Scherzi Armonici sopra le Quattro Stagioni dell'Anno, op.3 (c.1716-17)
Concerto I: Le Printems (Spring) [14:02]
Concerto II: L'Esté (Summer) [19:30]
Concerto III: L'Autonne (Autumn) [18:00]
Concerto IV: L'Hyver (Winter) [14:32]
Caroline Balding (violin)
The Band of Instruments/Roger Hamilton
rec. New College, Oxford, England 13-15 April 2004. DDD
DIVINE ART DDA 25072 [66:05]
Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons are among the best known, most frequently
recorded works from the Baroque era. At the other end of the spectrum lies
another, similar Four Seasons by Vivaldi's contemporary and compatriot
Giovanni Guido, also known as Giovanni Antonio. Ironically it may be true
that Guido's was actually the earlier work, by perhaps as much as five years,
and a source of inspiration for Vivaldi.
It must be said that Guido does not reach the same lofty levels of invention
as Vivaldi, yet his Four Seasons, atmospheric and beautifully written,
amount to more than a mere change of air or scene. Certain passages and
flourishes can momentarily fool the listener into thinking these are actually
Vivaldi's Seasons, but Guido notably incorporates French elements
into the Italianate, recalling perhaps Corelli at times. His title is translated
as Musical Divertissements on the Four Seasons of the Year, and like
Vivaldi's was published with a set of (anonymous) poems, The Characters
of the Seasons.
No explanation is offered in the accompanying booklet or on Divine Art's
website as to why this 2004 account has taken eight years to reach publication.
By coincidence, what is possibly the only other recording also appeared
in 2004, with Federico Guglielmo's l'Arte dell'Arco ostensibly performing
Vivaldi's and Guido's Four Seasons side by side, on CPO (777 037-2).
That was a single disc, which thus suggests a logistic impossibility, given
that the Vivaldi typically runs to 40-45 minutes. Indeed, l'Arte dell'Arco
are unfeasibly quicker in the Guido: 7:10 for Spring, 3:33 for Summer, 4:04
Autumn and 2:55 for Winter. This contemporary review,
which incidentally gives a now superseded birthdate of c.1650 for Guido,
considers this work a mere fantasy on Vivaldi's, written "after 1733". Whether
Giuglielmo omitted material or more had recently been discovered by Roger
Hamilton and co is not clear, but certainly the CPO recording cannot be
compared to the present one.
Undistinguished though The Band of Instruments may be by name, when it comes
to performance, they are more than a match for l'Arte dell'Arco. Lead violinist
Caroline Balding aside, the ensemble consists of two violins, a cello, contrabass
and harpsichord. According to New Grove Guido's concertos are scored for
three violins, flutes, oboes, harpsichord, viola and cello, which suggests
that the Band of Instruments have departed somewhat from Guido's intentions.
Nonetheless, the results are effective and persuasive, suavely directed
by Hamilton from his unobtrusive harpsichord.
Sound quality is fairly exemplary - pellucid and spacious, yet still warm
and intimate. The English-French notes are concise rather than expansive,
but they are informative and well written and include the full texts of
the poems 'set' by Guido, albeit in French only and perversely not laid
out in playing order.
Alas, little of Guido's music has survived, although all hope is not lost:
as he disappeared from historical records after 1728, he may yet resurface
in some dusty archive, along with a bundle of manuscripts. Meanwhile, whilst
no one with any musical sensitivity should ever tire of listening regularly
to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Guido's own memorable account deserves
its own place on playlists and in recital halls.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
Guido's own memorable Four Seasons deserves its own place on playlists
and in recital halls.
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