Needles & Grooves AotM /// Vol. 13 - July 2020 /// Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

“It starts with a shimmer of something strange and soft, an ambient mist of strings that's both electronic and acoustic. Then something weird happens. Out of these shifting sonic tides comes an ensemble of violins – playing fragments of the world's most overfamiliar concerto, the soundtrack to 1,000 adverts, an on-hold phone favourite that features on every classical compilation ever. Yes, it's Vivaldi's Four Seasons – but not as we know it.” – Tom Service
Click to expand...

Announcing the July AotM! The first of Year Two. What a wild ride it was, but you got there in the end. Congratulations to @supahypeag for guessing it first, even if he did originally discount the guess!

My choice for the Album of the Month is ‘Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons’. This might be a divisive, strange and unexpected pick for some, and I must admit I was a bit nervous about picking it. But I went with my gut, I love this album and I am certain it brings something new to the table for us to discuss and listen to.

"It's beautiful, charming music with a great melody and wonderful colors. Then, later on, as I became more musically aware — literate, studied music and listened to a lot of music — I found it more difficult to love it. For me, the record and the project are trying to reclaim the piece, to fall in love with it again."– Max Richter
Click to expand...

So, why this album? Ever since I first heard it, and every subsequent time since, I never fail to be amazed at what Max Richter has accomplished by taking something so well known, and so iconic as the music of The Four Seasons and making it his own.

Without diluting so much as for it to become unrecognisable (impressive considering he said himself that he only used around 25% of the original music), but also not just simply replaying (or 'covering' 👀) the music with modern day production, what he has crafted here is a record of trancendental beauty, a hybrid of old and new and something that I think belongs in everyone’s collection.

I haven't got anything else to add, really. The music speaks for itself. What I will say, though, is that one day I dream to have 'Spring 1' play at some point during my wedding (if I ever get so lucky in a relationship to get that far and also pending said future wife's permission..!). That song casts a spell over me, and I can't think of a more magical day where it would befit.

"There are times I depart completely from the original, yes, but there are moments when it pokes through. I was pleased to discover that Vivaldi's music is very modular. It's pattern music, in a way, so there's a connection with the whole post-minimalist aesthetic I'm part of." – Max Richter
Click to expand...

Spotify Link:


Live Performance:
 
Alexander said:
Announcing the July AotM! The first of Year Two. What a wild ride it was, but you got there in the end. Congratulations to @supahypeag for guessing it first, even if he did originally discount the guess!

My choice for the Album of the Month is ‘Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons’. This might be a divisive, strange and unexpected pick for some, and I must admit I was a bit nervous about picking it. But I went with my gut, I love this album and I am certain it brings something new to the table for us to discuss and listen to.



So, why this album? Ever since I first heard it, and every subsequent time since, I never fail to be amazed at what Max Richter has accomplished by taking something so well known, and so iconic as the music of The Four Seasons and making it his own.

Without diluting so much as for it to become unrecognisable (impressive considering he said himself that he only used around 25% of the original music), but also not just simply replaying (or 'covering' 👀) the music with modern day production, what he has crafted here is a record of trancendental beauty, a hybrid of old and new and something that I think belongs in everyone’s collection.

I haven't got anything else to add, really. The music speaks for itself. What I will say, though, is that one day I dream to have 'Spring 1' play at some point during my wedding (if I ever get so lucky in a relationship to get that far and also pending said future wife's permission..!). That song casts a spell over me, and I can't think of a more magical day where it would befit.



Spotify Link:


Live Performance:
Click to expand...


Congratulations, the guess game was really funny and I had some serious laughs! I have nothing to add about your pick, I love this album too and I already have the record in my collection. I strongly recommend everybody to give this album a chance. It's classical music but not the classical music you think. It's really beautiful and very well done.

Thank you!
 
Thanks for the very entertaining guessing game @Alexander. 🙂👍 It was a lot of fun and really exciting. 👏 I've learned a lot about actors, movies, soundtracks, but the best is the RotM choice which is really beautiful. I've just ordered my copy on Amazon and probably already have it next week. I'm looking forward to spin it. 🎶
 
Alexander said:
Announcing the July AotM! The first of Year Two. What a wild ride it was, but you got there in the end. Congratulations to @supahypeag for guessing it first, even if he did originally discount the guess!

My choice for the Album of the Month is ‘Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons’. This might be a divisive, strange and unexpected pick for some, and I must admit I was a bit nervous about picking it. But I went with my gut, I love this album and I am certain it brings something new to the table for us to discuss and listen to.



So, why this album? Ever since I first heard it, and every subsequent time since, I never fail to be amazed at what Max Richter has accomplished by taking something so well known, and so iconic as the music of The Four Seasons and making it his own.

Without diluting so much as for it to become unrecognisable (impressive considering he said himself that he only used around 25% of the original music), but also not just simply replaying (or 'covering' 👀) the music with modern day production, what he has crafted here is a record of trancendental beauty, a hybrid of old and new and something that I think belongs in everyone’s collection.

I haven't got anything else to add, really. The music speaks for itself. What I will say, though, is that one day I dream to have 'Spring 1' play at some point during my wedding (if I ever get so lucky in a relationship to get that far and also pending said future wife's permission..!). That song casts a spell over me, and I can't think of a more magical day where it would befit.



Spotify Link:


Live Performance:
Click to expand...


Well done good....actually Great thread, for what it’s worth I put more effort in trying to work this out than any other thread (How foolish of me). Another 3 weeks and I might have got it 👌

Gonna search out best deal and grab it now. Alongside Dylans latest effort - A lovely friendship brewing if they are lucky enough to ship together.
 
duke86fan said:
seeing as the stuff that touched me was a piano based character performing the sheet but not in a very exact style, more of a personal admission of emotion out into the world (the character was once basically called a human metronome and a sheet music recreator), i think i need a focus on something a definitely harmonic, but focused on piano and textures, i dont mind it a little weird but i dont want it to the level of like schoenberg. the chopin but more emotive level is what im more expecting.. and i am still not used to violins and stuff

i also enjoy steve reichs music for 18 musicians and julius eastmans femenine even though they are a little too long
Click to expand...

May I throw a suggestion here?
Tori Amos - Night Of Hunters
She basically took a bunch of classical pieces and reworked to make them sound more like "songs". She wrote some lyrics to make a story that makes absolutely no sense (it's Tori Amos) and she plays the piano with strings and a clarinet. It's not rock per se, and she is not making any weird things. I can't be sure that you'll love the album, but it certainly works as a gate for another composers: you listen to the first song ("Shattering sea", AWESOME) and then check who wrote the original and then go deep into that composer's work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top