Download Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons), Op. 8/1

Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons), Op. 8/1-4 (1720c)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
Though clearly a talented violinist and composer, Vivaldi’s chief failing
was his chronic habit of bragging. He repeatedly made exaggerated claims
about the quantity of music he had composed – e.g., 94 operas versus the
under 50 known; he claimed (incorrectly) that he could write the parts of a
concerto faster than they could be copied, and he boasted of his fame and his
illustrious patrons. Unsurprisingly, he was highly unpopular. The violinist
Goldini described him as an excellent violinist but a mediocre composer!
Each concerto of “The Four Seasons” bears the name of one of the four
seasons of the year and describes it musically. Preceding each concerto is a
sonnet that provides a clue as to the purpose and meaning of the ensuing
music. The author of the sonnets is unknown, but it may be Vivaldi himself.
Parts of the sonnets are given identifying letters which are then positioned
strategically at various points in the music to indicate the precise section that
accompanies that part of the sonnet.
The first concerto, “Spring,” in E major opens in a joyous mood. As the
initial excitement subsides, three violins warble like birds – “The festive
birds salute it with their merry songs.” Various scenes are portrayed;
fountains playing and a storm are prominent. Strings in unison suggest the
steady downpour of rain while runs in the violins depict lightning streaks,
and loud passages imitate the rumble of thunder. After the storm, calm
returns and the three violins resume their bird calls. The very brief slow
movement depicts a flowery meadow in which sleeps a goatherd with his
faithful dog by his side. The finale is a vivid picture of the festive sounds of
pastoral pipings, to which nymphs and shepherds dance joyously to celebrate
the coming of spring. The whole movement is in the style of a rustic dance,
and the solo violinist presents the short accents of dance rhythms.
The voice of the cuckoo, the coo of the turtledove, and the chirping of the
goldfinch are heard in the second concerto in G minor, “Summer.” Later, the
solo violin re-creates the weeping of the shepherd, terrified at the
approaching storm. In the slow movement mosquitoes and flies buzz around
the shepherd and disturb him. Loud orchestral tremolos announce thunder
and lightning. The storm erupts in the third movement with sweeping violin
scale passages and rumbles of thunder in the cellos and basses.
“Autumn,” in F major, presents a happy scene of farmers celebrating
harvest time with their merry songs and dances. Eventually they tire and fall
asleep. The concerto ends with music describing a hunting scene.
The first eleven bars of “Winter,” in F minor, vividly depict shivering
and tingling with chilling snow. Teeth chatter in the wind and people stamp
their feet to try to warm them. The slow movement portrays an idyllic winter
evening with people enjoying the warmth of a fireside. The finale is again a
reminder of ice, snow, and bitterly cold, biting winds. The work concludes
with an evocation of “Boreas with all the winds at war” and the idea that
winter can bring much joy despite its ferocity and cruelty.
© Ted Wilks, 1986, 2007