Antonio Vivaldi is recognized as one of greatest composer of the Baroque Era. He was born in Venice on March 4, 1678. Aside from being a composer, Vivaldi was also a priest and an educator. He was given the nickname “Red Priest” due to his red hair. A year after his ordination in 1703, Vivaldi appeared to remove himself of his priestly duties. This might have been due to his health conditions. Vivaldi suffered from tightness of the chest which has since been interpreted as asthma or bronchitis. Because of his connection to the church, Vivaldi music reflects the ideas of the Council of Trent. They believed that music should be accessible and easily understood by everyone. This was helpful when he became an instructor to young student who were new to music. At the age of 25, Vivaldi began working at the Ospedale della Pietà. This was an orphanage for young children who were rumored to be the products of extramarital affairs of noblemen. Through state funding and anonymous donations from the noblemen, the orphans were able to be musically trained by instructors such as Vivaldi. These funds also went towards paying Vivaldi to write his concertos. Vivaldi died on July 28, 1741 of complications from his asthma like sickness.
Vivaldi – Violin Concerto in F minor, RV. 4 “L’inverno (Winter)” I. Allegro non molto (Arranged for Piano Solo)Thanks for watching. The Four Seasons, composed in 1723, is one of Baroque legend Vivaldi's most famous works for violin. Here's a very special performance of one of the movements, from one of Europe's top chamber orchestras. We usually associate Vivaldi with Venice and the Italian sun.
Of all his work, Vivaldi is most known for his four-part violin concerto the Four Seasons. This concerto, composed in 1723, illustrates the cycle of the seasons: La Primavera (spring), L’estate (summer), L’autunno (autumn), and L’inverno (winter). Each season is written in three movements with the pattern of fast-slow-fast (allegro-largo-allegro). Written according to typical baroque practice, each movement of Vivaldi’s concertos is based on a single rhythmic theme that is heard at the beginning of the section. The first movement in La Primavera is probably the most famous. The fast tempo indicates a delight of the return of spring and all that comes with it. In the beginning, violins imitate the tweeting of the birds who have returned to the warmer weather of spring. The music stops and mimics the sounds of a gentle breeze. Suddenly, the music leaps upward portraying the sound of lighting. The sounds of a storm can be heard which announce the arrival of the wet weather that accompanies spring. The violins express the ferocity of the winds while the lower strings hint to the sound of thunder. Once the storm passes, the birds can be heard singing their lovely tunes. This section ends with the happy feeling that was heard in the beginning.
I think the Vivaldi’s the Four Seasons masterfully done. The section that stood out to me was La Primavera because I love spring. It’s a time that signifies renewal and beauty. I love everything associated with springtime. I enjoy the sounds of the rain and thunderstorms. It has this strange calming effect on me. There’s nothing more beautiful than the assortment colors and the sweet scents brought by the flowers in bloom. After the cold of the winter, a dose of spring is just what the doctor ordered. The first section of Vivaldi’s concerto surrounds me with the scents and feelings of spring. Through various techniques of the baroque era, Vivaldi is able to capture the emotions and moods of the four seasons. I have uploaded the complete composition. If you have the time, I encourage you to listen to all four sections. Allow the music to take you away and enjoy the nostalgic stroll through each season.
Your Colorado Symphony is thrilled to bring you Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, recorded live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.This special acoustic performance of Vivaldi's perennial favorite (and more) was recorded live with limited audiences in autumn 2020 at Colorado's beloved Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Antonio Vivaldi’s beloved classic, The Four Seasons, is presented in its entirety. The inspiration for The Four Seasons came from a set of four anonymous sonnets, one for each season, from which Vivaldi took descriptive phrases to direct the development of musical ideas. Vivaldi – Violin Concerto in F minor, RV. 4 “L’inverno (Winter)” I. Allegro non molto (Arranged for Piano Solo)Thanks for watching.
| THE FOUR SEASONS: 1: Concerto No.1 in E Major, RV 269, 'SPRING' 2: Concerto No.2 in g minor, RV 315, 'SUMMER' 3: Concerto No.3 in F Major, RV 293, 'AUTUMN' 4: Concerto No.4 in f minor, RV 297, 'WINTER' One of the earliest uses of music was in the accompaniment of theatrical dance and story-telling, so it is natural that composers should from time to time produce what we know as 'program music' – music written to portray events, activities or moods such as pastoral scenes or storms. Music representing the moods of the four seasons has always been popular, and baroque composers such as Werner and Fischer among others produced cycles of concertos representing the fours seasons. But none were to do so in such precise pictorial detail as Antonio Vivaldi in his Four Seasons concertos. As a descriptive basis for his Four Seasons, Vivaldi took four Sonnets, apparently written by himself. Each of the four sonnets is expressed in a concerto, which in turn is divided into three phrases or ideas, reflected in the three movements (fast-slow-fast) of each concerto. The published scores (by Estienne Roger of Amsterdam in 1725) are marked to indicate which musical passages are representative of which verses of the sonnet. It is advisable, at least during the first few hearings, to follow the sonnets and music together, for they are bound up with one another to an extent rarely heard in any other programmatic pieces either of the baroque period or subsequently. |
Vivaldi 4 Seasons Fall
Vivaldi 4 Seasons Piano
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| ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741): The FOUR SEASONS The Modena Chamber Orchestra, Leader, and solo violin, Francesco Calvi Caterina Montanari, harpsichord continuo GLORIA in D, RV 589 Mimi Coertse & Ina Dressel, sopranos / Sonja Draxler, alto Vienna Academy Chorus & State Opera Orchestra Conductor Hermann Scherchen | |
This lyrical performance by the Modena Chamber Orchestra under Maestro Calvi reflects every detail of the original sonnets.... the birds of spring, a summer storm, the peasants' revelries when the autumn harvest is completed, the chattering teeth as the winter wind blows. English text of the sonnets is enclosed with the CD. 'Four Seasons' recordings are usually accompanied on a CD by some similar string concertos. The Baroque Music Club CD however has taken the opportunity to offer something different and a complete contrast in sound, with Vivaldi's magnificent Gloria in a wonderful performance full of sensitivity and detailing. Here on one CD is something familiar, something perhaps a little less known. The Gloria will certainly prove a revelation to those unfamiliar with it. Total Time: 74:51. Click the image for full information and music samples. |
Vivaldi Spring
Vivaldi 4 Stagioni