For many years this was my favorite version of Vivaldi’s most popular work. When it first came out, it seemed fresh and alive, bursting with new ideas that made the dramatic elements of the piece come to life in a way not previously experienced. I think it is still my favorite modern instrument rendition: Alan Loveday’s violin playing is just as impressive as before, as is Simon Preston’s imaginative continuo realization on harpsichord and organ, which is easily heard since it is overly loud, heard from an onstage perspective instead of an audience one. And this new version, digitally processed in London’s “Legends” series, sounds even better than ever. Yet there have been other versions since 1969 that have shed even more light on the tone poem elements of the work, notably the one on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi that uses Andrew Lawrence-King’s Harp Consort as the continuo. Lutes, archlutes, and harps sound so right in certain parts of this quartet of seasonal concertos. That recording extracts every last bit of color and drama from the printed page and translates it into captivating sound. Anything else simply sounds like a great set of violin concertos. And if that is what you are looking for, this Marriner/Loveday recording certainly fills the bill handsomely.
