Vivaldi & Piazzolla: The Eight Seasons

A unique album from one of Scotland's most dynamic and versatile groups—the Scottish Ensemble is a tight-knit band of outstanding string players from around Europe who perform regularly together under Artistic Director, Jonathan Morton. This album—one of their first solo releases following acclaimed albums with artists such as Alison Balsom and Toby Spence—contrasts Vivaldi's timeless Four Seasons with Piazzolla's tango-inspired The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Combining Vivaldi and Piazzola together like this underlines the meteorological and cultural differences between Mediterranean Europe and the heart of South America. To have them performed side by side creates a fascinating programme of similarities and contrasts.

SIGCD231  68 minutes 42 seconds
'This new recording was made at a concert at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, although strangely a sense of the occasion is hard to detect. The playing standard is excellent, with the strings of the Sco ...
'The multiple performances have allowed the players to hone their ensemble skills, and they play with remarkable precision. That is not unusual in Vivaldi recordings, but by applying those baroque sta ...