Antonio Vivaldi became the most famous Italian composer of the 18th century, The Four Seasons, having now taken his name into today’s world of ‘pop’ classics. The series of 12 concertos, known as ‘La Stravaganza’, date from around 1712, and were commissioned by a Venetian nobleman, Vettor Delfino, to demonstrate his musical virtuosity. It is a thrilling display of violin pyrotechnics, and demands a soloist of technical brilliance.