not included. This review is kindly sponsored by Rock Records.
by Chia Han-Leon
Similarly the summer storms are rather cultured, treating the music with discipline but little attempt at expressing the ferocity of the storm. Nishizaki's storms are more like distant rains, completely harmless to the ear. There are collectors who aren't interested in the poetics behind the Four Seasons, and may dislike the hellfire treatment that some performers (especially the always scholastically aware authenticists) bring to the storm or wind movements of Summer and Winter. For these, a simple "traditional" performance such as this is much more attractive.
Oddly enough, the shepherd who is lamenting at the foul weather in Summer II seems as if he is missing it - perhaps it's been very dry. There is nothing wrong with the tender lyricism of Nishizaki's playing, but the orchestral tutti are (relative to recent performing practice) terribly lethargic.
Autumn: the opening Allegro is evenly but only moderately paced. The Adagio molto, representing the villagers slumbering, is most in line with the lyrical mode of this performance. With a fine harpsichord line, the strings produce a serene haze of dreaminess over the afternoon siesta. After the staid performance of the first movement, the playfulness of this "Hunt" is quite enjoyable, although the heavy-footed chugging orchestral phrases are a disappointment. Near the end and to my total surprise, the cello, as if representing the fox's last breath of life, gives a final moan at 2'39" before being claimed by the hunters!
Ending this CD is a finely paced and very engaging performance of the popular RV151 Concerto, "Alla Rustica" (i.e. in rustic style).
Takako Nishizaki is the First Lady of Naxos - she is married to the Boss of the Budget CD, Klaus Heymann. Her playing is very amiable, her tone generally impeccable (save for a few moments of rubberiness); perhaps there is even something of a woman's touch in the performance (OK, all you gender-gender people can bash me for that, but that's what I thought).
This Four Seasons has much to recommend - it is a fine musical performance which I think will appeal to the general listener, but not so much the collector interested in either their interpretation of the sonnets (negligible) or for any original modification to the score. In other words, this is a "basic" Four Seasons, although the extra details mentioned above do raise the performers above the basic score. The 1987 recording is bright, clean and detailed, with only one obvious spot in Spring when the soloist is miked too close. With Naxos' ongoing Complete Vivaldi Edition, it's unimaginable that the label wouldn't record the Four Seasons again, very likely with period instruments. While we wait for that, those of you who need a simple, basic, modern-instrument, "safe" Four Seasons can try this one.
This Spring begins cheerfully and brightly, especially with the tweeting birds. It is quite quick, without pauses where I usually expect them, when music is allowed to breathe. The "Country Dance" of the third movement is however far too relaxed. I suspect the performers are not so much as interested in the poetry of the sonnets as the lyrical quality of the music. And credit to them for highlighting the music of the music well, for this is a very friendly performance which is very genial to the ear, though some may find it lethargic here and there.
In Winter, Nishizaki and the orchestra finally get into a more "agitated" mood, dispatching the opening winter winds with much more earnestness (but still no violence) than the storms of summer. The finale is likewise a disciplined and musical performance, with a nice interplay of the orchestral string sections. The "Winter Largo", as you might expect from my comments so far, is a gentle and lyrical affair. In fact, like the Summer siesta movement, it is soothing like a lullaby. Like sleeping in when it's raining outside.
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V I V A L D I
Four Seasons A Year |
This disc is available at, or can be ordered from, Tower (Pacific Plaza), HMV (The Heeren) or Sing Music (Raffles City).
Chia Han-Leon is busy composing the Three Seasons: Sun, Rain and Haze.
Other classical music reviews by this or any other writer can be obtained from the InkVault by doing a key word search with the writer's name.
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128: 19.4.98. up.15.2.1999 ©Chia Han-Leon
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