Surprise surprise; Punxastuwney Phil saw his shadow, and we're in for a long winter. My friends back on the east coast were sooo caught off guard. Thus this week's list:

Antonio Vivaldi: Winter from The Four Seasons Here's an interesting interpretation with Gidon Kremer and the Baltic Camerata and views from Scotland accompanying a slightly more traditional interpretation. I found it interesting how both of these tend to speed up the middle movement more than the traditional 20th century interpretations.

Aulis Sallinen, arranged by the Kronos Quartet: Winter Was Hard recording from lala; complete CD here

Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 4 in G Major - not written for winter, per se, but the sleigh beels have always conjured up images of winter for me. The last movement was the genesis for this composition, centering itself around the song Das himmlische Leben from The Child's Magic Horn. There's a nice CD collection with Klaus Tennstedt conducting the London Philharmonic, and Lucia Popp (soprano). I have Kathleen Battle with Maazel conducting Vienna, which I can't track down on Amazon; I also own Yoel Levi conducting Atlanta with Frederica von Stade.

If you can find your way through youtube, there's Bernard Haitink conducting the Concertgebouw with Christine Schäfer. This a shorter Mahler work, but everything - every movement is divided up. Starting with I. Bedächtig, nicht eilen, II. In gemächlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast, III. Ruhevoll, poco adagio - this is Bernstein with Vienna because there's no video of Haitink and the Concertgebouw on youtube, and finishing with IV. Sehr behaglich. Again, you'll need to search out the other portions of the movements.

Snowbound this weekend? Yeah, you got time.