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.
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