Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Winter, RV297 (Violin Concerto in F minor, Op. 8 No. 4; L'inverno; L'hiver)

The Berlin Baroque soloists under the direction of Rainer Kussmaul are one of the most renowned early music groups. Their recordings have been awarded several times with the Echo classic award. This CD includes masterpieces by Antonio Vivaldi: the famous Four Seasons with Rainer Kussmaul on the solo violin, the Cello Concerto in B-minor RV424 with Georg Faust, the Viola d’amore Concerto in A-minor RV397 with Wolfram Christ and the Concerto for Oboe & Violin in B RV548 with Jonathan Kelly as soloist.

'Andrew Parrott's interpretation of these concertos is an imaginative one & ....effective. John Holloway is the solo violinist in each work and he gives stylish performances.’ Gramophone

‘Manze’s feeling for detail, his lightly articulated bowing, in a word his sensibility, bring out the charm of Vivaldi’s music; and in this set, with its many affecting slow movements......... the charm is considerable’ Gramophone

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary in 2010, Ondine releases a series of five twofers, containing best-selling titles from the back catalogue.

The focus is on five of Ondine’s star artists: sopranos Soile Isokoski and Karita Mattila, baritone Jorman Hynninen, violinist Pella Kuusisto and clarinettist Kari Kriikku.

These releases are specially priced (2 CDs for the price of 1) and are limited edition, running through 2010 only.

On CD, with bonus DVD: a visualisation, shot in Venice, to illustrate the city’s changing moods throughout the year this stunning performance on CD of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, recorded in 1994, is performed by Italian early music ensemble Il Giardino Armonico and conducted by Giovanni Antonini. Accompanying the CD, the bonus DVD features a special visualisation of this most famous Vivaldi concerto, shot in Venice, where the composer conceived the work. It captures the atmosphere of this beautiful city in all its varied moods and aspects throughout the year: in spring when sunlight starts to sparkle on the water, the city awakens and romance is in the air; in summer when the tourists arrive, adding new life and energy to this teeming city as they wander through narrow alleyways, visiting Venice’s fine squares and churches, and taking in the city’s vistas from vaporettos and gondolas; in autumn when the city takes on a different mood as the visitors go home and Venice is seen against a darkening night sky; and in winter when an icy blast sweeps across the lagoon. Against the famous backdrop of the lagoon and the Grand Canal, this film also shows craftsmen at work making gondolas, musical instruments and Murano glass.