Vivaldi / Piazzolla-The Eight Seasons

"It's a pity Vivaldi isn't around to enjoy the fruits of his popularity, but I hazard a guess that even he would be surprised at the number of recordings of his Four Seasons in the catalogue today. Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica offer a colourful and at times graphic response to the programmatic element of the Seasons with by turns highly characterised and exquisitely sensitive playing from Kremer. (In the Piazzolla) the positively sizzling Latin rhythms pulsate through the fiery passionate music."
* * * * * five stars - Classic CD (June 2000)

This is the Four Seasons as it was intended to sound. A small group of players combines with a wild sense of humour and bursting enthusiasm. Excellent playing by Gidon Kremer who is obviously enjoying every moment of this recording season. And Piazolla's Four Seasons works as an extremely likeable coupling.