The Original Four Seasons

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THE ORIGINAL FOUR SEASONS

VANESSA-MAE'S SPECTACULAR INTERPRETATION OF THE

FAMOUS CLASSICS 'THE FOUR SEASONS'

AND 'THE DEVIL'S TRILL SONATA

The Original Four Seasons - track listing

THE ORIGINAL FOUR SEASONS - Vivaldi, arr. Vanessa-Mae & Pamela Nicholson

Spring: Allegro - Largo e pianissimo sempre - Allegro
Summer: Allegro non molto - Adagio - '
Autumn: Allegro - Adagio - La Caccia
Winter: Allegro non molto - Largo - Allegro

THE DEVIL'S TRILL SONATA - Tartini, arr. Vanessa-Mae & Pamela Nicholson

Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro moderato - Grave (allegro assai - grave - allegro assai - cadenza - andante - largo)

DEVIL'S TRILL - original arr. Vanessa-Mae (from the silent movie 'The Violin Fantasy')

REFLECTION - Mathew Wilder, arr. Vanessa-Mae (from Disney's animated movie 'Mulan')

(Recorded at Whitfield Street Studios, Abbey Road Studios)

Overall impression:
On this album, Vanessa-Mae clearly proofs that classical is not boring but can, in fact, be adventurous if the musicians dare to interpreted and translate the original ideas of the composer into modern views larded with contemporary technological potentials of our times. Vanessa-Mae in collaboration with her mother succeeded in making and recording the classical themes of the famous well known and often performed Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' and Tartini's 'Devil's Trill Sonata' in rigorously restructured arrangements. Critics argue that with this the original baroque character of these pieces has been violated. In a fact, in some way, they are right with this and those who agree that such is 'not done' probable be better off if they keep listening to musicians who perform both pieces in the traditional arrangements as scored by the composers. In my opinion, Vanessa-Mae's arrangements are very interesting, created with utmost integrity and honesty, and suit her personality and style very well. Therefore, her attempt to create something new and modern in performing 'The Four Seasons' and 'The Devil's Trill Sonata' must be welcomed as a valuable addition to existing catalogue of so many versions of well-known pieces that too often, besides of course the many excellent versions of famous musicians that are available too, add no new ideas and views to the original scores. Vanessa-Mae's 'The Original Four Seasons' is an interpretation for music lovers who are able to listen with an open mind to new ideas and who value the boldness and eager for adventure that Vanessa-Mae and her musicians exhibit on this album.

The musicians that accompany Vanessa-Mae on this album form 'The Laureates,' an ensemble founded by Vanessa-Mae's former tutor Vasko Vassilev, concert master of the 'Royal Opera House Orchestra.' The Laureates is an ensemble that consists of only international award winning musicians, and it is somewhat curious to realise that Vanessa-Mae as the prominent soloist is the only musician that never took part in any international contest.

The quality of the recording is high and the sound is balanced, nicely blended which makes the disc pleasantly listening. Variations in the dynamics are excellent and the sound is bright, and the definition of the various instruments easy to make. Vanessa-Mae's solo violin sound is brilliantly defined. Vanessa-Mae plays very well, as do all accompanying musicians throughout the album.

The French release has a booklet in the French language!

The art work:
The booklet consists of one piece light purple glossy paper folded into 16 pages, including the cover photo and back side. The cover photo shows Vanessa-Mae in close up in a tempting pose with exposed shoulders, bending her face, that is very heavily made up, side wards to her left shoulder; in doing so, she throws her long shinning black hair in the same direction alongside her stretched shoulder and arm, whirling around her neck. Vanessa-Mae's eyes are closed showing the shadow in grades from dark blue to light purple up from her lids to the brows brows, filling the space fully and from there it gradually fades to her temples above the soft blush that shows on her cheeks in the same pink colour as her lipstick, colours that nicely contrast to light toned complexion of covering foundation crème. Obviously in a symbolic way, the temptation that exhibits from this fine photo not only reflects to Vanessa-Mae as person, but it also holds an invitation to explore the adventurous music that can be listened to on the album. All in all, a wonderful and very appropriate cover for a renewing and modern version of old classics.

The text parts introduce the members of 'The Laureates' biographically and shows small photos of them. Also the booklet contains an extensive description of the music and its backgrounds written by Vanessa-Mae. In her personal notes, Vanessa-Mae tells that she played both Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata for many years since - as she describes it herself - 'I was a Une Petit Enfant Terrible.' Vanessa-Mae describes the Devil's Trill Sonata as especially challenging as a 'physically gruelling piece. Because she is fortunately blessed with 'good hands,' Vanessa-Mae had no problems learning to play the Devil's Trill. Also as Vanessa-Mae describes, her accompanying musicians possess so much technical abilities and musicality that the inherent difficulties of both pieces, as well the additional challenges caused by these special arrangements exhibit no real problems to them. Vanessa-Mae claims that adapting the scores of the music is viable since no original adn autographed manuscripts exist of both Vivaldi's and Tartini's composition.

The term extemporisation is explained in the special notes. Extempore embellishment or melodic embellishment is explained as the spontaneous (improvisation) addition of musical figures by the performing musician - in the days of Vivaldi and Tartini this was often the composer who, of course, knows all ins and outs of the score. Most of the time though certainly not only, melodic embellishment was confined to the solo parts.

A short note is made on Vanessa-Mae's 'Silent Movie: The Violin Fantasy' that uses music from 'Original The Four Seasons.' Vanessa-Mae uses the music of 'The Original Four seasons' as inspiration for displaying a combination of images and dance for this unique project.

A second short note explains the relation between 'Reflection' as Vanessa-Mae plays it on this album and the Disney animated movie 'Mulan.'

Finally, there is a group photo of Vanessa-Mae with The Laureates and, of course, a track listing.

Scans of the booklet (click thumbnails to view larger images)

The music

'The Original Four Seasons'
Vivaldi's Four Seasons probable represent one of the first attempts to compose 'programmatic music. The music is inspired by four sonnets describing the four seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter. The original composition exhibits real baroque character of Vivaldi's times. Vanessa-Mae together with her mother created an arrangement that restructures Vivaldi's composition into a modern theme that they call 'The Original Four Seasons.' All movements have been heavily embellished to make it challenging for the performers to play. Notes have been added to create excitement and additional difficulties to play the notes since the total length of the piece has hardly changed with respect to more traditional interpretations. This all means that the degree of difficulty has increased significantly. Vanessa-Mae excels on all solo parts showing her great technical abilities and expressive power as violinist exhibiting her very recognisable and fine sound once again. The music opens all possibilities for the listener to fantasy images and scenes belonging to the specific season to the music.

The following fantasies are my own when I listen to the music:

Spring:
The nature coming to live again after a cold and long winter. As an example, the flirting sound of the solo violin in the Allegro mimics the start of growing and loving chirping birds looking for partners. Other scenes symbolise the cold foggy day break exemplary for the season.

Summer:
Hot summer days of laziness are relieved with summer storms with lightning and thunder. The 6th movement 'Tempo impetuoso d'estate' is the basis for Vanessa-Mae hit single 'Storm' that is on the album with the same name.

Autumn:
Farmers collecting the harvest after growth through the warm summer weather. A party to celebrate the successful harvest is eminently heard in the joyful music. Then there is the silence awaiting the autumn storms.

Winter:
Cold and darkness of the long winter nights are expressed. Pleasant and cosy family gatherings in the warm sheltered homes

The Devil's Trill Sonata
The legend goes that in 1713 the devil inspired Tartini in his dream to compose the a devilish difficult piece for violin. 'The Devil's Trill Sonata' is the result of the devil's visit to Tartini's imagination translated by him to the score to equal the best of his memory of what he heard the devil play to him in his dream. Vanessa-Mae changed the composition in a real showpiece. The use of the organ enhances the supernatural element and romantic horror atmosphere full of technical difficulties. In the 3rd movement at the moment when only the violin plays, Vanessa-Mae truly does great work in masterly play and showcasing all the devilish notes.

Devil's Trill
Vanessa-Mae's modern interpretation inspired by a ringing mobile phone played on electric violin. The composition is the basis for the Siemens campaign for their new model phone in which Vanessa-Mae plays a prominent role together with fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier and F1 pilot Hakinnen. The song is spectacular and up tempo and can serve very well as ring tone for a mobile phone. Vanessa-Mae earns great successes with her composition live on stage at her concerts.

Reflection
Cover of Mathew Wilder's composition that is used in the animated Disney movie 'Mulan.' The song is sweet and quiet, a bit sentimental by nature. The violin part is easy listening and very nice; the accompanying arrangements are marvellous and brilliant.

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