The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)

The Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni) is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music.The texture of each concerto is varied, resembling its respective season. For example, "Winter" is peppered with silvery staccato notes from the high strings, calling to mind icy rain, whereas "Summer" evokes a thunderstorm in its final movement. The premiere recording was I Musici's 1955 recording (it was that ensemble's first recording of any music). It created such interest in the work that there are now more than 120 recordings of it.

The concertos were first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve, Vivaldi's Op. 8, entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Contest between Harmony and Invention). The first four concertos were designated Le quattro stagioni, each being named after a season. Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones. At the time of writing the Four Seasons, the modern solo form of the concerto had not yet been defined (typically a solo instrument and accompanying orchestra). Vivaldi's original arrangement for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped to define the form. In modern times, others have made transcriptions and arrangements to be performed on different instrumentation, for example, transcription for pipe organ authored by Jevgenija Lisicina.

1 List of concertos and movements
2 Sonnets and allusions
3 Media
4 External links

List of concertos and movements

Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring)
1. Allegro
2. Largo
3. Allegro Pastorale
Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)
1. Allegro non molto
2. Adagio e piano - Presto e forte
3. Presto
Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, "L'autunno" (Autumn)
1. Allegro
2. Adagio molto
3. Allegro
Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)
1. Allegro non molto
2. Largo
3. Allegro

Sonnets and allusions

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The four concertos were written to go along with four sonnets. Though it is not known who wrote these sonnets there is a theory that Vivaldi wrote them himself. The sonnets are as follows in the original Italian with an English translation:

Italian	English

La Primavera	Spring
Allegro Giunt' è la Primavera e festosetti La Salutan gl' Augei con lieto canto, E i fonti allo Spirar de' Zeffiretti Con dolce mormorio Scorrono intanto: Vengon' coprendo l' aer di nero amanto E Lampi, e tuoni ad annuntiarla eletti Indi tacendo questi, gl' Augelletti; Tornan' di nuovo al lor canoro incanto: Largo E quindi sul fiorito ameno prato Al caro mormorio di fronde e piante Dorme 'l Caprar col fido can' à lato. Allegro Di pastoral Zampogna al suon festante Danzan Ninfe e Pastor nel tetto amato Di primavera all' apparir brillante.	Allegro Springtime is upon us. The birds celebrate her return with festive song, and murmuring streams are softly caressed by the breezes. Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven, Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their charming songs once more. Largo On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps, his faithful dog beside him. Allegro Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.
L'Estate	Summer
Allegro non molto - Allegro Sotto dura Staggion dal Sole accesa Langue l' huom, langue 'l gregge, ed arde il Pino; Scioglie il Cucco la Voce, e tosto intesa Canta la Tortorella e 'l gardelino. Zeffiro dolce Spira, mà contesa Muove Borea improviso al Suo vicino; E piange il Pastorel, perche sospesa Teme fiera borasca, e 'l suo destino; Adagio e piano - Presto e forte Toglie alle membra lasse il Suo riposo Il timore de' Lampi, e tuoni fieri E de mosche, e mossoni il Stuol furioso! Presto Ah che pur troppo i Suo timor Son veri Tuona e fulmina il Ciel e grandioso Tronca il capo alle Spiche e a' grani alteri.	Allegro non molto Under a hard Season, fired up by the Sun Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine We hear the cuckoo's voice; then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard. Soft breezes stir the air... but threatening north wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearing violent storms and his fate. Adagio e piano - Presto e forte The fear of lightning and fierce thunder Robs his tired limbs of rest As gnats and flies buzz furiously around. Presto Alas, his fears were justified The Heavens thunders and roar and majestically Cuts the head off the wheat and damages the grain.
L'Autunno	Autumn
Allegro Celebra il Vilanel con balli e Canti Del felice raccolto il bel piacere E del liquor de Bacco accesi tanti Finiscono col Sonno il lor godere Adagio molto Fà ch' ogn' uno tralasci e balli e canti L' aria che temperata dà piacere, E la Staggion ch' invita tanti e tanti D' un dolcissimo Sonno al bel godere. Allegro I cacciator alla nov' alba à caccia Con corni, Schioppi, e canni escono fuore Fugge la belua, e Seguono la traccia; Già Sbigottita, e lassa al gran rumore De' Schioppi e canni, ferita minaccia Languida di fuggir, mà oppressa muore.	Allegro Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances, The pleasure of a bountiful harvest. And fired up by Bacchus' liquor, many end their revelry in sleep. Adagio molto Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance By the air which is tempered with pleasure And (by) the season that invites so many, many Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment Allegro The hunters emerge at the new dawn, And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting The beast flees and they follow its trail; Terrified and tired of the great noise Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens Languidly to flee, but harried, dies.
L'Inverno	Winter
Allegro non molto Aggiacciato tremar trà nevi algenti Al Severo Spirar d' orrido Vento, Correr battendo i piedi ogni momento; E pel Soverchio gel batter i denti; Largo Passar al foco i di quieti e contenti Mentre la pioggia fuor bagna ben cento Allegro Caminar Sopra il giaccio, e à passo lento Per timor di cader gersene intenti; Gir forte Sdruzziolar, cader à terra Di nuove ir Sopra 'l giaccio e correr forte Sin ch' il giaccio si rompe, e si disserra; Sentir uscir dalle ferrate porte Sirocco Borea, e tutti i Venti in guerra Quest' é 'l verno, mà tal, che gioia apporte.	Allegro non molto To tremble from cold in the icy snow, In the harsh breath of a horrid wind; To run, stamping one's feet every moment, Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold Largo Before the fire to pass peaceful, Contented days while the rain outside pours down. Allegro We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously, for fear of tripping and falling. Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and, rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up. We feel the chill north winds course through the home despite the locked and bolted doors... this is winter, which nonetheless brings its own delights.

In addition to these sonnets, Vivaldi provided instructions such as "The barking dog" (in the second movement of "Spring"), "Languor caused by the heat" (in the first movement of "Summer"), and "the drunkards have fallen asleep" (in the second movement of "Autumn").

The Four Seasons are, therefore, tone poems. Together they are an enduring example of program music. It is often referenced in popular culture.

Media

Vivaldi Spring mvt 1: Allegro

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Spring mvt 2: Largo

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Spring mvt 3: Allegro

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Summer mvt 1: Allegro non molto

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Summer mvt 2: Adagio

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Summer mvt 3: Presto

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Autumn mvt 1: Allegro

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Autumn mvt 2: Adagio molto

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Autumn mvt 3: Allegro

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Winter mvt 1: Allegro non molto

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Winter mvt 2: Largo

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin

Vivaldi Winter mvt 3: Allegro

From Vivaldi's Four Seasons. John Harrison, Violin
Problems listening to the files? See media help.

External links

The Four Seasons: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
Free scores of The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi at Mutopia Project
Spring Concerto Allegro, Largo, Allegro interactive hypermedia (Shockwave required) at the BinAural Collaborative Hypertext
An in-depth overview and comparison of recordings of the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi on WETA 90.9's website

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This page was last modified on 3 January 2009, at 14:02.

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