Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons are among the best known, most
frequently recorded works from the Baroque era. At the other end of
the spectrum lies another, similar Four Seasons by Vivaldi's
contemporary and compatriot Giovanni Guido, also known as Giovanni
Antonio. Ironically it may be true that Guido's was actually the earlier
work, by perhaps as much as five years, and a source of inspiration
for Vivaldi.
It must be said that Guido does not reach the same lofty levels of
invention as Vivaldi, yet his Four Seasons, atmospheric and
beautifully written, amount to more than a mere change of air or scene.
Certain passages and flourishes can momentarily fool the listener
into thinking these are actually Vivaldi's Seasons, but Guido
notably incorporates French elements into the Italianate, recalling
perhaps Corelli at times. His title is translated as Musical Divertissements
on the Four Seasons of the Year, and like Vivaldi's was published
with a set of (anonymous) poems, The Characters of the Seasons.
No explanation is offered in the accompanying booklet or on Divine
Art's website as to why this 2004 account has taken eight years to
reach publication. By coincidence, what is possibly the only other
recording also appeared in 2004, with Federico Guglielmo's l'Arte
dell'Arco ostensibly performing Vivaldi's and Guido's Four Seasons
side by side, on CPO (777 037-2). That was a single disc, which thus
suggests a logistic impossibility, given that the Vivaldi typically
runs to 40-45 minutes. Indeed, l'Arte dell'Arco are unfeasibly quicker
in the Guido: 7:10 for Spring, 3:33 for Summer, 4:04 Autumn and 2:55
for Winter. This contemporary review,
which incidentally gives a now superseded birthdate of c.1650 for
Guido, considers this work a mere fantasy on Vivaldi's, written "after
1733". Whether Giuglielmo omitted material or more had recently been
discovered by Roger Hamilton and co is not clear, but certainly the
CPO recording cannot be compared to the present one.
Undistinguished though The Band of Instruments may be by name, when
it comes to performance, they are more than a match for l'Arte dell'Arco.
Lead violinist Caroline Balding aside, the ensemble consists of two
violins, a cello, contrabass and harpsichord. According to New Grove
Guido's concertos are scored for three violins, flutes, oboes, harpsichord,
viola and cello, which suggests that the Band of Instruments have
departed somewhat fromGuido's intentions. Nonetheless, the results
are effective and persuasive, suavely directed by Hamilton from his
unobtrusive harpsichord.
Sound quality is fairly exemplary - pellucid and spacious, yet still
warm and intimate. The English-French notes are concise rather than
expansive, but they are informative and well written and include the
full texts of the poems 'set' by Guido, albeit in French only and
perversely not laid out in playing order.
Alas, little of Guido's music has survived, although all hope is not
lost: as he disappeared from historical records after 1728, he may
yet resurface in some dusty archive, along with a bundle of manuscripts.
Meanwhile, whilst no one with any musical sensitivity should ever
tire of listening regularly to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Guido's
own memorable account deserves its own place on playlists and in recital
halls.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
