Vivaldi - The Four Seasons / Kennedy, English Chamber Orchestra

Rating:
Summary: Bad Boy playing violin.
Review: This guy is always surprising. Here, we can watch a "MTV-like Vivaldi Performance".
In front of a young audience, Kennedy (former know as "Nigel Kennedy", something like Prince's change of name) plays the fiddle with a lot of bravura, although not faultless. At some moments, he improvises a bit (mostly at slow movements), jumps a bit (making some boring noises), makes strange faces.
But, after all, we have the impression of having seen a competent musician, with his own ideas about Vivaldi and the way of play it, accompanied by a superb team of musicians, the English Chamber Orchestra.
I believe this is a better choice compared to Karajan/Mutter version: the austrian maestro choiced very slow tempi, and the Berliners are playing with a huge formation, innadequate for baroque.
Well, despite some minor faults (jumps and other idiosyncrasies)
and a very modern production (including exotic camera angles, scenarios - very funny at "Summer", and other "special effects", related to pop music videos), is a interesting DVD. Musically, is very good - true team spirit between Kennedy and the ECO, the high level of these musicians, and good "extras", like the poems by Vivaldi himself about the seasons.

Rating:
Summary: Kennedy knows and loves Vivaldi
Review: While this performance may not appeal to authenticity purists, I find it quite inspiring and enjoyable. Kennedy is truly interested in and inspired by Vivaldi, as am I. Highly recommended for the more adventurous classical enthusiast.