Music evolves from the lyrical and impressionistic figures in “Spring”, to the intense and angular gestures in “Winter”.

The piano accompaniment is written in a dramatic manner, coloristic and dynamic. The vocal line captures the bleak but romantic poetic essence of the stories. “Winter” describes an anxious woman sewing a winter coat late at midnight: she dreams the coat will be sent to her husband, keeping him warm and safe from the brutal winter wind in a war zone. “Autumn” depicts the yearning heart of a young woman: under the moonlight and feeling the soft blow of autumn wind, she laments the passing of time and wishes the safe return of her loved one from war. “Summer” communicates optimism through the sunny portrayal of blooming lotus in a lake: she awaits effortlessly in a boat, but can only catches a glimpse at the royal house afar. “Spring” is a sweet lament expressing the sentiment of a young woman: while calmly plucking mulberry and admiring the beautiful landscape in early spring, she sadly watches the departure of their loved ones going to war. This release rewards the listener on many levels.This work is inspired by the “Four Seasons” poems by Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty. The technical demands do not hinder him, do not call attention to themselves or him. His balancing of textures brings out the many melodic strands and harmonic treasures. His unself-conscious and seemingly effortless expression has a broad and appealing range, without resorting to the maudlin. Architectural shaping of the pieces comes easy to him. “Biegel brings a lush sound and elastic sense of rhythm to his interpretations. This is complemented by equally effective arrangements by Andrew Gentile of two of Vivaldi’s other beloved concertos for mandolin and lute. Bach when he transcribed a number of Vivaldi’s other concertos for keyboard, this disc presents a sparkling new version of The Four Seasons for solo piano by Jeffrey Biegel. Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons are among the most popular of Baroque concertos and have inspired musicians to perform them in their original form and in many different guises.įollowing the lead given by J.S.

Four seasons piano