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ANTONIO VIVALDI The Four Seasons violin Combattimento Consort

1 ANTONIO VIVALDI The Four Seasons Jaap van Zweden violin Combattimento Consort Amsterdam Jan Willem de Vriend conductor ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741) Violin Concerto no.4 in F minor RV 297 The Four Seasons L’Inverno (Winter) [10] Allegro non molto 3:01 Violin Concerto no.1 in E major RV 269 [11] Largo 1:50 La Primavera (Spring) [12] Allegro 3:21 [1] Allegro 2:58 [2] Largo 2:20 Sonata in E-flat major “Al Santo Sepolcro” RV 130 [3] Allegro, Danza Pastorale 3:43 for 2 violins, viola and B.C. [13] Largo molto 2:20 Violin Concerto no.2 in G minor RV 315 [14] Allegro 1:38 L’Estate (Summer) [4] Allegro non molto 5:09 Concerto in G minor RV 157 [5] Adagio 1:58 for strings and B.C. [6] Presto, tempo impetuoso d’estate 2:42 [15] Allegro 1:57 [16] Largo 1:35 Violin Concerto no.3 in F major RV 293 [17] Allegro 2:09 L’Autunno (Autumn) [7] Allegro 4:21 Concerto in B-flat major RV 163 [8] Adagio molto 2:38 for strings and B.C. [9] Allegro, ‘Caccia’ 2:58 [18] Allegro non molto 1:57 [19] Largo 0:58 [20] Allegro, Danza Pastorale 0:59

total time 50:30

4 5 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons lt is remarkable that listeners in later ages hardly ever share the preferences dog’s bark? Although French aesthetes did not altogether disagree with this, of a composer’s contemporaries. This is also true to a certain extent in the they noted quite rightly that the composer’s imagination could be stimulated case of Antonio Vivaldi. Whereas to most of us now the Prete Rosso- the “red fruitfully by striving for special onomatopoeic effects. No less a mind than priest”, because of his ginger hair and his ordination to priesthood in 1703- is the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) acknowledged this by the creator of The Four Seasons, many music lovers in Vivaldi’s day preferred arranging La Primavera for solo flute. Recent research has shown, by the way, his L’Estro Armonico, op. 3. After the first Amsterdam edition of 1711 it was that still has the largest percentage of intellectuals who are not afraid to reprinted at least four times in Holland alone and later in Paris in the 1740’s name The Four Seasons as one of their favourite compositions. again five times, while it was a success in England as well. On the other hand, the twelve concertos op. 8, Il Cimento dell’Armonia e dell’Inventione (freely We do not know how Vivaldi himself regarded these theoretical questions. translated: the balance between the rules of art and melodic inspiration), of There are hardly any quotations extant from the Venetian master in which he which The Four Seasons are the first four, were only printed four times. The first airs his views on composition or aesthetics. Even the relation between the edition, publisbed in Amsterdam by Michel Charles Ie Cène, appeared in 1725, score of The Four Seasons and the four “explanatory sonnets” that Vivaldi and it was reprinted three times by the Paris publisher Le Clerc (app. 1739-1748). had printed along with the first edition, is not quite clear. lt is true that in the lt appears L’Estro’s popularity was equalled by Il Cimento only in France. music Vivaldi gives exact references to certain lines of the poems, but from the dedication in op. 8 to the Bohemian count Wenzel von Morin it appears that This great success in France was undoubtedly due partly to the fact that French this maecenas received copies of The Four Seasons without the explanatory theoreticians often were less sceptical about the onomatopoeic potential of sonnets long before the year of publication (1725). “(Because of the sonnets) music than for instance their English colleagues. For British theoreticians like they will seem like new to you,” an excited Vivaldi writes. (Did Vivaldi, in writing Charles Avison (1709-1770) and James Beattie (1735-1803) music was an art The Four Seasons, base bimself on a specific programme? From the countless with rules and possibilities of its own, perfectly capable of voicing emotions special effects the score offers it appears that this must have been the case. and moods, but hardly so of clearly painting the sounds and movements of Yet the fact that some sonnet lines have no parallel in the music suggests the nature. Because, as Avison wonders, who interprets the forceful viola strokes programme was not as well-defined as the sonnets would lead us to believe.) in the second movement of Vivaldi’s La Primavera (Spring) as the imitation of a

6 7 As regards the authorship of the poems it has long been surmised that Vivaldi Jaap van Zweden himself was the poet, and it has now been ascertained that this is indeed true. In 1974 a handwritten copy of The Four Seasons was discovered in which the Jaap van Zweden has risen rapidly in little more than a decade to become one of four sonnets are unequivocally attributed to the composer. today’s most sought-after conductors. He has been Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2008, holding the Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music The programme is complemented with three compositions for strings Directorship, and Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since without solo instruments. Unlike Vivaldi’s violin concertos, his concertos 2012. In January 2016 van Zweden was announced as the next Music Director for orchestra, sometimes called concerti ripieni (“filled” concertos) by the of the Orchestra. He will take up the position at the composer, often contain at least one strongly contrapuntal movement. beginning of the 2018/19 season, serving as Music Director Designate during the RV 157, with its passacaglia in the beginning and the “old fashioned” second 2017/18 season. The Amsterdam-born van Zweden was appointed at nineteen movement, is no exception to that rule. RV 163, also named Conca, is a much as the youngest concertmaster ever of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and less complicated composition however. No doubt this is due to the fact that in began his career twenty years later in 1995. He remains Honorary this work the sound of someone blowing on a sea-shell (conca) is imitated. That Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Conductor is also the reason why the themes of the movements of this concerto are so Emeritus of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. In November 2011, van alike. RV 130, in conclusion, carries the heading Suonata a 4 al Santo Sepulchro Zweden was named Musical America’s 2012 Conductor of the Year in recognition (at the Holy Sepulchre) in the manuscript. Like the sinfonia of his critically acclaimed work as Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Al Santo Sepulchro RV 169, this work consists of a slow introduction followed Orchestra and as a guest conductor with the most prestigious US orchestras. by a fuga movement. Probably RV 130 and RV 169 were both destined for the devotion of the Quarant’Ore (Forty Hours). During these “forty hours” the host Highlights of the 2015/16 season include return visits to the New York is presented to the faithful in an often richly decorated monstrance. To increase Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Rotterdam and London Philharmonic the attraction of the devotion to the faithful, important churches had large Orchestras, as well as debut performances with the Accademia Nazionale panels with religious representations grouped around the monstrance. di Santa Cecilia and the Czech Philharmonic. Van Zweden returned to the Intense music and numerous candles amplified the theatrical effect even more. Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in the fall of 2015 to lead a concert performance of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, and makes his debut at the Vienna State Opera in Kees Vlaardingerbroek, 1990 performances of Wagner’s Lohengrin in May.

8 9 Jaap van Zweden has appeared as guest conductor with many leading orchestras Symphony’s own record label, he has released the symphonies of Tchaikovsky across the globe which, in addition to those above, include the Cleveland (nos. 4 and 5), Beethoven (nos. 5 and 7), Mahler (nos. 3 and 6) and Dvořák Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, (no. 9), and the world premiere recording of Steven Stucky’s concert drama WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Orchestre National de France, Oslo August 4, 1964. Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Recent highlights have included highly successful appearances at the Verbier In 1997, Jaap van Zweden and his wife Aaltje established the Papageno Festival, tours of major venues in Europe and China with the Hong Kong Foundation, the objective being to support families of children with autism. Philharmonic, and debuts with the Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Over the years, that support has taken shape through a number of programs in Budapest Festival Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Chamber Orchestra which professional music therapists and musicians, receiving additional training of Europe, the Boston and London Symphonies, and his BBC Proms debut from Papageno, use music as a major tool in their work with autistic children. conducting the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony. Papageno House, a new home for autistic young adults and children, was opened With the Dallas Symphony he launched the inaugural SOLUNA International in Laren, The Netherlands, in August, 2015, with Queen Maxima in attendance. Music & Arts Festival, and with the Hong Kong Philharmonic he has begun a four- year project to conduct the first ever performances in Hong Kong of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, which will be recorded for release on Naxos Records.

Jaap van Zweden has made numerous acclaimed recordings, which include Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Petrushka, Britten’s , and the complete Beethoven and Brahms symphonies. He has completed a cycle of Bruckner symphonies with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He has recorded Mahler’s Symphony no. 5 with the London Philharmonic (LPO Live), and Mozart Concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra and (Virgin). His highly praised performances of Lohengrin, Die Meistersinger and Parsifal are also available on CD/DVD, the latter of which earned Maestro van Zweden the prestigious Edison award for Best Opera Recording in 2012. For the Dallas

10 11 Combattimento Consort Amsterdam Combattimento Consort Amsterdam Jan Willem de Vriend, Leader Conductor | Violin 1 The Combattimento Consort Amsterdam was founded in 1982. It features three Jan Willem de Vriend oboes, bassoon, eight stringed instruments and harpsichord. A small, tight group with the sound of a chamber orchestra. Violin 1 Cello Christel Postma Michiel Weidner (Four Seasons) The ensemble specializes in performing baroque and early . In its Jan Paul Tavenier Tobias Prenen (works for strings) programming the Combattimento Consort attempts to combine lesser known chamber music from the seventeenth century with more familiar pieces from Violin 2 Double Bass the eighteenth century. Hence works by composers like Zelenka, Fux, Biber and Foskien Kooistra Jacques van de Meer the Dutchman Unico van Wassenaer are regular fixtures on the program. The Albert Adams interpretation of their work, the basis for any chamber orchestra’s repertoire, has Corinne van Eikema Homrnes Harpsichord/Organ had far-reaching consequences for the way in which the Combattimento Consort (four Seasons) Dominique Citroen approaches composers of later generations, like Bach, Haydn and Mozart. Viola Besides instrumental compositions, the ensemble performs vocal works as well, Annette Bergman including chamber operas by composers like Monteverdi and Rameau. The Consort’s point of departure is a style - conscious interpretation of music from 1550 to 1800, and not only in the technical aspects: indeed, the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam tries to give today’s audiences the same sensations as listeners in earlier centuries must have felt. Hawkins (1776): “... it’s a characteristic of Vivaldi’s music ... that it is rough and irregular ...”

Original biography from 1990. Combattimento Consort Amsterdam disbanded in 2014 to continue under the name Combattimento.

12 13 14 15 16 17 The Papageno Foundation The Papageno Foundation optimizes the quality of life of children and young adults with autism. The Foundation, set up by Jaap and Aaltje van Zweden, provides music therapy Executive producer: Anne de Jong and researches the effect of music on children with autism. Music therapy has been Recorded at: Stadsgehoorzaal Leiden, The Netherlands proved to enhance social skills. Children learn to express themselves better and take a Recording dates: 19-21 February, 4 June, 1990 stronger stand in society. Currently, 25 screened and certified Papageno music therapists Recording producer: Tiny Mathot travel throughout the Netherlands visiting children in their homes. Recording engineer: Adriaan Versteynen Remastering: Northstar Recording Services, Bert van der Wolf In 2015, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands opened the Papageno House in Laren, a home Harpsichord: Titus Crynen (Four Seasons), Joel Katzman for autistic children and young adults. Here, autistic youngsters can take their first steps Organ: Fama en Raadgever 1985 into independent living, guided by a professional staff. Music is the driving force behind A&R Challenge Records International: Anne de Jong the Papageno House; as a means of enticing the outside world into the house and as a Liner notes: Kees Vlaardingerbroek way for residents to express themselves and, most important, to stand up for themselves Translations: Monique Vierdag and Bruce Gordon in society. Booklet editing: Sarina Pfister Cover photo: Marco Borggreve The latest project of the Papageno Foundation is the creation of an early diagnostic Product coordination: Boudewijn Hagemans centre ‘De Toverfluit’. While every child develops differently, research confirms that early Graphic Design: Natasja Wallenburg & Juan Carlos Villarroel, newartsint.com diagnosis and treatment of autism improves outcomes, often dramatically. Art direction: New Arts International

www.stichtingpapageno.nl www.challengerecords.com / www.jaapvanzweden.com

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