VIVALDI: Four Seasons; BACH: Concerto for Two Violins and Strings - Pavel Šporcl, Prague Philharmonia

The first four parts of Antonio Vivaldi's twelve violin concertos, Op. 8, from 1725, "The Four Seasons", are today one of the most frequently performed concerto pieces worldwide. They have been performed by perhaps every famous violinist of the present day. This fresh new recording by Pavel Šporcl with the Prague Philharmonia shows that despite the "saturated market"it is still possible to come up with a singular, unique conception. Šporcl plays his new, provocatively blue-varnished violin, custom built for him by the finest Czech violin-maker, Jan Špidlen.According to some critics, currently the best recording in Šporcl's discography is not authentic in terms of the instruments used, yet both the soloist and the orchestra, besides brilliant technique, possess a great sense for Baroque phrasing and "chiaroscuro". Bach's concerto for two violins in D minor starkly contrasts with Vivaldi's figurativeness and expressivity. Here you will hear Šporcl's new instrument twice since the soloist recorded both of the solo parts. As a bonus, the CD contains a video recording of the Spring and Winter parts directly from the studio.

Antonio Vivaldi
Le Quattro Stagioni. Four Concertos for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 8
1. Concerto No. 1 in E major Spring - La Primavera. I. Allegro, RV 269 03:14
2. Concerto No. 1 in E major Spring - La Primavera. II. Largo e pianissimo sempre, RV 269 01:59
3. Concerto No. 1 in E major Spring - La Primavera. III. Allegro - Danza pastorale, RV 269 04:18
4. Concerto No. 2 in G minor Summer - L' Estate. I. Allegro non molto, RV 315 05:08
5. Concerto No. 2 in G minor Summer - L' Estate. II. Adagio, RV 315 02:09
6. Concerto No. 2 in G minor Summer - L' Estate. III. Presto - Tempo impetuoso d'Estate, RV 315 02:39
7. Concerto No. 3 in F major Autumn - L' Autunno. I. Allegro - Ballo e Canto de' Villanelli, RV 293 05:03
8. Concerto No. 3 in F major Autumn - L' Autunno. II. Adagio molto - Ubriachi dormienti, RV 293 02:42
9. Concerto No. 3 in F major Autumn - L' Autunno. III. Allegro - La caccia, RV 293 03:30
10. Concerto No. 4 in F minor Winter - L' Inverno. I. Allegro non molto, RV 297 03:20
11. Concerto No. 4 in F minor Winter - L' Inverno. II. Largo, RV 297 01:45
12. Concerto No. 4 in F minor Winter - L' Inverno. III. Allegro, RV 297 03:23
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto for Two Violins and Strings in D minor, BWV 1043
13. Vivace 03:16
14. Largo ma non tanto 05:46
15. Allegro 04:16