VA - The Four Seasons: A Music Calendar of Favorite Classics (2003)

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.

Track List:

CD 1: The Four Seasons: Spring
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269 "La Primavera"
1. 1. Allegro 3:08
2. 2. Largo 2:15
3. 3. Allegro (Danza pastorale) 3:48
Gidon Kremer, Leslie Pearson, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)
4. The Lark Ascending 13:31
Pinchas Zukerman, English Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim
Karoly Goldmark (1830 - 1915)
5. Im Frühling (Springtime Overture), Op.36 9:35
The Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 62
6. No. 6 Allegretto grazioso in A Major -"Frühlingslied" (Spring Song)
2:07
Daniel Barenboim
Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957)
7. Spring Song - Symphonic Poem op.16 7:47
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990)
Appalachian Spring
1945 Suite
8. Excerpt: Simple Gifts3:28
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856)
Symphony No .1 in B Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring"
9. 2. Larghetto 7:31
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim
Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
Symphony No. 1 in D Major
10. "Blumine". Andante allegretto 5:57
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
2 Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34
11. 2. The Last Spring 4:43
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)
4 Estaciones Portenas (pour guitare)
4 Estaciones Portenas
12. N°.1 Primavera Porteña 3:48
Göran Söllscher
Louis-Claude Daquin (1694 - 1772)
Premier livre de pieces de clavecin (1735)
Arr. Michael Copley & Dag Ingram
Troisième Suite
13. Le coucou 2:06
The Cambridge Buskers
Leroy Anderson (1908 - 1975)
14. The First Day of Spring 2:47
London "Pops" Orchestra, Frederick Fennell
Johann Strauss II (1825 - 1899)
15. Frühlingsstimmen, Op. 410 6:01
Wiener Philharmoniker, Lorin Maazel

CD 2: The Four Seasons: Summer
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315 "L'estate"
1. 1. Allegro non molto - Allegro 5:15
2. 2. Adagio - Presto - Adagio 2:33
3. 3. Presto (Tempo impetuoso d'estate) 2:47
Pinchas Zukerman, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Incidental Music, Op.61, MWV M 13
4. Overture 11:45
5. No.1 Scherzo 4:43
6. No.7 Notturno 5:33
7. No.9 Wedding March 4:43
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
Summer Night op.123
8. 3. Minuet 2:43
Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev
Hugo Alfvén (1872 - 1960)
9. Swedish Rhapsodie No.1, Op.19 - "Midsommarvaka" 12:44
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Frederick Delius (1862 - 1934)
10. Summer night on the river 5:43
English Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim
Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)
4 Estaciones Portenas (pour guitare)
4 Estaciones Portenas
11. N°.2 Verano Porteño 4:16
Göran Söllscher
George Gershwin (1898 - 1937)
Porgy and Bess
Transcription for Violin and Piano by Jascha Heifetz
12. Summertime / A Woman Is a Sometime thing 3:32
Gil Shaham, Akira Eguchi
Arthur Honegger (1892 - 1955)
Pastorale d'été
13. Calme - Vif et gai - Tempo I (calme) 8:57
Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson
Leroy Anderson (1908 - 1975)
14. Summer Skies 3:03
Eastman-Rochester "Pops" Orchestra, Frederick Fennell

CD 3: The Four Seasons: Autumn
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Violin Concerto in F Major, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293 "L'autunno"
1. 1. Allegro (Ballo, e canto de' villanelli) 4:54
2. 2. Adagio molto (Ubriachi dormienti) 2:19
3. 3. Allegro (La caccia) 3:42
Shlomo Mintz, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
In Autumn op.11
4. Andante - Allegro agitato - Allegro marcato e maestoso 11:14
Göteborgs Symfoniker, Neeme Järvi
Alexander Glazunov (1865 - 1936)
The Seasons. Winter: Introduction
5. 4. Autumn9:27
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957)
The Tempest - First Suite, Op.109, No.2
6. 4. The Harvesters 2:25
Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Jussi Jalas
Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Préludes / Book 2, L. 123
7. 2. Feuilles mortes 4:57
Dino Ciani
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 - "Pastoral"
8. 5. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm: Allegretto 9:26
Berliner Philharmoniker, Lorin Maazel
Percy Grainger (1882 - 1961)
9. Harvest Hymn 3:41
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner
Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)
4 Estaciones Portenas (pour guitare)
4 Estaciones Portenas
10. N°.3 Otoño Porteño 3:52
Göran Söllscher
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 19
11. No. 3 in A (Molto allegro) "Hunting Song", MWV U89 2:10
Daniel Barenboim
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
String Quartet No. 17 In B-Flat Major, K. 458 "The Hunt"
12. 1. Allegro vivace assai 8:22
Emerson String Quartet
Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974)
Les Quatre Saisons
13. 3. Concertino d'automne 9:48
Genevieve Joy, Jacqueline Bonneau, Ensemble de Solistes des Concerts Lamoureux, Darius Milhaud
Johann Strauss II (1825 - 1899)
14. Auf der Jagd, Op.373 2:11
Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 4: The Four Seasons: Winter
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Violin Concerto in F Minor, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 "L'inverno"
1. 1. Allegro non molto 3:24
2. 2. Largo 2:06
3. 3. Allegro 3:11
Gil Shaham, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Francesco Manfredini (1684 - 1762)
Concerto in C, Op.3, No.12 -"Christmas Concerto"
4. 1. Largo (Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale) 4:19
Festival Strings Lucerne, Rudolf Baumgartner
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809)
Die Jahreszeiten - Hob. XXI:3
Der Winter
5. No.29a Einleitung 2:37
Wiener Symphoniker, Karl Böhm
Emile Waldteufel (1837 - 1915)
6. The Skaters Waltz, Op.183 (Les Patineurs) 8:43
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Children's Corner, L. 113
7. 4. The Snow Is Dancing 2:18
Jörg Demus
Préludes / Book 1, L. 117
8. 6. Des pas sur la neige 4:44
Dino Ciani
George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
Messiah, HWV 56
Pt. 1
9. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 3:04
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Richter
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
Symphony No.1 In G Minor, Op.13, TH.24 - "Winter Reveries"
10. 2. Adagio cantabile ma non tanto 10:44
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas
Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)
4 Estaciones Portenas (pour guitare)
4 Estaciones Portenas
11. N°.4 Invierno Porteño 4:19
Göran Söllscher
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
The Seasons
12. 12. December (Christmas) (Arr. Gamley) 4:08
London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bonynge
The Nutcracker, Op. 71, TH 14
Act 1
13. No. 8 In the Christmas Tree 4:17
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
14. No. 9 Scene and Waltz of the Snowflakes 6:23
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa, American Boy Choir
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
15. Christmas Oratorio Bwv 248: Shepherd's Music 7:27
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
16. 3 German Dances K605: No.3 In C "Sleighride" 2:51
Leroy Anderson (1908 - 1975)
17. Sleigh Ride 2:58
The Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler