Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Richard Tognetti & Australian Chamber Orchestra

• 1 I. Allegro 03:19
• 2 II. Largo e pianissimo sempre 02:19
• 3 III. Danza pastorale: Allegro 04:02
• 4 I. Allegro non moto 05:19
• 5 II. Adagio - Presto 02:29
• 6 III. Presto 02:50
• 7 I. Allegro 04:57
• 8 II. Adagio molto 03:14
• 9 III. Allegro 03:24
• 10 I. Allegro non molto 03:24
• 11 II. Largo 01:50
• 12 III. Allegro 03:18
• 13 Violin Concerto in D Major, RV 226: II. Largo 01:39
• 14 I. Allegro 03:37
• 15 II. Largo - Larghetto 02:20
• 16 III. Allegro 03:26
• 17 I. Allegro 02:55
• 18 II. Largo e pianissimo sempre 02:12
• 19 III. Presto 02:27
• 20 Concerto Grosso in D Major, RV 562, Concerto per la solennita di S Lorenzo: II. Grave 03:19
• 21 I. Allegro 01:41
• 22 II. Andante 02:06
• 23 III. Presto 00:51
• Total Runtime 01:06:58

Info for Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, a team internationally recognized for its virtuosity, energy and individuality, has recorded their take on Vivaldi's springtime birdsong, summer thunderstorm, autumn hunting and chattering teeth of icy winter. The programme also includes two concertos from L'estro armonico, as well as a Sinfonia for strings originally intended as the overture of Vivaldi's opera La verita in cimento ('Truth in contention').

In 1725 Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione ('The Contest of Harmony and Invention') would secure Antonio Vivaldi's reputation for eternity. The first four concertos of this collection form what has become one of the most widely spread classical compositions in the history of music: Le Quattro Stagioni. Now Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, a team internationally recognized for its virtuosity, energy and individuality, has recorded their take on Vivaldi's springtime birdsong, summer thunderstorm, autumn hunting and chattering teeth of icy winter. The programme also includes two typically Vivaldian slow movements, a Largo and a Grave, as well as a Sinfonia for strings originally intended as the overture of the opera La verità in cimento ('Truth in contention').

„Everything's done with great care, buoyancy and tastefulness.“ (BBC Music Magazine)

„Although this isn't a live recording, what you do get is all the excitement and spontaneity of a live performance-along with the ACO's trademark visceral approach to music. There is some exceptional playing here.“ (Gramophone)

Richard Tognetti, violin, conductor
Australian Chamber Orchestra

Richard Tognetti
Australian violinist, conductor and composer, Richard Tognetti has established an international reputation for his compelling performances and artistic individualism. He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium with Alice Waten, in his home town of Wollongong with William Primrose, and at the Berne Conservatory (Switzerland) with Igor Ozim, where he was awarded the Tschumi Prize as the top graduate soloist in 1989. Later that year he was appointed Leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and subsequently became Artistic Director. He is also Artistic Director of the Maribor Festival in Slovenia and Creative Associate of Classical Music for Melbourne Festival.

Tognetti performs on period, modern and electric instruments. His numerous arrangements, compositions and transcriptions have expanded the chamber orchestra repertoire and been performed throughout the world.

As director or soloist, Tognetti has appeared with the Handel & Haydn Society (Boston), Hong Kong Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg,Tapiola Sinfonietta, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Nordic Chamber Orchestra and the Australian symphony orchestras. He conducted Mozart's Mitridate for the Sydney Festival and gave the Australian premiere of Ligeti’s Violin Concerto with the Sydney Symphony.

Tognetti has collaborated with colleagues from across various art forms and artistic styles, including Joseph Tawadros, Dawn Upshaw, James Crabb, Emmanuel Pahud, Jack Thompson, Katie Noonan, Neil Finn,Tim Freedman, Paul Capsis, Bill Henson and Michael Leunig.

In 2003, Tognetti was co-composer of the score for Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; violin tutor for its star, Russell Crowe; and can also be heard performing on the award-winning soundtrack. In 2005, he co-composed the soundtrack to Tom Carroll’s surf film Horrorscopes and, in 2008, created The Red Tree, inspired by illustrator Shaun Tan’s book. He co-created and starred in the 2008 documentary film Musica Surfica, which has won best film awards at surf film festivals in the USA, Brazil, France and South Africa.

As well as directing numerous recordings by the ACO, Tognetti has recorded Bach’s solo violin repertoire for ABC Classics, winning three consecutive ARIA awards, and the Dvorak and Mozart Violin Concertos for BIS.

A passionate advocate for music education,Tognetti established the ACO’s Education and Emerging Artists programs in 2005.

Richard Tognetti was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2010. He holds honorary doctorates from three Australian universities and was made a National Living Treasure in 1999. He performs on a 1743 Guarneri del Gesù violin, lent to him by an anonymous Australian private benefactor.

Booklet for Vivaldi: The Four Seasons