Vivaldi – The Four Seasons (180g LP)

Label: Berlin Classics

One-Take Audiophile Recording Released on 180g Vinyl LP!

Solo violinist Shunske Sato leads the Concerto Koln for this sparkling release of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Recorded in Kempen, Germany on June 25 and 26, 2016.

“Freedom” is the word that underpins this recording by Concerto Koln. Thoroughly in keeping with historical performance practice, this ensemble explores the vividness of spontaneity in Vivaldi’s music. Uncompromising and authentic, the freedom of their style is portrayed in recording made without cuts, of audiophile quality and enhanced by a special microphone systems developed by audio manufacturer MBL.

“Something new every moment.” – If we are to believe Shunske Sato, leader of Concerto Köln and soloist on this sparkling release of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, what is at the heart of this recording is the idea of freedom. Freedom, too, in more ways than one. True to the principles of historical performance practice, the ensemble delivers the vitality of spontaneous playing in Vivaldi’s music. No compromise, no tampering: the freedom of this performance situation is reflected in a recording made without cuts. And in the end it is the music itself which brings freedom. Vivaldi sometimes wrote down no more than melodic outlines, on which the soloist is to improvise. “Slavishly following what is on the page? That’s an idea that was completely foreign to musicians up to the start of the 20th century. Imagination, personality and one’s own view of a piece of music were what was expected,” comments Sato.

Features:

Music Supervisor: Monica Wasiman

Recording Engineer: Jurgen Reis

One-take audiophile recording (No artificial hall & compression) & enhanced by a special microphone systems developed by audio manufacturer MBL
• Main microphones: 2x Sennheiser MKH-8040; compact Cardioid Condenser microphones, and customized MXL V6 Cardioid Condenser microphones

• Recorded, Printed and Manufactured in Germany