There is another slow section just before the fast and furious final section of the movement. For instance, Vivaldi uses rhythmic variations, such as his use of dotted semiquavers and triplets. Vivaldi’s use of variation in this movement is highlighted when the main melody is taken and passed around the ensemble to create different effects. This merely lasts all but 31 bars, before a fiery Allegro section breaks out and the solo violin begins with a driving semiquaver duet with the first violin. The soft timbre of the strings in union represents the rising sun and the soft breeze in the air, as written in the accompanying sonnet. Written in a sultry 3/8 time signature, the first movement starts off slowly with a delicate quaver motif. The North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside. Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening Then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard. Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
L’estate (‘Summer’) The First Movement – Allegro non molto The festive atmosphere keeps this movement driving, with it ending as it begun in the first movement – on a strong E major chord. The light and bouncy playing represents the nymphs and shepherds dancing, which eventually build up to reveal the ‘brilliant canopy of spring’. The strong 12/8 dance feel of this movement creates a celebratory mood. Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, This is the shortest movement in this concerto. This movement has a feel of nostalgia throughout, and the beautiful solo melodic line is incredibly enchanting, especially with the bare accompaniment that it has. A slow dotted semiquaver pattern opens the movement, before the very lyrical solo violin enters in the second bar. The immediate change in character in this movement from the last is rather striking, with the slow and mysterious atmosphere taking over. On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
Vivaldi’s consistent use of trills and other ornaments are used to represent the birds from the sonnet.įurthermore, the thick textures that he creates when the whole ensemble are playing together perhaps represent the oncoming storm that the sonnet also talks about. The movement concludes with a reprise of the main theme, with the parts uniting on a strong E major chord. A variation of the melody is played by the chamber ensemble before the solo violin enters with a quaint, trill-orientated solo line. Marked Allegro, the first movement of La Primavera is perhaps the most famous of the whole set. The strong unison playing at the beginning introduces the famous motif that is then developed throughout this concerto.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,Īnd the birds take up their charming songs once more. The birds celebrate her return with festive song, La Primavera (‘Spring’) The First Movement – Allegro Each concerto is in a fast-slow-fast structure and the accompanying sonnets are also split into three sections to represent each movement vividly. It has been speculated that the music from each concerti was based on the countryside sights in Mantua – where Vivaldi was residing at the time of composition. Vivaldi also took it a step further by unusually including published sonnets that went with each of the concerti (which he may have written himself). The conception of what we can now deduce as an early form of programme music was revolutionary in the Baroque period.
Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons ContextĪntonio Vivaldi composed his ever-popular collection of violin concerti The Four Seasons around the year 1721.
0 kommentar(er)
