Album

It's a bit depressing how many new releases from the "major" classical labels these days consist of recycled old recordings, but give Deutsche Grammophon credit for the thinking that obviously went into this four-CD box entitled The Four Seasons: A Musical Calendar of Favourite Classics. In a way, this is yet another milking of the perennially salable Vivaldi Four Seasons; each of the four discs (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter) opens with a complete performance of its respective concerto from that set, in the Gil Shaham recording with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. But then they continue with seasonal pieces drawn from all over the historical spectrum. There's another complete set of four seasons: Astor Piazzolla's Cuatro estaciones porteñas, with which the Vivaldi concertos have been combined before. Beyond that is an enjoyable grab bag of old favorites (Waldteufel's Les patineurs for winter and selections from Mendelssohn's music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, for example) along with music one might not have thought of (Leroy Anderson's The First Day of Spring). The result is a fun package at a budget price ($30.98 list) that should be thoroughly enjoyed by the crossover audience it's aimed at, but that also has something to offer even hardcore enthusiasts who already own every minute of this music. How have the musical semiotics of the seasons remained consistent across styles, and how have they been forced to change? (What do you do when that favorite sixth scale degree that says "spring" now also says "folk"?) These discs offer a chance to ruminate on questions like those, even as they provide seasonally appropriate music for any party or gathering. The elegant but nontechnical notes by Raymond Tuttle invite everyone in.

© James Manheim, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 4
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La primavera (Spring) in E, RV269, Op.8, No.1 Work Recorded 1980 9:11 Gidon Kremer Violin, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Claudio Abbado Conductor
1	1.Allegro	3:08			$0.99
2	2.Largo e pianissimo sempre	2:15			$0.99
3	3.Allegro ('Danza pastorale')	3:48			$0.99
Ralph Vaughan Williams Composer The Lark Ascending: Romance for Violin and Orchestra Work Recorded 1974 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim Conductor, Pinchas Zukerman Violin
4	The Lark Ascending: Romance for Violin and Orchestra	13:31			$2.49
Karl Goldmark Composer Im Frühling, Op.36 Work Recorded 1971 Boston Pops Orchestra Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler Conductor
5	Im Frühling, Op.36	9:35			$1.49
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 5, Op.62 Work Recorded 1973 Daniel Barenboim Piano
6	6.Frühlingslied (Spring Song) in A	2:07			$0.99
Jean Sibelius Composer Spring Song (Vårsång), Op.16 Work Recorded 1994 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Göteborgs Symfoniker Orchestra
7	Spring Song (Vårsång), Op.16	7:47			$1.49
Aaron Copland Composer Appalachian Spring (ballet) for 13 instruments Work Recorded 1988 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
8	7.Variations on a Shaker Hymn (Simple Gifts)	3:28			$0.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Symphony No.1 in Bb, Op.38 ('Spring') Work Recorded 1977 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim Conductor
9	2.Larghetto	7:31			$1.49
Gustav Mahler Composer Blumine ('Flora'; discarded movement from Symphony No.1) Work Recorded 1977 Seiji Ozawa Conductor, Boston Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
10	Blumine ('Flora'; discarded movement from Symphony No.1)	5:57			$0.99
Edvard Grieg Composer 2 Elegiac Melodies, for string orchestra, Op.34 Work Recorded 1992 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Göteborgs Symfoniker Orchestra
11	2.Last Spring	4:43			$0.99
Astor Piazzolla Composer Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble...Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble (arr.guitar) Work Recorded 1996 Göran Söllscher Guitar
12	3.Primavera Porteño	3:48			$0.99
Louis-Claude Daquin Composer Suite No.3, for harpsichord...Suite No.3, for harpsichord (arr. recorder and accordian) Work Recorded 1983 Dag Ingram Accordion, Cambridge Buskers Ensemble, Michael Copley Recorder (Soprano)
13	Le Coucou, rondeau for harpsichord in E-	2:06			$0.99
Leroy Anderson Composer The First Day of Spring Work Recorded 1964 Frederick Fennell Conductor, Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra Orchestra
14	The First Day of Spring	2:47			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring; with voice ad lib), Op.410 Work Recorded 1981 Lorin Maazel Conductor, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
15	Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring; with voice ad lib), Op.410	6:01			$0.99
CD 2 of 4
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'estate (Summer) in G-, RV315, Op.8, No.2 Work Recorded 1982 10:35 Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Pinchas Zukerman Violin, Zubin Mehta Conductor
1	1.Allegro non molto. Allegro	5:15			$0.99
2	2.Adagio	2:33			$0.99
3	3.Presto	2:47			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Work Recorded 1964 26:44 Rafael Kubelik Conductor, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
4	1.Overture	11:45			$1.99
5	2.Scherzo	4:43			$0.99
6	7.Notturno: Con moto tranquilo	5:33			$0.99
7	9.Wedding March	4:43			$0.99
Sergey Prokofiev Composer Summer Night, Op.123 Work Recorded 1994 Mikhail Pletnev Conductor, Russian National Orchestra Orchestra
8	3.Minuet	2:43			$0.99
Hugo Alfvén Composer Swedish Rhapsody No.1 ('Midsommarvaka'), Op.19 Work Recorded 1994 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Göteborgs Symfoniker Orchestra
9	Swedish Rhapsody No.1 ('Midsommarvaka'), Op.19	12:44			$1.99
Frederick Delius Composer 2 Pieces for Small Orchestra, RTvi/19 Work Recorded 1974 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim Conductor
10	2.Summer Night on the River	5:43			$0.99
Astor Piazzolla Composer Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble...Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble (arr.guitar) Work Recorded 1996 Göran Söllscher Guitar
11	4.Verano Porteño	4:16			$0.99
George Gershwin Composer Porgy and Bess (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1996 Akira Eguchi Piano, Gil Shaham Violin
12	2.Scene 1: Summertime; 4.Scene 1: A Woman is a Sometime Thing	3:32			$0.99
Arthur Honegger Composer Pastorale d'été, symphonic poem for chamber orchestra, H.31 Work Recorded 1991 Michel Plasson Conductor, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse Orchestra
13	Pastorale d'été, symphonic poem for chamber orchestra, H.31	8:57			$1.49
Leroy Anderson Composer Summer Skies Work Recorded 1958 Frederick Fennell Conductor, Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra Orchestra
14	Summer Skies	3:03			$0.99
CD 3 of 4
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'autunno (Autumn) in F, RV293, Op.8, No.3 Work Recorded 1982 10:54 Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Shlomo Mintz Violin, Zubin Mehta Conductor
1	1.Allegro non molto ('Ballo, e canto de'villanelli')	4:53			$0.99
2	2.Adagio molto ('Ubriachi dormienti')	2:19			$0.99
3	3.Allegro ('La caccia')	3:42			$0.99
Edvard Grieg Composer I høst (In Autumn), concert overture, Op.11 Work Recorded 1988 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Göteborgs Symfoniker Orchestra
4	I høst (In Autumn), concert overture, Op.11	11:14			$1.99
Alexandr Konstantinovich Glazunov Composer The Seasons, Ballet, Op.67 Work Recorded 1966 Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet Conductor
5	5.Autumn	9:27			$1.49
Jean Sibelius Composer The Tempest: Suite No.1, Op.109, No.2 Work Recorded 1972 Jussi Jalas Conductor, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
6	4.The Harvesters	2:25			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Recorded 1972 Dino Ciani Piano
7	6.Des pas sur la neige	4:57			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 ('Pastoral') Work Recorded 1959 Lorin Maazel Conductor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
8	5.Allegretto: Hirtengesang. Wohltätige, mit Dank and die Goltheit verbundene Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Shepherds' song. Beneficent feelings with thanks to the Godhead after the storm)	9:26			$1.49
Percy Grainger Composer Harvest Hymn, (elastic scoring with voices ad lib.) Work Recorded 1996 Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
9	Harvest Hymn, (elastic scoring with voices ad lib.)	3:41			$0.99
Astor Piazzolla Composer Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble...Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble (arr.guitar) Work Recorded 1996 Göran Söllscher Guitar
10	1.Otoño Porteño	3:52			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 1, Op.19b Work Recorded 1973 Daniel Barenboim Piano
11	3.Jägerlied (Hunting Song) in A	2:10			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer String Quartet No.17 in Bb, K.458 ('The Hunt') Work Recorded 1988 Emerson String Quartet String Quartet
12	1.Allegro vivace assai	8:22			$1.49
Darius Milhaud Composer Concertino d'automne, for 2 pianos and 8 instruments, Op.309 Work Recorded 1958 Geneviève Joy Bonneau Piano, Solistes de l'Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux Ensemble, Darius Milhaud Conductor, Jacqueline Bonneau Piano
13	Concertino d'automne, for 2 pianos and 8 instruments, Op.309	9:48			$1.49
Johann Strauss II Composer Cagliostro in Wien (operetta), RV504 Work Recorded 1988 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Claudio Abbado Conductor
14	Auf der Jagd	2:11			$0.99
CD 4 of 4
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'inverno (Winter) in F-, RV297, Op.8, No.4 Work Recorded 1993 8:41 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Gil Shaham Violin
1	1.Allegro non molto	3:24			$0.99
2	2.Largo	2:06			$0.99
3	3.Allegro	3:11			$0.99
Francesco Onofrio Manfredini Composer Concerto in C, Op.3, No.12 ('Christmas Concerto') Work Recorded 1970 Rudolf Baumgartner Conductor, Lucerne Festival Strings Ensemble
4	1.Largo (Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale)	4:19			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Die Jahreszeiten ('The Seasons'), Hob.XXI:3...Der Winter (Winter) Work Recorded 1967 Vienna Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Karl Böhm Conductor
5	32.Einleitung	2:37			$0.99
Emile Waldteufel Composer Les Patineurs Valse ('Skater's Waltz'), Op.183 Work Recorded 1996 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Göteborgs Symfoniker Orchestra
6	Les Patineurs Valse ('Skater's Waltz'), Op.183	8:43			$1.49
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Children's Corner, L.113 Work Recorded 1960 Jörg Demus Piano
7	4.The Snow is Dancing	2:18			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Recorded 1972 Dino Ciani Piano
8	6.Des pas sur la neige	4:44			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Messiah, HWV56 (standard version)...Part 1 Work Recorded 1972 London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Karl Richter Conductor
9	13.Pifa: Pastoral Symphony	3:04			$0.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Symphony No.1 in G- , Op.13 ('Winter Dreams') Work Recorded 1970 Boston Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas Conductor
10	2.Adagio cantabile, ma non tanto ('Land of Desolation, Land of Mists')	10:44			$1.99
Astor Piazzolla Composer Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble...Cuatro estaciónes porteñas (The Four Seasons), tango cycle for chamber ensemble (arr.guitar) Work Recorded 1996 Göran Söllscher Guitar
11	2.Invierno Porteño	4:19			$0.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer The Seasons, Op.37b...The Seasons, Op.37b (arr. orchestra) Work Recorded 1969 Richard Bonynge Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
12	12.December: Christmas	4:08			$0.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Nutcracker (ballet), Op.71...Act 1 Work Recorded 1990 10:40 Seiji Ozawa Conductor, American Boys Choir Chorus/Choir, Boston Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
13	9.In the Christmas Tree	4:17			$0.99
14	10.Waltz of the Snowflakes	6:23			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Christmas Oratorio (6 Cantatas, from Christmas to Epiphany), BWV248...Oratorio 2: Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Dec. 26), BWV248, No.2 Work Recorded 1970 Boston Pops Orchestra Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler Conductor
15	1.Sinfonia ('Shepherd's Music')	7:27			$1.49
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer 3 German Dances, K.605 Work Recorded 1970 Boston Pops Orchestra Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler Conductor
16	3 German Dances, K.605	2:51			$0.99
Leroy Anderson Composer Sleigh Ride (popular song) Work Recorded 1970 Boston Pops Orchestra Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler Conductor
17	Sleigh Ride (popular song) (arr. orchestra)	2:58			$0.99