What distinguishes this performance of Vivaldi's perennial from others that I have heard is its sheer exuberance. In conveying that atmosphere it is, of course, greatly assisted by the astonishing clarity and immediacy which can be captured on a CD; there is a vivid contrast, for example, achieved between the solo violin and the muted ripieno violins in the pastoral dance finale of ‘Spring’; but these players have a vitality and a precision of ensemble which brings the music to life in a captivating manner. Hardly a detail is overlooked, not a sonority missed in the playing of Nils-Erik Sparf and the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble. Performances of The Four Seasons are too often rather polite affairs, studiously avoiding anything which might be regarded as a breach of decorum. These players respond to the music with an earthy robustness, never vulgar but forcefully emphasizing Vivaldi's gifts at caricature. Here is a sequence of pastoral vignettes whose varied moods and colours are picture picturesquely evoked in imaginative playing of considerable technical accomplishment. I am not implying that these readings are 'better' than other rivals in the field but that they capture a dimension frequently lacking in those of their competitors.

Amongst the many details that I enjoyed I would place foremost the playing of the solo violinist, Nils-Erik Sparf. His tone is strong and warm but, where necessary, as, for instance, in the opening movement of ‘Winter’, also effectively abrasive. In this movement, too, there are chilling sonorities from the double-bass and organ continuo. In slow movements Sparf's eloquent ornamentation of Vivaldi's text is effective—the Adagio of ‘Summer’ is a particularly fine example—and I enjoyed his embellishments elsewhere, too. The finale of this concerto, incidentally, is a veritable tornado with a thrilling realization of Vivaldi's Tuona e fulmina. Occasional lapses from perfect intonation seem a small price to pay for interpretative zeal of this order.

As I have implied, comparison with other available versions is, perhaps, unhelpful. This one is best regarded as a complement to and a contrast with any other performance that you may already have. Those in pursuit of the 'highest fi' should certainly place an order for it. Strongly recommended.