Vivaldi Four Seasons

A year can be divided in many ways: days, weeks, months, and seasons. When a musician is asked to describe the seasons, Vivaldi’s four seasons full concertos often come to mind The composition by the Italian composer is one of the most famous instrumental music to date and was known to be path-breaking for its time and the world of music. What is so special about the composition, and what makes it so unique about Vivaldi four seasons performance?

The seventeenth century was a great time to be an artist in Italy, as the century was known to facilitate and encourage innovation in various fields, including music, art, and architecture. It is also known as the Baroque era. In the capital of the Lo Stivale, Antonio Vivaldi was born. The Venetian became a profound musician of his age and wrote over 800 compositions during his lifetime. But what immortalized him was his composition, Le Quattro Stagioni; for non-Italian speakers, we know it as The Four Seasons.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons History

Delving into the history of the Vivaldi’s four seasons, the exact date when the Italian started writing the Vivaldi’s four seasons full concertos is unknown, but it is widely believed he started working on the composition around 1716–1717. It was during this time that he took up the role of a chapel master for the governor of Mantua.

What is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons about?

According to many, the beauty of the Italian countryside inspired Vivaldi’s creation; however, some credit Marco Richie, a Baroque artist’s painting, as the source of Vivaldi’s inspiration. After roughly around eight years, Il Cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione, or The Contest Between Harmony and Invention, was published in 1725 in Amsterdam.

How Many Concertos are in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?

The answer is a bit more complicated than one might think. The composition steered away from the traditional way of musical presentation in many ways. Firstly, it’s not a single piece of music; the composition is divided into four main violin concertos along with eight additional concertos, making the entire work a 12-piece concerto. The violin concertos were accompanied by violin, viola, and basso continuo. In this article, we will focus on the four main seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

What is the Structure of Each Concerto in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?

When listening to Vivaldi’s four seasons full concertos one can easily break them into three parts, which are the three movements used when creating the concerto—fast-slow-fast, accompanied by the three-para sonnets which perfectly mirrored the movements.

What are the Poems Associated with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?

The chord of innovation was that each of the four main concertos had its own sonnet that captured the essence of the musical notes in literary words. The combination of music and literature was not seen in the world of music till then.

It is not known whether the sonnets were written by the Venetian or not, but Vivaldi masterfully used the sonnets to hone the power of words to elevate the expression of his musical work. The violinist heavily emphasized on the harmony between the music and the sonnets.

What is the Historical Significance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?

Why is it special? Because it became one of the earliest stepping stones of program music. Vivaldi masterfully honed the power of words; he went to lengths to write down the specific lines of the sonnets above their musical notations on the music sheet. Vivaldi put the specific lines of the sonnet above the musical notations so that the musicians playing would know what emotion they were trying to convey and emulate.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Spring Concerto

The first of the four is Vivaldi’s four seasons Spring Concerto. The season itself imbues the celebration of life, flora, and fauna in full bloom. To capture the uplifting, bright essences of the season, the violinist chose to compose the concerto in E major, a key that is usually used to express the emotions of joy and happiness. Spring is the season that the world awaits after the harsh months of winter. 

The sonnet’s first line depicts the revelry with the declaration of the arrival of the season with the words, “The spring has arrived.” Three violins follow the initial joyful introductory music to paint a picture of birds chirping and tweeting. Describing the gentle nature of the season through the murmuring of brooks and swaying of the leaves. 

The listeners are suddenly introduced to a heavier, serious solo violin section that depicts a thunderstorm. The chirping of the birds returns however, this time it is composed in a lower key and is used to culminate the first movement of the first season.

The descriptive nature of the composition hits full gear as the Italian introduces the audience to the second movement of the concerto, in which he chose to depict the leisurely nature of the season. The season can also be attributed to peace, harmony, and comfort, which are described through the meadow, flowers, and the murmuring of the leaves in the sonnet and perfectly captured by the 1st and second violin.

The tranquil nature of spring is highlighted by the sleeping goat herd, which is depicted by the solo violin, and the viola takes on the role of the barking dog accompanying his sleeping master. The third and last movement once again brings back the festive spirit of the season and ends the concerto with the celebration of life described by the dancing nymphs and shepherds in the last stanza of the sonnet.

La Primavera (Spring)
Opus 8, No. 1, in E Major

I. Allegro—

Festive Spring has arrived,
The birds salute it with their happy song.
And the brooks, caressed by little Zephyrs,
Flow with a sweet murmur.
The sky is covered with a black mantle,
And thunder, and lightning, announce a storm.
When they are silent, the birds
Return to sing their lovely song.

II. Largo e pianissimo sempre—

And in the meadow, rich with flowers,
To the sweet murmur of leaves and plants,
The goatherd sleeps, with his faithful dog at his side.

III. Danza pastorale. Allegro—

To the festive sound of pastoral bagpipes,
Dance nymphs and shepherds,
At Spring’s brilliant appearance.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Summer Concerto

The second concerto explores the summer season. From the very beginning, one can identify the stark contrast in the mood and the theme of the composition. Unlike the sweet, cheerful introduction of the previous concerto, Summer begins with a rather lethargic and somber tone, In stark contrast, Vivaldi’s four seasons Summer Concerto composed in G minor. The key is usually used to denote more serious, dramatic themes.  

The story depicted in the sonnet starts with a detailed description of the immense heat of the season and how it wears down the shepherd and its flocks. The weariness can be heard in the two or three notes played at a time by the instruments. The birds reappear—the first bird to be heard is the cuckoo, followed by the sweet call of the turtledove and the ending song of the birds with the sound of gold finch. The difference between the singing of the birds is quite noticeable, as summer singing lacks the enthusiasm of the spring season.

After exploring the intense heat of the season, the composer soothes the listener by introducing a gentle breeze in the story. But it doesn’t last long, as the gentle breeze is soon replaced by the fierce north winds. The music gets faster, signifying a sense of frenzy, and the instruments focus on faster movements with demi-semi quavers figures. ‘The calm before the storm’ is the perfect adage for the next part of the Vivaldi’s four seasons summer Concerto, where Vivaldi delves into the fears and worries of the shepherd for the upcoming storm and how it would affect his flock and crops. The weeping shepherd can be heard in the sorrowful chromatic musical arrangements. Then the violin once again surges, marking the return of the north winds, and wild arpeggios showcase the thunder.

The summer season is a beautiful example of program music. Where the context plays an essential part in understanding the meaning of the composition. In this case, the sonnet acts as a guide to what each section of the concerto means. Without the story, the true meaning of the concerto is susceptible to being lost in translation. Programmatic music also helps the musicians connect with the music piece they are playing and understand what the composer has in mind when creating certain arrangements.

L’Estate (Summer)
Opus 8, No. 2, in G minor

I. Allegro non molto—

Under the heat of the burning summer sun,
Languish man and flock; the pine is parched.
The cuckoo finds its voice, and suddenly,
The turtledove and goldfinch sing.
A gentle breeze blows,
But suddenly, the north wind appears.
The shepherd weeps because, overhead,
Lies the fierce storm, and his destiny.

II. Adagio; Presto—

His tired limbs are deprived of rest
By his fear of lightning and fierce thunder,
And by furious swarms of flies and hornets.

III. Presto—

Alas, how just are his fears,
Thunder and lightning fill the Heavens, and the hail
Slices the tops of the corn and other grains.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Autumn Concerto

The autumn Concerto composed in F minor. The struggles and oppressive heat of summer end with the arrival of cozy autumn. The season of harvest knocks on the doorsteps, and the peasants reap the joy of the abundant harvest. The happiness can be seen in the very first line of the sonnet, “The peasants celebrate with dance and song.”

The peasants drown their happiness in ‘Bacchus liquor,’ and the violinist captures the boozy celebration in the second verse of the sonnet in Adagio molto. The choice of musical arrangement for the second movement was another unconventional choice made by the Italian maestro, as the verse and music did not complement one another. He chose to incorporate the elements of drunkenness through unsettling harpsichord and unpredictable chromatic harmonies. 

The solo violin serves as the ideal instrument to convey the intoxicating display of the celebration; the shimmering harpsichord and the muted string play give a giddy effect to the chords. Bringing the long night of celebration to an end with the words, “To enjoy a sweet slumber.”

With the falling leaves, autumn becomes nature’s farewell, reminding the listeners of the few moments left before winter’s embrace. The slumber is soon broken to enjoy the last seasonal treats as people set out to hunt. Hunting was a seasonal activity during the era in which the piece was composed. Thus, the activity was a perfect imagery for Vivaldi four seasons autumn concerto.

Vivaldi chose the target, or ‘the beast’ of the hunt, to be a stag and the people chased their prey with ‘horns, guns, and dogs.’ The solo violin depicts the frantic emotions of the stag who is slain in the end. The paradox of the hunt the death of the stag and the success of the hunt is captured in strange, majestic music marking the end of the third piece of the musical puzzle.

L’Autunno (Autumn)
Opus 8, No. 3, in F Major

I. Allegro—

The peasants celebrate with dance and song,
The joy of a rich harvest.
And, full of Bacchus’s liquor,
They finish their celebration with sleep.

II. Adagio molto—

Each peasant ceases his dance and song.
The mild air gives pleasure,
And the season invites many
To enjoy a sweet slumber.

III. Allegro—

The hunters, at the break of dawn, go to the hunt.
With horns, guns, and dogs they are off,
The beast flees, and they follow its trail.
Already fearful and exhausted by the great noise,
Of guns and dogs, and wounded,
The exhausted beast tries to flee, but dies.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Winter Concerto

Vivaldi proceeds from the harvest tide to the harsh cold winds — the winter season concerto. The Vivaldi four seasons winter Concerto composed in key F minor encompasses the chilly, unforgiven atmosphere of the season. The instruments are introduced sequentially, creating the impression of layering as if they were huddling together to fend off the winter’s relentless cold.

The composition comprises sudden changes, which are aided through extremely fast passages—the first instance is when the winds are introduced to the listeners. Just like the North winds in the summer concerto, the icy winds of winter are depicted by demi-semi quavers and also the violins, which mimic the iciness that pierces one’s skin and creates a sense of dissonance. The chattering of teeth can be heard, and the people gather together and “stamp” their “feet” to survive the turbulent weather. 

After the chaos in the first movement of the concerto, Vivaldi brings a momentary solace through his second stanza, in which he appreciates the simple pleasure of staying inside to enjoy the warmth and coziness brought by the fire. The happiness brought by the quiet days near the fire is further highlighted by the mention of the rain pouring outside. 

The tranquility is once again broken as the Italian proceeds to the end of the winter season concerto.

The last stanza of the sonnet gives a vivid description of how people navigated their ways in the outside world during the cold winter season. A simple task like walking becomes somewhat of a challenge. As the people walk on the ice slowly and steadily, in fear of falling.

However, the caution succumbs to impatience and fear as they hurriedly try to walk on the ice. The following progression witnesses all instruments playing descending scales and octave passages as the walkers fall to the ground.

The solo violin alerts the audience about another hurdle looming around on the corner for the walkers—with the ice breaking; however, the people make it out of the cold water in time. The violinist, for one last time, takes the listeners back inside and soothes them with the mention of Sirocco—a dry Mediterranean wind. Even after all the troubles, Vivaldi four seasons winter concerto end on a joyful note with the line. “This is winter, but it brings joy.”

L’Inverno (Winter)
Opus 8, No. 4, in F minor

I. Allegro non molto—

Frozen and trembling in the icy snow,
In the severe blast of the horrible wind,
As we run, we constantly stamp our feet,
And our teeth chatter in the cold.

II. Largo—

To spend happy and quiet days near the fire,
While, outside, the rain soaks hundreds.

III. Allegro—

We walk on the ice with slow steps,
And tread carefully, for fear of falling.
Symphony, If we go quickly, we slip and fall to the ground.
Again we run on the ice,
Until it cracks and opens.
We hear, from closed doors,
Sirocco, Boreas, and all the winds in battle.
This is winter, but it brings joy.

Vivaldi’s final years weren’t as glorious as his creations. However, the tune of his violins, emotive poetry, and vivid imagination are still celebrated by millions around the world.

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