Search - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / Julia Fischer Violin / The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields on DVD

Beautiful Music, Not so Visual

wagnerian | Caliifornia | 11/24/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am a big time Julia Fischer fan. The first time I heard Julia playing was when I was listening to local classical FM radio. I immediately noticed beauty of her performance.
It was Mozart violin concerto. I thought it was better than Arthur Grumiaux, Anne Sophie-Mutter, Itzhak Pearlman et al.
Her Mozart cycle became my favorite since then.

So I purchased Vivaldi DVD, my expectation was wonderfully fulfilled by Julia. Her technique is impeccable, interpretation is fresh and powerful; all in all this performance is at least equals or even surpasses the legendary recording of I Musici with Felix Ayo.

Why then two stars?
It is visual. I just do not comprehend who picked those four dresses she wore for four seasons.
Those are beyond bad taste. It especially hurts because her playing so beautiful, Julia is so pretty, and Wales Botanical Garden surroundings are so exquisite.
How can someone chose that green hair piece for Spring? Who were the stylist/costume and stage designers?

Oh, I am so sorry Julia. And forgive me if you got upset reading my review!
But I just wanted to say those dresses failed your magnificent achievement.
"

Re-release of Julia Fischer original first DVD

Music Lover | W. Europe , USA | 06/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a re-master of the original DVD which has been sold out for more than a year. I am a Fischer fan, so I am very relief that it is being released again.

Aside from the funny costume for both Julia and the members of St. Martin-In-The-Fields, the music is Divine. It actually should be released as a audio CD and not a visual DVD, as the music is fantastic, but the directing is...no comment.

The production was first recorded in 2001, so it was done when Julia was quite young, and this is what makes it amazing. At such a tender age, the mastery and the artistry of her musical talent is oozing out already. She plays it without Sir Neville Mariner conducting and the concerto came out beautifully.

In the DVD, the Winter is absolutely serenely beautiful until the tempest come and gone, then it becomes picturesque again.

The glass structure, in case anybody interested, is in England designed by the world famous architect of Norman Foster.

The is a DVD that is worth keeping. I have been waiting for more than a year for this and now I am happy.

I would highly recommend this to you if you are a Julia Fischer fan."