VIVALDI The Four Seasons (Podger)
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Antonio Vivaldi
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: Channel Classics
Magazine Review Date: 05/2018
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 75
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: CCSSA40318

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
(12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(Il) cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione', Movement: No. 1 in E, 'Spring', RV269 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
(12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(Il) cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione', Movement: No. 2 in G minor, 'Summer', RV315 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
(12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(Il) cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione', Movement: No. 3 in F, 'Autumn', RV293 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
(12) Concerti for Violin and Strings, '(Il) cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione', Movement: No. 4 in F minor, 'Winter', RV297 |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
Concerto for Violin and Strings, '(Il) riposo, per |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
Concerto for Violin and Strings, '(L')amoroso' |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
Concerto for Violin and Strings, 'Grosso Mogul' |
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer
Antonio Vivaldi, Composer Brecon Baroque Rachel Podger, Director, Violin |
Author: Charlotte Gardner
At the nub of this triumph is the thought that’s gone into timbre and balance across the four concertos, because I’ve never heard their every twist and turn served up as quite the succession of changing sound worlds as appears here. Take Spring’s ear-catching central Largo: while Brecon Baroque are hardly the first ensemble to place a spotlight on that barking-dog viola, it’s less usual to hear the solo violin as far back as Podger has been placed, or the viola’s crescendo at the end. It’s then all change again for the final Allegro, Jan Spencer’s violone cranking up the drone effect to especially zinging levels, complemented by the subtlest of peasanty inflections from the violins.
Other notable expressive detailing include the bringing out of Daniele Caminitti’s expressive theorbo-playing in Summer’s opening movement, where also to be savoured are the wistful inflections with which Podger has coloured her tight trills. Also the way she stretches out the central Adagio’s final top G to almost hit the dramatic final-movement thunderstorm, itself brilliantly coloured with sul ponticello effects. Then there’s the soft organ and theorbo continuo underpinning Autumn’s buoyant, luminously ringing first movement. Or, perhaps most glorious of all, Winter’s fireside Largo: a luxuriously tactile, tranquil feast of glowing ensemble raindrops whose beauty caught me completely off guard, topped by Podger’s sensitively embellished solo line.
Podger and her team have been generous too, adding three further Vivaldi concertos, all of which have been realised with an equal ear to the scorings’ possibilities for timbral flair. Even had they not done, though, this still would have been a Four Seasons to covet and keep.
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