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Vivaldi's Four Seasons

With Virtuoso Violinist, Janine Jansen

By Rebecca A Hyde GonzalesPublished 2 years ago 7 min read
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Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Photo by Providence Doucet on Unsplash

The Four Seasons

Antonio Vivaldi's, Four Seasons/Quattro Stagioni, featuring virtuoso violinist, Janine Jansen, performed during the International Kamermuziek Festival exemplifies the composer's desire to musically express each season of the year. Vivaldi composed this piece following the traditional components of a concerto. Vivaldi composed four concertos with three movements each with one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. Each concerto represents one of the four seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

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Each concerto contains three movements, with a slow movement nestled between two faster movements. The tempo pattern of these movements remains the same throughout this piece: fast, slow, fast. The variance in tempo displayed in each concerto adds expression identifying the feeling of the season. Vivaldi utilizes musical patterns to convey the feelings of each season. Vivaldi's Four Seasons features a virtuoso violinist. The supporting orchestra consists mostly of string instruments and a harpsichord. Vivaldi originally arranged Four Seasons for a solo violinist with a string quartet a basso continuo.

1: Concerto No.1 in E Major, RV 269, "SPRING" , Allegro / Largo / Allegro (Pastorale dance)

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The first concerto, Spring, written in the key of E Major moves in a quick tempo, Allegro. The Spring concerto creates a feeling of constant motion and change. This concerto, written for the violin and the orchestra consists of instruments of the string family. Alternates between loud and soft. The Spring Concerto begins with the violin soloist and then the full orchestra. Returns to the soloist and then back to the full orchestra. This pattern continues between the soloist and the orchestra like a conversation between friends. Towards the end of this section the violinist and the cellist converse, adding a dimension of pitch. The violin plays the higher melody and the cello responds in harmonic pitch. The concerto ends with the soprano voice of the violin and the alto voice of the cello accompanied by the full orchestra.

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Vivaldi's Four Seasons tells a story. Vivaldi published this piece along with four sonnets, translating the meaning of the music, and adding clarity to the feeling of each season. I recommend reading each sonnet while listening to the performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

The performance at the International Kamermuziek is performed without a conductor. The virtuoso violinist is the director of the orchestra, and the storyteller. Each member of the orchestra follows her lead. There is a lot of eye contact with imitation and blending of movement and tempo.

As I listened to the lively allegro tempo of the first movement of the Spring Concerto I was reminded of lines from William Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":

a poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company.

The second movement of the Spring Concerto features a key change to C# Minor. The tempo is slow and broad. The composer includes a notation: "The barking dog." The supporting string orchestra plucks at the strings imitating the sounds of a barking dog. In addition, the tempo changes to a slow drawn-out feeling: Largo. The third movement returns to the key of E Major and an allegro tempo. The poetry written for this sonnet provides additional feeling and imagery to include the dancing of men with supernatural creatures:

Allegro (movement 1)

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 (movement 2)

On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps, his faithful dog beside him.

Allegro (movement 3)

Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.

"L'estate"

2: Concerto No.2 in g minor, RV 315, "SUMMER" , Allegro non molto - Allegro / Adagio – Presto – Adagio / Presto (Summer Storm)

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Concerto No. 2 - "L'estate", Summer, changes in mood from the Spring Concerto through a key change to G Minor. Like Concerto No. 1 the first movement is quick, but not as fast as the first movement in Concerto No. 1. The musical notation is Allegro non-molto: fast, but not too much. The whole Summer Concerto remains in G. Minor through all three movements. Vivaldi uses various musical elements to help us feel the weather portrayed in each movement. Vivaldi expresses the feeling of the summer sun and the effect on man and sheep:

Allegro non molto (Movement 1)

Beneath the blazing sun's relentless heat

men and flocks are sweltering,

pines are scorched.

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 wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearful of violent storm and what may lie ahead.

Adagio e piano - Presto e forte (movement 2)

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.

Presto (movement 3)

Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn.

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The first movement starts off slow and then moves quickly into a fast tempo. The thick texture of the full orchestra creates the feeling of stormy weather. The high trills of the violins give us the sounds of birds. The first movement ends with a conversation between the violin and the cello. The second movement continues in the minor key, yet the tempo slows to Adagio. We feel sadness through the minor key and slow tempo. The pitch of the instruments is high and smooth.

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Dynamics from piano to forte help amplify the feeling of a storm slowly rolling in and the suddenness of a thunderous summer storm. At times the tempo and dynamics move from slow to fast with deep and low to loud and choppy movements. The third movement returns to a very fast tempo, Presto. Vivaldi keeps the music exciting by adding and taking away texture throughout the entire piece. This movement features the virtuoso violinist with the full orchestra playing intermittently. The texture changes again when only the violinist and the bass string instruments play mostly in loud or forte.

"L'autunno"

3: Concerto No.3 in F Major, RV 293, "AUTUMN" , Allegro (Peasant Dance and Song) / Adagio molto (Sleeping Drunkards) / Allegro (The Hunt)

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Concerto No. 3 - "L'autunno" (Autumn) returns to a major key and begins with the same tempo and theme as the first movement of Concerto No. 1, Spring. A feeling of dancing and singing, a celebration of the harvest. At the second movement, the tempo slows to adagio molto. Beginning in the key of D Minor this movement features a short harpsichord solo with full string orchestra accompaniment. After about two and one-half minutes the third movement picks up the tempo, returning to Allegro and the key of F Major. The "hunt" is expressed through a marching pulse with plucking sounds of gunshots and the subsequent chase of galloping horses.

Allegro (movement 1)

The peasant celebrates with song and dance the harvest safely gathered in.

The cup of Bacchus flows freely, and many find their relief in deep slumber.

Adagio molto (movement 2)

The singing and the dancing die away

as cooling breezes fan the pleasant air,

inviting all to sleep

without a care.

Allegro (movement 3)

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.

"L'inverno"

4: Concerto No.4 in f minor, RV 297, "WINTER" , Allegro non molto / Largo / Allegro

Photo by Galina N on Unsplash

Concerto No. 4, "L'inverno" (Winter) begins soft and fast in the key of F Minor with gentle notes of the harpsichord. The virtuoso violinist adds to this gentle melody, the string orchestra accompanying. The pattern of dynamics from soft to loud continues through the first movement. The second movement changes to the key of E flat Major and becomes very slow: Largo. The musicians pluck at the strings resembling the crackling sounds of a fire. The violin virtuoso moves with a smooth legato tone contributing to a sense of peace and warmth. The final movement begins softly with only four violins playing in the key of F Minor. Gradual crescendos and decrescendos add to the wavelike movement of this final movement.

Allegro non molto (movement 1)

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.

Largo (movement 2)

To rest contentedly beside the hearth, while those outside are drenched by pouring rain.

Allegro (movement 3)

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 coarse through the home despite the locked and bolted doors…

this is winter, which nonetheless brings its own delights.

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About the Creator

Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales

I started writing when I was about eight years old. I love to read and I also love to create. As a writer and an artist, I want to share the things that I have learned and experienced. Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and history.

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