I'm preparing 'Autumn' for the 2009 Al Kamandjati Baroque Tour. I'm looking forward immensely to returning to Palestine and seeing how things have changed since June.
There are so many recordings of the Four Seasons (is it one of the most recorded pieces of all time?), that it would take too long to go through every existing recording beforehand. At the moment, I mainly find myself listening to the piece for enjoyment rather than scholarly research purposes!
I keep finding myself coming back to Nigel Kennedy. Whether it's simply because his presentation was epoch-making, or whether it's just because it's just such a fun, cheeky interpretation, I don't know. But I like it! Here's his Autumn on YouTube:
The version I find the most thrilling is that by Pekka Kuusisto, who plays it very roughly, as if in a lunatic frenzy. The result is a novel and very exciting take on the music. His attacking style clearly requires enormous control and precision.