Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons / Le Quattro Stagioni / Die Vier Jahreszeiten / Les Quatre Saisons

It is a record-breaking recording: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, recorded in 1984 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Herbert von Karajan on the podium and harpsichord, was the first classical music album ever to achieve platinum status. The CD of records has long since earned its place in the Hall of Fame of legendary recordings. Now it is also gaining vinyl dignity!

It was two days in June 1984 when Vivaldi's Seasons sounded in the time-honoured ceremonial hall of the Vienna Hofburg. At that time, no one would have believed in the record that would later be set. But it was clear to everyone involved that this was a special recording: the young violinist, then barely 21 years old, had been discovered years before by Herbert von Karajan. After recordings of works by Mozart and romantic virtuoso works, the four baroque concertos were intended to show a new side of the artist, who was just about to reach the first zenith of her international career. The many naturalistic depictions in them - such as birdsong, thunderous storms and joyous celebrations - offered Anne-Sophie Mutter entirely new possibilities for musical expression. Her extremely passionate performance of these stories of the course of the year helped lay the foundation for a Vivaldi mania that has continued unabated ever since.