Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On the eve of the Christmas holidays, Firma Melodiya is releasing Antonio Vivaldi's "The Seasons" on record for the first time, performed by the renowned violinist Vladimir Spivakov and the golden lineup of his chamber orchestra, the "Moscow Virtuosi."
For Spivakov, Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is one of his signature works. The cycle, performed so often that it could be called pop music from the classical era, seems almost impossible to interpret. As performed by the Virtuosi, Vivaldi's pieces sound as if they were part of a luxurious palace ball: gallant and dance-like. At the same time, Spivakov's interpretation is energetic and emotional. Despite the concert setting, the chamber orchestra demonstrates perfect ensemble pronunciation and crystalline intonation.
Since the LP format requires a playing time of no more than 40 minutes, a pleasant bonus is the release of a CD recording of the entire concert at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on December 15, 1986. In addition to "The Seasons," the second half featured the festive cantata "Gloria." It was performed by the Basque choir Orfeón Donostiarra, with solos by two of the 20th century's most accomplished singers: Makvala Kasrashvili and Tamara Sinyavskaya. The opera singers' roles in the baroque cantata's parts are full of lightness and purity, discipline and a sense of proportion. The orchestra's delicate, composed playing also lends itself to this.
The record and CD were pressed in 2025. The matrices were made from the original digital tapes. The sound engineer for the remastering and restoration was Maxim Pilipov. The liner notes were written by Lyalya Kandaurova and Tata Boeva.
Musical Life, December 23, 2025
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