This first original instrument recording of The Four Seasons, and arguably still the best, is now reissued with two additional concertos from the complete set of the Opus 8.
‘Pinnock and his English Consort provide a convincingly “authentic” backing for Standage, the somewhat abrasive string textures heightening the drama. The slow movement of “Autumn”, where the harpsichord plays simple arpeggios against sustained strings, is most beautiful. But essentially this is a dramatic performance, strongly characterised. That is well illustrated by the Adagio of “Summer”, where the soloist is songfully poised whilst the bustling strings threaten the approaching storm, which when it arrives, has the fury of a tempest. The same vigour produces elsewhere tempi that verge on being too fast, but the vivacity is never in doubt and the dark colouring from the lower strings in the tutti is another mark of the special character of this account.’
The New Penguin Stereo Record Guide
