antonio vivaldi summer finale from the four seasons

The Adagio slow movement is simply entitled “Flies and Bluebottles.” Boldly experimental, the music depicts the harvester in repose with a storm gathering in. Summer: The Allegro first movement, “Languor caused by the heat – the Cuckoo – the Turtledove – the Goldfinch – Gentle Zephyrs – Various winds – the North-Wind – Young Countryman’s Lament,” is absolutely filled with events, somewhat obscuring the Rondo form, but the description is superb. The Allegro third movement is simply inscribed “Country Dance.” The violas become the bass instruments, and delightfully, represent the barking dog with a repeated figure. The second movement, a Largo, describes “A sleeping goatherd – Rustling of foliage – The dog barks – The goat-herder and his faithful dog.” Under the beautiful violin solo, the cellos and harpsichord are silent. Spring: Marked Allegro, the first movement is inscribed, “Spring’s awakening – Song of the birds – The Springs gush out – Thunder – The song of the birds.” In the Baroque Rondo form, this movement is in five sections, fluidly descriptive. The original score has the appropriate phrases printed in. The sonnets themselves are rather pedestrian, at least in translation, but Vivaldi enshrined them in the richest surroundings.

The inspiration for The Four Seasons came from a set of four anonymous sonnets, from which Vivaldi took descriptive phrases to direct the development of musical ideas. Vivaldi combined the structure of the solo concerto with the musical depiction of events found in nature, with telling results. The Four Seasons were boldly experimental when they were published in 1725.

Since then, enthusiasm has hardly wavered. At a time when music was comparatively ephemeral, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons outlived musical fashion to such an extent that Rousseau, some thirty-five years after Vivaldi’s death, produced a flute transcription for publication.

Vivaldi, producing in his career something over four hundred concertos, achieved in this set of four linked violin concertos a work of transcendent quality that completely overshadowed not only his own other efforts, but most of the concertos of his contemporaries. Yet The Four Seasons, after some sixty years of regular performance, appears to be as well-loved as ever. Generally, when a work is as resoundingly popular as The Four Seasons, there is a very great danger that it will become hackneyed sooner or later. His tired limbs are roused from rest, frightened by the lightning bolts and roaring thunder, as flies and gnats swarm furiously.Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons) (1723) Nigel Kennedy - Vivaldi 'Summer' 1st Movement:Ģnd Movement ('Summer') Adagio e piano - Presto e forte The little shepherd sobs in fear of the violent storm.and his destiny. Gentle western breezes blow.until the ominous north winds suddenly sweep them away. We hear the call of the cuckoo, followed by sweet songs of the turtle dove and finch. Under the harsh season's blazing sun, men and flocks languish and pines are scorched.

8, RV 315, 'L'estate' (Summer)ġst Movement ('Summer') Allegro non molto Read the 'Summer' sonnet and listen to each movement of The Four Seasons, Concerto No. Each sonnet is divided into three sections (fast, slow, fast), which correspond with the three movements in each concerto. Each of the four concerti is based on a sonnet -supposedly written by Vivaldi himself. Comprised of four violin concertos written by Antonio Vivaldi in 1723, The Four Seasons is probably the Baroque composer's best-known work.

Antonio vivaldi summer finale from the four seasons