Originally for violin and string orchestra; arranged for violin and electric violin with string orchestra. Title from disc label. Program notes and texts of the sonnets in English inserted in container. Nigel Kennedy, violin, electric violin ; Orchestra of Life ; Lizzie Ball, conductor ; with, variously: Damon Reece ; Orphy Robinson ; Tomasz Nowak ; Doug Boyle ; Xantone Blacq ; Z-Star ; Lucy Potterton. Recorded 2011 December 14-20 and 2012 January 26-28 Angel Studios and RAK Studios.
Contents:
Spring. Melodious incantation ; Transitoire # ; The goatherd sleeps with his trusty dog beside him ; Trasitoire ## ; Nymphs and shepherds dance -- Summer. Destiny ; Transitoire # ; Fear ; Transitoire ## ; His fears are only too true -- Autumn. The peasant celebrates the rich harvest ; Transitoire # ; Pleasure of sweetest slumber ; Transitoire ## ; Horns, guns, and dogs -- Winter. Prolitoire # ; To shiver, frozen ; The rain outside ; Transitoire # ; Walk on the ice ; The end.
Summary:
In 1989 Nigel Kennedy made his breakthrough recording of Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons.' In his sleeve notes to that famous release, Kennedy stressed that he had rejected the idea of playing Vivaldi's suite of violin concertos in either the "authentic" fashion, using period instruments, or in the more florid "romantic" style. He explained that his objective was to use "every kind of technique I know" to communicate his feeling for the music to his listeners. He didn't believe that The Four Seasons was confined to any particular point in time, because it "has far more to offer than mere historical interest." Now, in 2015, Kennedy returns with a completely fresh take on 'The Four Seasons,' but while the music sounds hugely different, his creative attitude is the same. Once again he has set out to prove that 'The Four Seasons' can be music for all time, and in his opinion there's no reason why Vivaldi's masterpiece shouldn't be opened up to embrace developments in musical instrument technology, or even new musical styles undreamt of in Vivaldi's 18th century world. Any forward-looking composer, Kennedy reasons, would have been delighted to exploit the potential of more expressive or sophisticated instrumentation if it had been available to him.
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