Vivaldi: The Four SeasonsReviews: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0886971101324 Label: SONY CLASSICS Manufacturer: SONY CLASSICS MPN: 711013 Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: SONY CLASSICS Release Date: September 02, 2008 Studio: SONY CLASSICS Rating:  - Invigorating and inspiringTo say that Joshua Bell is a virtuoso is an understatement. To say that this album is an inspiration and a renewing of the spirit is yet again an understatement. Put them both together and you have an amazing work of art and ingenuity. His interpretations of Vivaldi's Four Seasons is not only remarkable, but a true inspiration. I have many versions of this work, but by far yet, Joshua Bell's is my absolute favorite. He is a miracle to the world of classical music. I highly recommend this album! Rating: - Four Seasons - Five StarsHow a Bloomington, Indiana musician successfully managed to interpret a baroque masterpiece by Italian Composer Vivaldi is amazing. Partly because Bell uses a Violin better known to the Baroque era; The Stradivarious. Thanks also go to London's acclaimed "Academy of St. Martin in The Fields", (a chamber orchestra specializing in Baroque era music) of which Bell felt very comfortable playing with. Most of all Joshua Bell is not only a great musician, but a hard working determined student of the baroque era. He puts his stamp on one of the most interpreted musical pieces of all time. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy! Rating: - WORTH THE WAIT!!!!!Truly a match made in classical music...Joshua Bell and Vivaldi's Four Seasons is a masterpiece of the arts and music. Rating: - JOSHUA BELL'S SUPERB, EXTRAORDINARILY PERSONAL "FOUR SEASONS"Five BIG Stars!! Grammy-winning violin virtuoso Joshua Bell, one of the greatest on the planet, steps into the baroque world and delivers an unusually personal, superb version of Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". This is an oft-recorded work (in the past year alone I've purchased a wonderful version by violinist Viktoria Mullova/Claudio Abbado and enjoyed a very nice transcribed slice of "Winter" by cellist Sol Gabetta in full baroque gear), but in Mr Bell's hands he reveals even more wonderful tempo elasticity and more personal nuances in this classic work by "the Red Priest". On this CD, not only is Mr Bell in the role of dazzling virtuosic soloist and conductor, but he is fortunate to have the superb Academy of St. Martin in the Fields as his orchestra and they have had a year of performances leading up to this august recording. The entire work is breathtakingly wonderful and should find it's way into music libraries as a benchmark work. My favorites are the third movement (presto) of Summer (with Mr Bell daringly ahead of the normal pulse) which is outstanding and unrelenting in it's intensity, the first movement of Autumn, and the entire wondrous four movements of Winter. It's amazing how the familiar becomes fresh in different hands. Mr Bell successfully pairs the Vivaldi work with a 14 minute exposition of Tartini's Sonata in G Minor for Violin and Basso Continuo (aka The Devil's Trill Sonata) which is a lovely work of elegance and virtuosity, the last four minutes of which are stunning. Throughout Mr Bell pulls off difficult passages with ease and depth of feeling. This is truly beautiful music that leaps into the realm of pure enjoyment and over any possible controversies about period instruments, baroque strings & bows, and vibrato. It took Joshua Bell decades to finally work his way to Vivaldi's Four Seasons but the wait was worth it. Bravo, Mr Bell. My Highest Recommendation. Five BIG Stars (This review is based on an iTunes download, also containing the translations of the very poetic seasonal sonnets Vivaldi wrote to accompany the music.) Vivaldi: The Four Seasons ReviewsMore reviews:Buy Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Sale Reviews Deals
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
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