And yet, violinist Elena Uriotse and the majority Black and ethnically diverse Chineke! Orchestra treat The New Four Seasons as a contemporary work, adding energy, exuberance and a sense of fun.

This may seem like a curious statement, given that the album was recorded on period instruments (“gut strings”), which the performers had to learn: a Baroque touch that one would guess might make the music sound older. In contrast, The New Four Seasons sounds like now. Yet after only ten years, Recomposed has begun to settle into the same fate, licensed to multiple media outlets, growing familiar to even peripheral listeners. Ten years ago, Max Richter unraveled Vivaldi’s work and stitched it back together, feeling that the original had “lost its impact through overexposure.” In doing so, he breathed new life into a classic. Let’s tackle the obvious question first: if a person already owns Recomposed, why might they want to purchase The New Four Seasons? The question is valid, the answer simple: they sound as different as two versions of the same work can be.

Vivaldi four seasons max richter