Mullova, accustomed to digging in her heels in romantic ‘confrontations’ with large forces, adjusts admirably: the squeakycleanness of her technique is virtually to be taken for granted, but her tonally fine-drawn lines, tightly disciplined vibrato and sensitivity to the scale of this music were unexpected delights. There is virtuosity and bravura in plenty, not least in the needlesharp spiccatos, but it is in the slow movements that Mullova is especially impressive, her lines often attentuated to the barest whisper yet pure in sound. Equal praise is due to Abbado for his splendid attention to detail and to the COE for their alert response to his every demand... This outstandingly recorded disc now heads my list of recommended ‘middle-of-the-road’ versions of that Famous Four. (They) supplies the most sensitively scaled and nuanced version of the Four Seasons I have heard for a long time. - Gramophone
Tracklist:
SIDE A 1-3. Le Quattro Stagioni Concerto No.1 in E RV269 4-6. Le Quattro Stagioni Concerto No.2 in G minor RV315
SIDE B 1-3. Le Quattro Stagioni Concerto No.3 in F RV293 4-6. Le Quattro Stagioni Concerto No.4 in F minor RV297 7-9. Concerto in G minor RV577
PERFORMERS Viktoria Mullova (violin)), Claudio Abbado (cond), Chamber Orchestra of Europe
