Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'invenzione

Disc 1
1	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
2	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
3	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
4	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
5	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
6	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
7	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
8	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
9	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
10	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
11	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
12	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
13	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
14	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
15	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
16	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
17	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
18	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
Disc 2
1	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
2	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
3	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
4	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
5	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
6	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
7	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
8	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
9	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
10	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
11	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
12	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
13	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
14	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
15	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
16	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
17	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
18	Il cimento dell'Armonia e
Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'invenzione
1.	Violin Concerto ("La Primavera", The Four Seasons) for violin, strings & continuo in E ("Il cimento" No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269 9:03
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
2.	Violin Concerto ("L'estate", The Four Seasons) for violin, strings & continuo in G minor, Op. 8/2, RV 315 9:14
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
3.	Violin Concerto ("L'autunno", The Four Seasons), for violin, strings & continuo in F major ("Il cimento" No. 3), Op.8/3, RV 293 10:32
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
4.	Violin Concerto ("L'inverno", The Four Seasons), for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ("Il cimento" No. 4) Op. 8/4, RV 297 7:44
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
5.	Violin Concerto ("La tempesta di mare"), for violin, strings & continuo in E-flat ("Il cimento" No. 5), Op.8/5, RV 253 8:08
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
6.	Violin Concerto ("Per Pisendel"), for violin, strings & continuo in D minor, Op. 8/7, RV 242 6:47
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
7.	Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in D major ("Il cimento dall'armonia" No. 11), Op. 8/11, RV 210 10:51
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
8.	Violin Concerto ("La caccia" ), for violin, strings & continuo in B-flat major ("Il cimento" No. 10), Op. 8/10, RV 362 7:03
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
9.	Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in D minor ("Il cimento" No. 8), Op. 8/9, RV 236 7:17
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
10.	Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in G minor ("Il cimento" No. 8), Op. 8/8, RV 332 8:55
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
11.	Violin Concerto ("Il piacere"), for violin, strings & continuo in C major ("Il Cimento" No. 6), Op. 8/6, RV 180 7:55
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante
12.	Violin Concerto, for violin, strings & continuo in C major ("Il cimento" No. 12), Op. 8/12, RV 178 9:00
	Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
	Conducted by Fabio Biondi
	Performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante

Barnes & Noble

Fabio Biondi first recorded Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the early '90s, adventurously playing from a little-known manuscript version of the score rather than the familiar published edition. The many subtle variations in the music, combined with Biondi's lively musical imagination, made for a Four Seasons with a difference. Here that difference is magnified even more, with Biondi and his ensemble, Europa Galante, delivering a new performance of the concertos with vividly drawn, bold strokes. Listen to the bite of the repeated "thunder and lighting" notes in the middle movement of the Spring Concerto, or the frenzied, almost manic tempo of the Summer Concerto's finale; hear the thwack of the continuo after emerging from near silence in the Autumn Concerto's "hunt" movement, or the eerie, nearly demonic start to the Winter Concerto. Biondi's return to the Four Seasons doesn't stop there, however; this double-disc set also contains the eight other concertos published along with the famous four in 1725 as Vivaldi's Op. 8. The collection was labeled "Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione" (The Contest Between Harmony and Invention), and as the title hints, pointed contrast is the operating principle here. One need only listen to the turbulent concerto that immediately follows The Four Seasons, entitled "La tempesta di mare" (The Sea Storm), to hear these shifting tides. And Biondi and company play it for all it's worth in this enthusiastically recommended recording. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

The four concerti in "The Four Seasons" of Antonio Vivaldi have probably earned the distinction of being the most frequently recorded classical works in the digital era. Originally published as part of a set of 12 concerti as Vivaldi's Opus 8, the other eight concerti also get some attention, particularly "La tempesta di mare," but the set as a whole is comparatively seldom recorded. In Europa Galante's Virgin Classics release, Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, violinist Fabio Biondi, who has recorded "The Four Seasons" at least once before for Opus 111, leads his expert ensemble in the whole of the Opus 8 set. The 12 concerti fit comfortably onto two CDs, with some reshuffling of the pieces into a different order than that assembled by Vivaldi, though not through splitting up the "big four."

The very first thing that comes to mind in listening to Biondi on this Virgin recording is how restrained and natural this interpretation sounds versus some other, and perhaps more highly publicized, recordings by others. Biondi is not auditioning for the Kronos Quartet here; his tone is sweet, finger work fleet, and he makes sparing, but expressive use of vibrato. Europa Galante is in a relatively small configuration in this outing, but Virgin's excellent recording conveys the impression of a bigger band. Some tempos are zippy indeed; the fast-moving parts of "L'inverno" threaten to catch fire, whereas certain movements, such as the final Allegro in "La primavera," are given plenty of room to breathe and thus, are a little longer than most performances. Elasticity is the key to Biondi's interpretation, but it is never employed in a manner that causes the music to sag, as in some older, modern instrument recordings.

The band does a great job of coordinating some of the special effects used in these works -- the driving accents in "La caccia" are marvelously tasty and point up Vivaldi's revolutionary approach to rhythm in instrumental music. Europa Galante's Virgin recording of Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione should please all but those who have zero tolerance for period instrument performers, and is so charismatic that even some among the latter might make an exception for it. Uncle Dave Lewis

Gramophone

The pictorial elements in the Seasons are thrillingly realised. The storms are violent, ‘Winter’ is bleak and frighteningly buffeting, in ‘Autumn’ the hunt canters in from afar.... To this are added Biondi’s now customary liberties with tempo, articulation, off­beat accents and larger-than-life violinistic effects.... If it is hot and cold running excitement you want...look no further than this thrilling new arrival. Lindsay Kemp