Vivaldi, The Four Seasons: Recomposed by Max Richter

Vivaldi’s masterwork The Four Seasons (1725) is ubiquitous in concerts, advertisements, and elevators—which is what makes Max Richter’s 2012 remix so bold. The British composer discarded 75 per cent of the 1725 score, using the remainder for his postmodern, minimalist Recomposed By Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons. When there aren’t phases, loops, and layers of short melodic cells from the original concertos, the solo violinist plays exuberant, soaring melodies over lush string quartet accompaniments. Harpsichord features just enough to conjure up Baroque ghosts, and the “Spring” remixes have become a recognisable soundtrack to modern period TV dramas. The spacious dreamscapes on Recomposed By Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons capture the old seasonally themed atmospheres but amplify the verve of those original violins with insistent rhythmic drive and understated electronics.