welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

Dear listener,
The changing of the seasons has always affected artistic
expression, for as far back as we can trace. Spring continues
to inspire the greatest creativity in music, from the tranquil
scenes of a river on its journey to the menacing treacherous
actions of storms. Central themes and visual images of the
many classical spring-tinged gems include mountain vistas,
forest scenes, sea cliffs and birdsong. From the Four Seasons
to the sacrificial rites, nature takes centre stage. These
masterpieces tell stories, each in such a fascinatingly original
way. primephonic is delighted to present this selection of
spring works gathered from across the centuries, drawing on
the traditions of different countries and of course featuring
not only diverse labels, but also an impressively eclectic array
of performers and composers. This holiday album is in keeping
what primephonic stands for, echoing its spirit as the classical
collective, bringing forth an impressive treasure trove of
classical music in the highest possible quality.
Rachel Deloughry, editor

welcome

timeline

Medieval

Traditional

Baroque

H. I. F. von Biber

CLASSICAL

F. J. Haydn

Romantic

L. van Beethoven

P. I. Tchaikovsky

R. Schumann

F. Delius

G. Mahler

I. Stravinsky

Early 20th

Late 20th

A. Piazzolla

Tracks

A. Vivaldi

M. Mussorgsky

Acknowledgements

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no 6 in F major op. 68,
Pastoral - III. Allegro Lustiges Zusammensein Der Landleute
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6

05:01

Astor Piazzolla
04:14
Las 4 estaciones portenas (arr. D. Plante for bandoneon and guitar) I. Primavera Portena
4 Piazzolla Buenos Aires

Antonio Vivaldi
The 4 Seasons: Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8, No. 1,
RV 269, La primavera (Spring) - I. Allegro
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons & String Concerti

03:28

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The Seasons, Op. 37b: III. March: Song of the Lark
Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No. 1 - Tchaikovsky: The Seasons

02:20

Igor Stravinsky
The Rite of Spring - Pt. 1 Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds
Raskatov: Piano Concerto Night Butterflies Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (Live)

03:25

Gustav Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde - Der Trunkene im Frhling
Gustav Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde

04:29

Modest Mussorgsky
Pictures at an Exhibition V. Ballet of the Chickens in their Shells
Freddy Kempf plays Mussorgsky, Ravel & Balakirev

01:16

Anonymous
Christus resurgens [12th Century, Processional antiphon]
Crossing the Channel (Music from Medieval France and
England, 10th-13th century)
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas - No. 10, The Crucifixion
Biber: Mystery Sonatas

10 Frederick Delius
Idylle Printemps
Delius: Piano Concerto - Paris - Idylle Printemps - Brigg Fair

10:18

11

Franz Joseph Haydn

Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), Hob.XXI:3 Der Fruhling (Spring): Ehre, Lob und Preis sei dir (Chorus)
Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten

02:39

12

Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 1 in B flat Op. 38 Spring Symphony III. Scherzo (Molto vivace)
Rubert Schumann - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

05:36

03:47

09:09

Total playing time:

55:42

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

1. Allegro - Lustiges Zusammensein Der Landleute

Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethovens Sixth Symphony, dubbed the pastoral, was first performed in
1808, by which time Beethovens deafness was quite advanced. Beethoven was a nature
lover in the truest sense. Light-heartedness is the trademark of the third movement,
entitled Merry Gathering of Country Folk, where Beethoven uses woodwind instruments
to humorous effect. The somewhat repetitive descending bassoon passages suggest a
rather lazy character and Beethoven deliberately makes it sound as though the oboist is
so relaxed that he misses his cue. At one point, the clarinet even comes close to imitating
a human chuckle. Although he described his pastoral symphony as more the expression
of feeling than painting, meaning that it was intended as a psychological stirring of ideas
rather than trying to show realistic scenes, it is in the third movement that he comes
closest to picture-painting.

2. Allegro (The 4 Seasons: Violin Concerto in E Major)

Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi composed his Four Seasons during a lucrative period in which he was
commissioned to write two concertos per month. The Four Seasons is a set of four violin
concertos, in which each season is conveyed. The first movement of spring, is one of the
all-time most recognisable melodies from the Baroque period. It borrows some motifs
from Vivaldis opera Il Giustino. The most unusual feature of the Four Seasons is that each
season is accompanied by a poem, which Vivaldi may have written himself. He made an
effort to transmute the meanings and imagery into the music, in this case, birdsong.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

3. Der Trunkene im Frhling (Das Lied von der Erde)

Gustav Mahler
The curse of the ninth laid bare the fact that no major composer since Beethoven had lived
to complete more than nine symphonies. Gustav Mahlers Das Lied von der Erde, composed
for orchestra and two solo voices, is classed as his ninth symphony, in every sense other
than name and form. Mahler, being well aware of the fate of other composers who had not
managed to complete more than nine symphonies, made sure to name his symphony with
the poetic Das Lied von der Erde rather than numbering it a symphony. He depicts country
people and expresses a range of moods, from peace and tranquillity to jolly drunkenness. In
the fifth movement, The Drunkard in Spring, Mahler uses a wide variety of ever-changing key
signatures and the extremes, from soothing lyricism to vigorous angst.

4. Ballet of the Chickens in their Shells

(Pictures at an Exhibition)
Modest Mussorgsky
Modest Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition is a suite in ten movements, which brings forth
a virtual tour through an art exhibition. A recurring promenade theme depicts a walk between
the various pictures. Originally composed for piano and one of the showpiece mainstays for
virtuoso pianists, it has also been orchestrated various times, most famously by Ravel and
Rimsky-Korsakov. After the tragically early death of Mussorgskys friend, the eminent artist
Viktor Hartmann, the influential music critic Vladimir Stasov organised an exhibition of over
400 of his artworks. This inspired Mussorgsky to compose what would prove to be his most
famous solo piano work. The Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks depicts a painting of Hartmanns
design for the dcor of a picturesque scene in the ballet Trilby according Vladimir Stasov.
Here, the canary chicks dance inside their shells.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

5. Christus resurgens [12th Century, Processional antiphon]

Anonymous
Christus resurgens is a processional antiphon from the 12th century, performed by
Ensemble Providencia. Two of the performers are editors of the works, an impressive
undertaking, which sought to trace the development of musical language of France
and England during the Medieval period. The gently clashing medieval harmonies sound
somewhat timeless. Although composing and singing was the typical activity of monks at
the time, the use of females voices is not in the least out of place. It was also customary for
composers to write new melodies to existing texts and vice versa, hence the large volumes
of anonymous compositions from the period.

6. No. 10, The Crucifixion

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
The Rosary Sonatas, also known as the Mystery Sonatas by Heinrich Ignaz von Biber are a
collection of short sonatas for violin and continuo. Each sonata is named after a Christian
rosary devotion to the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Although Biber left behind a massive
legacy as one of the most important composers for the violin in its long history, his Rosary
Sonatas were missing. They are thought to have been completed in 1676, however they were
not published for another 230 years. Since their discovery and publication in the early 20th
century, they have remained his most famous works. Biber used a different type of tuning for
each sonata, which helped to create unusual and varied sonorities and colours throughout. The
sonatas are historically significant not only due to the fact that they were ground-breakingly
challenging for the developing violin but also due to the fact that the changes in tuning
provided different harmonic intervals that were considered far from the norm at the time.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

7. Primavera Portea (Las 4 estaciones portenas)

Astor Piazzolla
Composed in 1970, Primavera Portea literally translated as Buenos Aires Spring is
Piazzollas take on spring. Although they form a unit, The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (Las
4 Estaciones Porteas) were composed on different occasions and were originally treated
as separate works. They were originally written for Piazzollas own quintet which consisted
of violin or viola, piano, electric guitar, double bass and bandoneon. They have since been
arranged and transcribed for many instrument combinations, from string quartet to guitar
and bandoneon duo.

8. March: Song of the Lark (The Seasons, Op. 37b)

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovskys The Seasons is a set of 12 short character pieces, each depicting a different
month of the year. The timeline of The Seasons composition closely coincided with that of
Tchaikovskys Swan Lake. Each one was accompanied by poetic epigraphs collected by the
works publisher Nikolay Bernard. March was written by the poet Apollon Maykov:
Mars (March): Chant de lalouette (Song of the Lark)
The field shimmering with flowers,
the stars swirling in the heavens,
the song of the lark
fills the blue abyss.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

9. Pt. 1 Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds

Igor Stravinsky
Spring rounds from Stravinskys lauded Rite of Spring is a slow laborious theme that wanders
upwards into a dissonant fortissimo blast. Stravinsky was hoping that his ballet, the Rite of
Spring would be an even bigger hit than his Petruschka the previous year. The progressive
and provocative ballet choreographer Diaghilev was hoping for more than mere attention
from the critics he wished to cause havoc and indeed what came about was a riot! From
the pulsating rhythms and stamping of the dancers to the primal earthiness of Russian
primitivism and pagan rites, the work proved to be new and challenging for performers and
listeners alike.

10. Idylle Printemps

Frederick Delius
Frederick Deliuss often unjustly neglected Idylle de printemps (A Spring Idyll) brings
a sense of tranquillity, hence its very apt title. Composed in 1889, it is full of the
quintessentially English sonority Delius is usually associated with. His influences abroad
should not be underestimated, however this was a composer that spent many years
learning the business trade on an orange plantation.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

11. Der Fruhling (Spring): Ehre, Lob und Preis sei dir
(Chorus)
Franz Joseph Haydn
On the strength of his wildly successful Creation, Haydn was inspired to compose
The Seasons, based on the libretto by Baron Gottfried van Swieten. It was intended
as a bilingual work in both German and English, because of Haydns popular appeal in
England. Van Swietens English was less than perfect and the passages in English initially
provoked disdain, but it does not detract from the beauty of the work as a whole.

12. Scherzo (Molto vivace), Spring Symphony

Robert Schumann
Schumanns Spring Symphony was his first symphonic work, composed in 1841, a year
after his marriage to Clara Wieck. Up to this point, Schumanns reputation rested on
his compositions for piano and voice, but it was Clara who had encouraged him to start
composing symphonic music. Schumann sketched the work in four days and had it
completed a month later. Its premiere took place on 31 March 1841 in Leipzig with none
other than Felix Mendelssohn conducting.

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

The Classical Collective

VIEW ALL LABELS

The primephonic team

Head of primephonic
Veronica Neo

Curation & liner notes

Rachel Deloughry

Marketing manager
Eike-Katharina Puhlmann

Audio production
Remko van der Weerd

Concept & design

Veronica Neo

Marketing assistant
Domingo Fernandez

welcome

timeline

Tracks

Acknowledgements

About primephonic
primephonic believes that the most passionate music lovers among us should be able to access
the best available sound for their equipment as well as the most varied range of classical music
from across the musical industry. We offer thousands of tracks from the worlds leading labels
as well as hidden treasures brought to us by small independent labels. Besides working in close
proximity with our labels, we also believe in sharing knowledge in the field of high end audio
and classical music as we work towards our goal - to enable everyone to enjoy classical music in
the highest quality possible, in the most accessible manner.

Join us in our community !

High CD Quality

PREMIUM Studio Quality

WAV Stereo
44.1 kHz (16 bit)

FLAC Stereo and Surround

44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192 kHz (24 bit)

High

PREMIUM Expert Format

pro

DSD Stereo and Surround
2.8224 MHz