Forma Antiqva / Aarón Zapico ANTONIO VIVALDI The Four Seasons

The starting point of this recording is Vivaldi's sonnets, which describe in almost trivial seeming episodes the changing seasons. Caine and Bleckmann have set these sonnets to music like a delicate spring song, the summer turns into an electronic experiment. The autumn leaves come along in a poppy way, frosty the mystically recited winter. Afterwards the young wild ones of Forma Antiqva under the musical direction of Aarón Zapico may play the Vivaldi concertos. […] Their sound is clear and pure, but is also capable of sounding pretty dirty. Then it is pure Rock 'n' Roll. On this CD every flower, every bird, every snowflake breathes. A subtle and fierce Vivaldi in one recording, which shows that these Four Seasons are still far from being ultimately invented. (Radio NDR)

… the Four Seasons are of such enchanting, captivating, haunting and colourful vibrancy, that this can rightly be called a reference recording of historical performing practice: … Aarón Zapico and Forma Antiqva succeed in presenting an expressive, three-dimensional abundance of highest narrative strength, Aitor Hevia plays the violin in a vivid, present, virtuosic and variable style. […] Uri Caine and Theo Bleckmann dare to contribute their own versions of spring, summer, autumn and winter preceding every concerto, performed and … declaimed with the means of our days … It's more than music, an AudioFilm between baroque and contemporary music … (Jazzpodium)

It is a harsh, experimental approach to these famous pieces, highly virtuosic and full of suspense, interrupted by the sweet moments of the slow movements. But when the summer thunderstorm comes and unloads or the floating ice sheets crack under highest tension on the lagoon this is unheard of thus far ... [One of the most fascinating albums of the last months.] (Radio MDR Figaro)