 | | |
| Vivaldi: The Four Seasons | 
 enlarge | Creators: Vincent Charbonnier, Antonio Vivaldi, Andre Arpino, Jacques Loussier Trio, Jacques Loussier
Label: Telarc
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $12.49
You Save: $6.49 (34%)
Buy New/Used from $6.60
Avg. Customer Rating:  (12 reviews)
Sales Rank: 128235
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 83417
UPC: 089408341724
EAN: 0089408341724
ASIN: B000003D5U
Release Date: February 25, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Tracks:
| • | Spring, Concerto No.1 In E Major: Allegro | | • | Spring, Concerto No.1 In E Major: Largo | | • | Spring, Concerto No.1 In E Major: Allegro/Danza Pastorale | | • | Summer, Concerto No.2 In G Minor: Allegro Non Molto | | • | Summer, Concerto No.2 In G Minor: Adagio | | • | Summer, Concerto No.2 In G Minor: Presto | | • | Autumn, Concerto No.3 In F Major: Allegro | | • | Autumn, Concerto No.3 In F Major: Adagio Molto | | • | Autumn, Concerto No.3 In F Major: Allegro | | • | Winter, Concerto No.4 In F Minor: Allegro Non Molto | | • | Winter, Concerto No.4 In F Minor: Largo | | • | Winter, Concerto No.4 In F Minor: Allegro |
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 New life to a brilliant sypmhonic classic! December 8, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
On a Jazz radio program I had the good fortune of being tuned-in to, along came the music of a pianist by the name of Jacques Loussier. A smile came to my face as I heard Vivaldi's music elegantly dressed in a Jazz suit, complete with the goatee. Imagine that, my favorite classical (actually, Baroque) piece of all time, jazzified!! I had to run and get this CD. Loussier is absolutely amazing, his adaptation and execution of the complex string-section lines are absolutely amazing. Bassist Vincent Charbonnier seems a well-spring of creativity as he gracefully underpins such a master with very original lines. Drummer Andre Arpino is also excellent, and to me, some of his solo section runs sound a bit like John Bonham of Led Zeppelin!! Overall, an intriguing, wonderful ride through a very well-known work, given new life via the Jazz idiom.
Another gorgeous Loussier reinvention November 17, 2002
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
Decades ago, starting with "Play Bach," I have loved Loussier's interpretations of Bach classics in a respectfully inventive re-rendering of the music in jazz. It was "fusion" in its earliest form--honoring the old form by retaining parts of the classical style and offering other parts in jazz improvisation.Now, to my delight, I've just found his interpretation of "The Four Seasons" and it's pure pleasure. Loussier is the consummate musician/composer and he gives the Vivaldi that is so familiar a different spin that makes the Seasons entirely new. Whether you love classic or jazz, or both, don't miss this CD. You'll hear something new and inspired each time you play it.
Most highly recommended.
The Perfect Marriage October 31, 2002
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I don't know how you could better fuse the aesthetics of baroque and jazz. Loussier isn't trying to reproduce Vivaldi's original score in a jazz style (even if that's possible, I don't know why you'd want to--the original chamber orchestra version is just fine), but instead uses the music as a foundation for building something new. The result is smooth and sophisticated, improvisational in character as jazz should be, yet faithful to the melodies, moods and dynamics of each of the "Four Season's" twelve movements. Right from the opening phrases of "Spring"--a melody that nearly everyone in the Western World over the age thirty must have heard at least once in their life, if only on a TV commercial--we know that something is up. Loussier eases into the highly recognizable tune in a way that fools us--wait, a second, this isn't the "Four Season's"--until we see how he has cleverly taken the essence of the melody and showed it to us in a different way. As a result we are rewarded both with a skilled musician's insight on the music theory underlying Vivaldi's creation, as well as a listening experience that can be enjoyed for itself. If you want to, you can make a game of following the original themes as they surface throughout the movements. But if you are unfamiliar with the complete "Four Seasons," you can just pretend it's a whole new piece of music. I find the length and pacing of the movements to be ideally suited for a jazz album, and the work of all three musicians consistently tasteful and inventive--something I cannot say unequivocally about the 40th Anniversary "Bach Book" album. I hate to speak in terms of absolutes, but at the moment I am inclined to proclaim this my favorite Jacques Loussier CD. But who knows? It could change with the next.
Amazing performance May 24, 2001
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This CD is one of my first CD in Jazz. The performance and the recording qulity are amazing. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars my rate is 6!!!
 The neglected Moe Koffman album July 10, 2000
2 out of 9 found this review helpful
Those who have not heard the earlier "Four Seasons" album by the Canadian jazz saxophonist, Moe Koffman, are not really in a position to evaluate the Loussier effort. Although there is merit in the Loussier recording, it cannot be considered to be in the same ball park as the Koffman album, from the standpoint of both jazz and the great Vivaldi. The Koffman album has been, in my experience, extremely difficult to find, but any suggestions along this line would be most appreciated.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| | |