Max Richter is a trailblazer in the world of contemporary music. Continuously re-imagining the possibilities and blurring the lines between genres, Richter has made a career of opening doors that once never existed. Recently, he has chosen the task of revitalizing a masterpiece of nearly three hundred years. Inspired greatly by the piece himself, Max used this project as an opportunity to bring The Four Seasons to the attention of 21st-century music lovers, and the result is a beautiful contemporary work with the spirit of 18th-century Vivaldi beaming throughout.
"...[Recomposed] goes to the soul of the piece and as a result we learn
not just about a new concerto, but we learn about Vivaldi as well."
- Daniel Hope, violinist
Richter picked his favorite bits of the score and reshaped them into "new objects", layering and looping familiar fragments to reinvigorate a work diminished by overuse in elevators, TV ads and as telephone "holding music". "I only kept about 25 percent of the notes but there's Vivaldi DNA in all of it," says Max.
Follow the links below to hear for yourself:
A few things you need to know about Max:
Composer, musician, producer, remixer and collaborator extraordinaire, Richter defies definition. An enigma he may be; what is beyond argument is that he is one of the most prolific musical artists of his generation.
Inspired as much by Tri Angle Records as Renaissance Polyphony, Richter blends baroque beauty with minimalist methodology, classical orchestration with modern technology.
The result is a monumental body of work encompassing concert music, operas, ballets, art and video installations, multiple film, theatre and television scores and a series of acclaimed solo albums incorporating poetry and literature.
In March 2014, Max Richter signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon.
The next chapter of his extraordinary career is now set to unfold...Listen for him on HBO's new show, The Leftovers.