The Four Seasons

Hello!

This time I want to write about a Masterpiece that I really love and can listen to over and over again... I just can't have enough of it... I'm talking about The Four Seasons which is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season. 

The concertos were first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve concerti, Vivaldi's Op. 8, entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Contest Between Harmony and Invention). The first four concertos were designated Le quattro stagioni, each being named after a season. Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones. At the time of writing The Four Seasons, the modern solo form of the concerto had not yet been defined (typically a solo instrument and accompanying orchestra). Vivaldi's original arrangement for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped to define the form. [1]

Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe. Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral works and over 40 operas. [2]

The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi

What I love the most of it is the wide variety of emotions this Masterpiece can make you feel; from a deep sadness and desperation to a complete feeling of joy, happiness and passion.

Spring remembers me of joy, romance and passion... the first movement brings back to my mind those joyful childhood memories, playing around, living first experiences, discovering life, the happiness of those carefree moments. The second movement reminds me of the passion of that first love, all the illusions it brings along and the new experiences it makes us live, that subtle discovery of being loved and love someone back in the same passionate way. The last movement reflects the happiness of a newly started romance, when the couple enjoy only of the one another leaving the world apart and creating a completely new world for themselves.

Summer brings the thrill of a great epic adventure... in the first movement, I imagine the beginning of the adventure with a big tragedy, that deepens the hero to the most unfortunate events that prove his strength to surpass all the obstacles ahead, all this with the promise of a worthy award: the love of his life. From the second movement, this story continues with moments of angst and desperation towards a final big battle that, at the end, will decide the destiny of the hero and his beloved one.

Autumn reflects, first, the feeling of victory and joy and, towards the end, a big loss and sadness (I have to say, this is my favorite... it's like the two faces of a coin, good and evil in the same piece)... The first movement makes me imaging the celebration of a great victory after a long and hard battle, that rewarding feeling that you get after you gave everything of you to accomplish your more desired goal. The following movement, it's quite the opposite; it's like the counterpart of the celebration, it's the mourning for a big loss; a loss that can't be easily replaced. This part makes me feel as if I had lost the most beautiful and grateful thing in life, as if I had known the happiest moment in the world and then it just faded away as soon as it came. The last movement it's like a reconciliation of both happiness and sadness; it's not like acceptance of the later, it's more like if, from this deep mournful feeling, you have learnt valuable knowledge; it's like transforming sadness through wisdom.

And Winter, it makes me feel anxious... The first movement is like if, by listening to it, you know something or someone is haunting after you, it's like the feeling someone keeping watch over you and every single of your moves. The second movement it's as if someone is declaring the most beautiful feeling to you but you don't feel the same, instead of that you are afraid of it, you fear of that person; it's something beautiful but frightening. The last movement is like the acceptance of fatality, like if you know you don't have any other option but death; death in the hands of a beautiful and passionate danger. It seems to be that moment of the dying of a naive, fragile and peaceful being and the reviving of a dangerous, frightening and deadly creature.

To sum up, I just have to say that I love them all. They make me feel more human, experimenting all kind of emotions that I never thought I could ever feel.

I'd like also know what you think of this Masterpiece, please leave your comments!!


Namarie...

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References
[1] The Four Seasons (Vivaldi), Wikipedia; in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Seasons_(Vivaldi) 
[2] Antonio Vivaldi, Wikipedia, in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Vivaldi