It was Nigel Kennedy’s 1989 recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons that catapulted him to international stardom, a disc that eventually sold in excess of three million copies. Nigel was heralded as ‘a Liberace for the nineties’ and since then the charismatic violinist has continued to produce chart-topping albums
Nigel Kennedy’s loved recordings
The Four Seasons
English Chamber Orchestra
Warner Classics 2564628814
Kennedy’s original still sounds as if it could have been made yesterday – sparky, energetic and tastefully different, it set the bar for others to try to reach. It is one of the best recordings of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons ever
Elgar Violin Concerto
LPO/Vernon Handley
EMI Classics 4332872
Recorded when Kennedy was just 16, this award-winning disc is the natural heir to Yehudi Menuhin’s own legendary 1932 recording under the baton of Elgar himself.
Brahms Violin Concerto
LPO/Klaus Tennstedt
The first movement’s pace may be on the slow side, but Kennedy makes up for it with scintillating, clear, lyrical playing and his own quirky cadenza. The slow movement is sublime.
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
English Chamber Orchestra/Jeffrey Tate
Recorded two years before their 1989 Four Seasons, Kennedy and the ECO have a wonderful sense of tempo and drama: the finale may be unrushed but it’s still sprightly.
Sibelius Violin Concerto
CBSO/Simon Rattle
EMI Classics 749 7172
A winning combination here, with Rattle and the CBSO sweeping Kennedy along in their wake back in 1992. It’s an exciting listen with just the right amount of swagger.
East Meets East
The Kroke Band
EMI Classics 557 5122
Now for something completely different – Kennedy’s imaginative but light exploration of eastern European and Arabic music is an enjoyable romp.
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