Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / Joseph Silverstein, Seiji Ozawa (180g LP)

Label: Telarc – TEL0004 – 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl – Pressed in Germany

Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra with violinist Joseph Silverstein for this recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is the best-loved work by this baroque composer. Performed here by members of the world-renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra, with its legendary conductor Seiji Ozawa, the four movements show Vivaldi’s imaginative use of melody, rhythm, harmony and musical texture to paint a vivid portrait of Earth’s seasons. This reissue marks the first vinyl pressing of this popular Telarc title since its release in 1982.

Seiji Ozawa had a fondness for more modern compositions, but his efforts on this 1982 release showcase his versatility with one of the finest performances of The Four Seasons ever recorded and the standard by which many future recordings would come to be judged. With over 500,000 albums sold since its release, it’s no wonder that this recording would be chosen as one of the initial four vinyl releases.

This LP was cut, as are all the others, by Eric Boulanger on Stan Ricker’s own equipment (with some slight modifications), which Boulanger bought from Ricker’s estate.