Conductor and Violinist Rachell Ellen Wong leads the Seattle Symphony for the complete performance for Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, on Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 7:30pm on Seattle Symphony Live.
ANTONIO VIVALDI
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was one of the most significant Italian composers during the Baroque era. Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, a set of four violin concertos for solo violin, strings and basso continuo, was first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve concerti, Op. Vivaldi 4/4 Brown Electric Violin ₹ 13,050.00 ₹ 11,999.00 Size 4/4, style 2 electric / silent violin in metallic red mahogany varnish (full size) Hand carved solid maple wood body with ebony fingerboard, pegs, chin rest and tailpiece with 4 detachable nickel plated fine tuners.
The Four Seasons, group of four violin concerti by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, each of which gives a musical expression to a season of the year. Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying poems that elucidated what it was about those seasons that his music was intended to evoke. If you’re looking for sheet music for Vivaldi – Violin Concerto in A minor RV 357 Op.4 No.4 for Violin and Piano then you have come to the right place. We offer original sheet music in a range of formats including, digital, hardcover, and softcover. Whether you place the piano, guitar, wind instruments, string instruments, percussion,.
Le quattro stagioni (“The Four Seasons”), Op. 8, Nos. 1-4
La primavera (“Spring”), RV 269 Allegro—Largo—Allegro: Danza pastorale
L'estate (“Summer”), RV 315 Allegro non molto—Adagio—Presto
L'autunno (“Autumn”), RV 293 Allegro—Adagio molto—Allegro
L'inverno (“Winter”), RV 297 Allegro non molto—Largo—Allegro
BORN: March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy
DIED: July 28, 1741 in Vienna, Austria
WORK COMPOSED: 1716–1725
Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) famously said, “There are no words, there is only music there.” And yet, ironically, Vivaldi’s best-known work, Le Quattro stagioni (“The Four Seasons”), Op. 8, Nos. 1–4, is based upon a series of sonnets. These concerti can arguably be considered among the first truly programmatic pieces; that is, music that tells or follows a narrative. Although Vivaldi composed a wide range of genres, his concerti endure as one of his greatest contributions to the Western classical canon.
Vivaldi lived and worked in Baroque Venice. He was an ordained Catholic priest as well as a composer. For nearly thirty years he taught music and composed for an orphanage in the town, named Ospedale della Pietà. Vivaldi crafted an immense œuvre of concerti during this period, exploring the potential of conversations between soloist and orchestra. Although he did not compose The Four Seasons for the orphanage, the works were undoubtedly influenced by his compositions from that period.
Vivaldi composed The Four Seasons between 1716 and 1725. A typical Vivaldi concerto includes three movements, but there is only one sonnet to accompany each of the seasons. As a result, the sonnet breaks into three sections to follow the individual movements. As you listen to these concerti, let your imagination wander and fill with images. The first movement ofLa primavera (“Spring”), RV 269, arguably the most famous of Vivaldi’s works, reads: “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.” Many cues in this sonnet appear in the music, such as the celebrating bird in the solo violin and the murmuring streams in the string accompaniment. The second movement continues: “On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps, his faithful dog beside him.” In this Largo, pay attention to the branches rustling overhead in the ensemble and the slow breathing of the faithful dog. The final movement brings the frivolity and joy of spring: “Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.”
Following the whimsical wonders of spring is the intense heat and fierce thunderstorms found in L’estate (“Summer”), RV 315. The first movement begins with a slow introduction that reflects the opening lines of the sonnet: “Beneath the blazing sun’s relentless heat, men and flocks are sweltering, pines are scorched.” When the solo violin enters, however, the piece suddenly becomes fast and furious. During this movement, listen for the violin imitating the sounds of birds and Vivaldi’s subtle transition to the promise of a storm: “We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs of the turtle dove and finch are heard. Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening north winds sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearful of violent storms and what may lie ahead.” The brief second movement features a slow meditation, highlighting the shepherd’s anxiety: “His limbs are now awakened from their repose by fear of lightning's flash and thunder's roar, as gnats and flies buzz furiously around.” Following this moment of reflection, the dramatic third movement brings the storm: “Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn.” Listen for the solo violin mimicking the rain pouring down while the accompanying orchestra plays bursts of thunder and lightning.
The subsequent concerto, L’autunno (“Autumn”), RV 293, celebrates the harvest with rousing dances and hunts. Listen for a lively dance in the first movement depicting the end of the harvest and the solo violin mimicking an overflowing cup of wine: “The peasant celebrates with song and dance for the harvest safely gathered in. The cup of Bacchus flows freely and many find their relief in deep slumber.” In contrast, the second movement brings peace and sleep: “The singing and the dancing die away as cooling breezes fan the pleasant air, inviting all to sleep without a care.” Vivaldi paints this serene picture with a slow tempo and harmonious chords. All instruments move together — including the solo violin — to transport listeners into a tranquil state. The third movement, however, features an exhilarating hunt: “The hunters emerge at dawn, ready for the chase, with horns and dogs and cries. Their quarry flees while they give chase. Terrified and wounded, the prey struggles on, but, harried, dies.” Listen for the strings imitating hunting horns, guns and dogs while the solo violin leads the chase.
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons concludes with biting winds and idyllic images by the fire in L’inverno (“Winter”), RV 297. Imagine the brisk chill of winter upon you in the joyful first movement: “Shivering, frozen mid the frosty snow in biting, stinging winds; running to and fro to stamp one’s icy feet, teeth chattering in the bitter chill.” The runs in the solo violin perfectly encapsulate the brisk chill found in the air. In contrast, the second movement transfers indoors: “To rest contentedly beside the hearth, while those outside are drenched by pouring rain.” The solo violin presents a lyrical, reflective melody as the strings play simple accompaniment underneath. Vivaldi layers images in this movement, adding plucking strings in the background as a subtle nod to the rain outside. The final movement of tonight’s program is a fast and frenzied depiction of winter’s dangers: “We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously, for fear of tripping and falling. Streaming audio recorder for mac. 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.” The solo violin begins with runs before the strings join in for an ominous illustration of cracking ice and bracing winds. The concerto concludes with the solo violin scampering indoors in attempts to escape the winter frigidity.
Scored for solo violin; harpsichord; theorbo; strings
Vivaldi Concertos List
© 2020 Megan Francisco Screenshot editor for mac. Adblock for safari mac os.
Posted on October 15, 2020
Vivaldi 4 Violin Concerto
Antonio Vivaldi is known as the “Father of the Concerto”. Over his career he wrote over 450 concertos, both in solo and grosso form. With as many as he wrote, he solidified the structure of the form: three movements in a FAST-SLOW-FAST tempo organization.
His most famous concertos are La Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons). And of those La Primavera (The Spring) is the biggest hit. Each of these concertos is a solo concerto for violin. During his time, when performing these works, Vivaldi would act as conductor and soloist for the performance. Keep in mind, our modern concept of the conduct was not define until the Romantic Era (1800s).
Characteristically, concertos of the Baroque period including Vivaldi’s, the first and third movements are written in what is known as ritornello form. The ritornello meaning return, or refrain, played by the orchestra would alternate with solo sections for the featured player to show off their skills. Listening to the first movement of Spring, you’ll hear this alternation five time, with a final ritornello to finish the piece. The third movement is in the same form but shorter three alternations of orchestra/soloist followed by a final ritornello. To help describe the form, let’s call the orchestra section A, and the solo sections B. So the form of the first movement is AB-AB-AB-AB-AB-A; and the third movement AB-AB-AB-A.
A unique characteristic of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is that they are an early example of what are called programmatic works. Programmatic meaning a piece has a written story that is to be portray in the music heard. This could by based on a book, play, poem, etc. Over the years, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been a regular story used for programmatic works. For the Four Seasons, Vivaldi wrote a short poem for each movement of each concerto.
Vivaldi’s poem for Spring:
Vivaldi uses these poems to tell his story in music. He pulls some influence from opera, and its use of word painting. Though normally linked with vocal works, Vivaldi use text painting, aka word painting, portray the scenes and sounds of Spring. Listen closely for the (1st mvmt) singing birds, murmuring streams, thunder and lightning, (2nd mvmt) relaxing in an open field, and (3rd mvmt) festive celebration of the coming of the season.
Vivaldi Four Violins
What sort of effects do you hear from the strings to illustrate these sounds and characters?