Draw back the drapes, throw open the French doors, feel the rush of fresh air, smell the flowers, and hear the murmuring streams and happy songs of birds. It’s spring! Well, actually it’s yet another opening of yet another Vivaldi Four Seasons, the music in close portrayal of the scenes described in the four sonnets that accompany the score. So what’s to say about this one, except that Kyung Wha Chung and her St. Luke’s partners offer up one of the more Romantic, well-dressed, genteel versions to date of this perennial favorite. It’s showy enough, but still refined, more pretty than punchy. Not to say that there aren’t fireworks when called for–neither Chung nor her colleagues hold back anything in movements such as the Presto of “Summer” and the opening Allegro of “Winter”. And Chung’s violin mostly speaks and sings articulately (in the opening Allegro of “Autumn”) and eloquently (the famous Largo of the same concerto).
If there’s a weakness it’s the performances’ overall lack of buoyancy and brilliance–the rather flat-footed, uninspired orchestral playing; and there’s certainly none of the sense of risk or abandon from the soloist that we hear from Biondi (Opus 111) or even Mutter (DG)–until perhaps the last bars of the last concerto. Nor do we experience the commanding style and captivating virtuosity of Carmignola (Sony), who may have the best Four Seasons of them all. No, these are not performances that will knock you over or turn your head. They’re nice and respectable and the sound is decent–but in a world overpopulated with dozens of recordings of this work, that’s probably not going to be good enough. This is program music, after all, and it needs more dramatic flair, more theatrical style in the presentation. Chung is one of the few grown-up violinists today who has personality, maturity, and something to say. Popular appeal, programmatic cleverness, and occasional virtuoso turns aside, the Four Seasons doesn’t come close to showing the musical depth and interpretive reach of this outstanding, intelligent, yet highly underrated artist. Here’s hoping for something more suitable and substantial for her next project. Meanwhile, if you desperately need this work (and everyone should have one), go for Carmignola or Mutter or Biondi.
