, from Michel-Charles Le Cène's edition of Vivaldi's Op. 8, 1725)
The Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni) is a group of four violin concerti by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, each of which gives musical expression to a season of the year. These were composed around 1718–1720, when Vivaldi was the court chapel master in Mantua. They were published in 1725 in Amsterdam, together with eight additional concerti, as Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Contest Between Harmony and Invention).
The Four Seasons is the best known of Vivaldi's works. Though three of the concerti are wholly original, the first, "Spring", borrows patterns from a sinfonia in the first act of Vivaldi's contemporaneous opera Il Giustino. The inspiration for the concertos is not the countryside around Mantua, as initially supposed, where Vivaldi was living at the time, since according to Karl Heller[1] they could have been written as early as 1716–1717, while Vivaldi was engaged with the court of Mantua only in 1718.
They were a revolution in musical conception: Vivaldi represented flowing creeks, singing birds (of different species, each specifically characterized), a shepherd and his barking dog, buzzing flies, storms, drunken dancers, hunting parties from both the hunters' and the prey's point of view, frozen landscapes, and warm winter fires.
Unusually for the period, Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying sonnets (possibly written by the composer himself) that elucidated what it was in the spirit of each season that his music was intended to evoke. The concerti therefore stand as one of the earliest and most detailed examples of what would come to be called program music—in other words, music with a narrative element. Vivaldi took great pains to relate his music to the texts of the poems, translating the poetic lines themselves directly into the music on the page. For example, in the middle section of "Spring", when the goatherd sleeps, his barking dog can be heard in the viola section. The music is elsewhere similarly evocative of other natural sounds. Vivaldi divided each concerto into three movements (fast–slow–fast), and, likewise, each linked sonnet into three sections.
Structure
Title page of Vivaldi's Cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Invenzione, which included The Four Seasons
All performed by the Wichita State University Chamber Players, an ensemble of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra
There is some debate as to whether the four concertos were written to accompany four sonnets or vice versa.[3] Though it is not known who wrote the accompanying sonnets, the theory that Vivaldi wrote them is supported by the fact that each sonnet is broken into three sections, each neatly corresponding to a movement in the concerto. Regardless of the sonnets' authorship, The Four Seasons can be classified as program music, instrumental music intended to evoke something extra-musical,[4] and an art form which Vivaldi was determined to prove sophisticated enough to be taken seriously.[5]
In addition to these sonnets, Vivaldi provided instructions such as "The barking dog" (in the second movement of "Spring"), "Languor caused by the heat" (in the first movement of "Summer"), and "the drunkards have fallen asleep" (in the second movement of "Autumn").
A new translation of the sonnets into English by Armand D'Angour was published in 2019.[6]
Sonnet text
Sonnet
Italian
English
Spring
Allegro
Giunt' è la Primavera e festosetti
La Salutan gl' Augei con lieto canto,
E i fonti allo Spirar de' Zeffiretti
Con dolce mormorio Scorrono intanto:
Vengon' coprendo l' aer di nero amanto
E Lampi, e tuoni ad annuntiarla eletti
Indi tacendo questi, gl' Augelletti;
Tornan' di nuovo al lor canoro incanto:
Largo
E quindi sul fiorito ameno prato
Al caro mormorio di fronde e piante
Dorme 'l Caprar col fido can' à lato.
Allegro mandolin concerto
Di pastoral Zampogna al suon festante
Danzan Ninfe e Pastor nel tetto amato
Di primavera all' apparir brillante.
Allegro
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
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps,
his faithful dog beside him.
Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes,
nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
beneath spring’s beautiful canopy.
Summer
Allegro non molto
Sotto dura Staggion dal Sole accesa
Langue l' huom, langue 'l gregge, ed arde il Pino;
Scioglie il Cucco la Voce, e tosto intesa
Canta la Tortorella e 'l gardelino.
Zeffiro dolce Spira, mà contesa
Muove Borea improviso al Suo vicino;
E piange il Pastorel, perche sospesa
Teme fiera borasca, e 'l suo destino;
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
Toglie alle membra lasse il Suo riposo
Il timore de' Lampi, e tuoni fieri
E de mosche, e mosconi il Stuol furioso!
Presto
Ah, che pur troppo i Suo timor Son veri
Tuona e fulmina il Ciel e grandinoso
Tronca il capo alle Spiche e a' grani alteri.
Allegro non molto
Under a hard season, fired up by the sun
Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
We hear the cuckoo's voice;
then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard.
Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening
the North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside.
The shepherd trembles,
fearing violent storms and his fate.
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around.
Presto
Alas, his fears were justified
The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail
Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain.
Autumn
Allegro
Celebra il Vilanel con balli e Canti
Del felice raccolto il bel piacere
E del liquor de Bacco accesi tanti
Finiscono col Sonno il lor godere.
Adagio molto
Fà ch' ogn' uno tralasci e balli e canti
L' aria che temperata dà piacere,
E la Staggion ch' invita tanti e tanti
D' un dolcissimo Sonno al bel godere.
Allegro
cacciator alla nov' alba à caccia
Con corni, Schioppi, e cani escono fuore
Fugge la belva, e Seguono la traccia;
Già Sbigottita, e lassa al gran rumore
De' Schioppi e cani, ferita minaccia
Languida di fuggir, mà oppressa muore.
Allegro
Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances,
The pleasure of a bountiful harvest.
And fired up by Bacchus' liquor,
many end their revelry in sleep.
Adagio molto
Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance
By the air which is tempered with pleasure
And (by) the season that invites so many, many
Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment
Allegro
The hunters emerge at the new dawn,
And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting
The beast flees and they follow its trail;
Terrified and tired of the great noise
Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens
Languidly to flee, but harried, dies.
Winter
Allegro non molto
Agghiacciato tremar trà nevi algenti
Al Severo Spirar d' orrido Vento,
Correr battendo i piedi ogni momento;
E pel Soverchio gel batter i denti;
Largo
Passar al foco i dì quieti e contenti
Mentre la pioggia fuor bagna ben cento
Allegro
Caminar Sopra il giaccio, e à passo lento
Per timor di cader girsene intenti;
Gir forte Sdruzziolar, cader à terra
Di nuove ir Sopra 'l giaccio e correr forte
Sin ch' il giaccio si rompe, e si disserra;
Sentir uscir dalle ferrate porte
Sirocco, Borea, e tutti i Venti in guerra
Quest' é 'l verno, mà tal, che gioja apporte.
Allegro non molto
To tremble from cold in the icy snow,
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
To run, stamping one's feet every moment,
Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold
Largo
Before the fire to pass peaceful,
Contented days while the rain outside pours down.
Allegro
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 course through the home
despite the locked and bolted doors...
this is winter, which nonetheless
brings its own delights.
Recording history
Bernardino Molinari, who made the first electrical recording of The Four Seasons in 1942.
The date and personnel on the first recording of The Four Seasons are disputed. There is a compact disc of a recording made by the violinist
long-playing album in 1950, and, later, on compact disc.[8]
The first American recording was made in the final week of 1947 by the violinist
Grand Prix du Disque in 1950, was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, and was selected the following year for the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress. Kaufman, intrigued to learn that the four concertos were in fact part of a set of twelve, set about finding a full score and eventually recorded the other eight concertos in Zürich in 1950, making his the first recording of Vivaldi's complete Op. 8.[12]
I Solisti di Zagreb, under the baton of Antonio Janigro with Jan Tomasow as violin soloist and Anton Heiller on harpsichord, followed in 1957 on the Vanguard label, further reissued under the Philips and other labels. Wilfrid Mellers, an English music critic, musicologist and composer wrote of this performance, "the soloists phrase their lyricism beautifully."[citation needed] John Thornton wrote about this recording, "Here is matchless ensemble playing, topped by Tomasow's secure playing. Janigro reveals his talent for conducting, which competes with his considerable talent for cello playing."[15]
Ivan Supek wrote of this recording:
I will attempt to convey to you how much this performance means to me, and might mean to you, as well. My first encounter with the records took place almost thirty years ago, when "our" Antonio revealed to me the true significance of the piece of another great Antonio, his famous namesake, whose Le Quattro Staggioni I could hardly listen any more because of the "grand", actually too grand, performances usual at that time, let alone enjoy them. What a change it was – a window into a new world; music is fast, precise and true to life, the intonation is correct, the continuo appropriate, and the violin of beautiful sound in fitting correlation with the Zagreb Soloists. The self-assured and fine tone of Jan Tomasow's solo violin relates perfectly with the Soloists; the entire performance is impregnated with the spirit of Janigro's perfectionism, leaving the music and its soul fully exposed. It had been for a long time the only performance I could listen to. Only during [the] last decade some new kids, playing authentic instruments, have offered to me similar pleasure and insights into the music of Antonio Vivaldi and, to my great pleasure, Janigro's performance is no longer the only choice for me.
In my opinion, this also shows how Janigro's performance in cooperation with the Zagreb Soloists was far ahead its time, as corroborated by Igor Stravinsky, who claimed that it was the most beautiful performance of Le Quattro Staggioni he had ever heard, a statement which I only recently learned about. No wonder, since such “bareness” and precision of Janigro's interpretation must have appealed to him. It was much later that I discovered the excellence of the recording as well. At that time, the Zagreb Soloists were recording for Vanguard, mostly in Vienna at various locations, and this particular recording was made in 1957 at Rotenturmstrassaal. Recording was produced by Seymour Solomon, chief producer of the entire edition, who would personally come from the USA to oversee every recording to be made by the Zagreb Soloists, whereas the Vanguard branch in Vienna "Amadeo" was in charge of the organisation. (My gratitude to one of the founders of the Zagreb Soloists, Mr. Stjepan Aranjoš, for providing me with some important insights). Janigro was a perfectionist, often rather merciless, not only in matters of music but also in terms of the sound, so he participated directly and intensely in [the] recording process, which was quite uncommon at that time. All that great care, by all participants in the project, is amply reflected in the recording itself, resulting in an airy performance of appropriate spaciousness and extension, with only occasional “congestion” of high tones in forte sections.[16]
Paul Shoemaker wrote about this recording:
Nothing I have heard changes my view that the best Seasons ever was performed by Jan Tomasow and I Solisti di Zagreb and beautifully recorded by Vanguard at the very beginning of the stereo era. If you have almost every other version of the Seasons, you’ll want this one, too. If money and space are no obstacle, it might be worth having.[17]
Nigel Kennedy's 1989 recording of The Four Seasons with the English Chamber Orchestra sold over three million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling classical works ever.[18][19] The marketing of Kennedy's record was described as "the first time that a classical artist had been given the full pop marketing treatment", with a promotional single, and advertisements on billboards, TV and radio.[18]
The World's Encyclopedia of Recorded Music in 1952 cites only two recordings of The Four Seasons – by Molinari and Kaufman. By 2011[update], approximately 1,000 recorded versions have been made since Campoli's in 1939.[citation needed]
In 2009, all four concertos were arranged for piano by pianist
CD
.
Classical musicians have sought to distinguish their recordings of The Four Seasons, with
Derivative works of these concerti include arrangements, transcriptions, covers, remixes, samples, and parodies in music — themes in theater and opera, soundtracks in films (or video games), and choreography in ballet (along with contemporary dance, figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, etc.) — either in their entirety, single movements, or medleys. Antonio Vivaldi appears to have started this trend of adapting music from The Four Seasons, and since then it has expanded into many aspects of the performing arts (as have other instrumental & vocal works by the composer). This contest between harmony and invention (as it were) now involves various genres around the world:
1726 (or 1734)
Vivaldi re-scored the Allegro movement from the "Spring" concerto, both as the opening sinfonia (third movement), and chorus (adding lyrics) for his opera Dorilla in Tempe.
Vivaldi based his setting of "Gelido in ogni vena", an aria from
Metastasio's Siroe, re di Persia libretto, on the first movement of the "Winter" concerto. Vivaldi's Siroe, containing an aria on this text, premiered in 1727 (music lost). An aria on the "Gelido in ogni vena" text also appeared in his 1730 Argippo (music lost). In 1731, he inserted the extant version of this aria in his Farnace when this opera was restaged in Pavia.[22][23][24]
1739
Nicolas Chédeville (France) arranged the concerti (as "Le printemps, ou Les saisons amusantes") for hurdy-gurdy or musette, violin, flute, and continuo.
1765
The French composer
Laudate Dominum de Coelis, subtitled Motet à Grand Chœur arrangé dans le Concerto de Printemps de Vivaldi. The work, for choir and orchestra, consists of the words of Psalm 148 set to the music from the Spring concerto with vocal soloists singing the solo concerto parts.[25]
) based on the work (and that of other composers).
1970
Astor Piazzolla (Argentina) published Estaciones Porteñas, "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires"; these have been included in "eight seasons" performances, along with Vivaldi's work, by various artists.
The New Koto Ensemble (Japan) recorded the concerti on koto instruments.[29]
1978
Michael Franks (United States) composed a vocal serenade based on the theme of the Adagio from the "Summer" concerto.[30] This was subsequently covered by WoongSan (Korea) in 2010.[31]
1981
The Four Seasons is used in the eponymous 1981 film, along with other Vivaldi concertos for flute.
1982
Patrick Gleeson (United States) recorded a "computer realization" of the concerti.
1984
Thomas Wilbrandt (West Germany) composed and recorded "The Electric V" (later adapted for film), which interprets Vivaldi's work with ambient electronics, vocals, and samples of the original concerti.
Roland Petit (France) choreographed a ballet (entitled "Les Quatre Saisons") to an I Musici performance of Vivaldi's work.
1987
Ben Shedd (United States) produced a scenic tour of nature with the concerti as background music (narrated by William Shatner).[32]
Arnie Roth (United States) recorded "The Four Seasons Suite", including sonnets (recited by Patrick Stewart). This may not qualify as a derivative work, depending on whether Vivaldi's translated sonnets were meant to be narrated with the music (versus being read in Italian, or silently by the audience).[34]
1997
The Baronics (Canada) recorded surf guitar versions of one movement from each of the concerti.[35]
French musician Jacques Loussier composed and recorded, with his trio, jazz-swing interpretations of the concerti.
1998
The Great Kat (England/United States) recorded a shred guitar (and violin) version of the Presto movement from the "Summer" concerto.[36]
Vanessa-Mae (Singapore/Britain) recorded a crossover version of the same movement for electric violin.[37]
1999
The Chinese Baroque Players recorded arrangements of the concerti for traditional Chinese instruments.[38]
Susan Osborn (United States) recorded a new-age vocal serenade based on the "Winter" Largo.[43]
The Charades (Finland) recorded the Presto from the "Summer" concerto as "Summer Twist", for surf guitar ensemble.[44]
An electronic cover of the same movement was recorded by Takayuki Ishikawa (under the pseudonym dj TAKA) with the title "V" for the rhythm gameBeatmania IIDX 5th Style. The song has become one of the most popular in the series, being included in every release since its debut.[citation needed]
Hayley Westenra (New Zealand) adapted the "Winter" concerto into a song titled "River of Dreams" which is sung in English. It was recorded for her Pure album on July 10.
2004
Tafelmusik (Canada) arranged a cross-cultural arts special based on the concerti, involving a Chinese pipa, Indian sarangi and Inuit throat-singing.[46]
2005
Mỹ Linh (Vietnamese singer) adapted the "Winter" concerto into a song titled "Mùa Đông" (which means "winter" also) on her album Chat với Mozart (Chat with Mozart).[citation needed]
Dark Moor (Spain) recorded an electric-guitar version of the Allegro non molto movement from the "Winter" concerto; this was later integrated into the Finnish video game Frets on Fire.[47]
Celtic Woman (Ireland) recorded the "Winter" Largo with vocals (Italian lyrics).[49] The youngest former member, Chloë Agnew, originally recorded it for her Walking in the Air album which was released in 2002.[citation needed]
PercaDu (Israel) performed an arrangement of the Allegro non molto movement from the "Winter" concerto, for marimbas with chamber orchestra.[50]
Tim Slade (Australia) directed 4, a documentary which follows four classical violinists in their homelands (of Tokyo; Thursday Island, New York; and Lapland), as they relate to Vivaldi's Four Seasons.[52]
Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra performed the concerti with arrangement for Korean traditional music (gugak) orchestra by Seong-gi Kim. It was recorded live and released with CD from Synnara Music same year.[53]
2008
Sveceny & Dvorak (Czech Republic) produced both an album and stage production of world music based on the concerti.[54]
Yves Custeau (Canada) recorded a rock & roll "one-man band" version of the "Spring" Allegro.[55]
Daisy Jopling (England/United States) recorded a violin & hip-hop version of the Allegro non molto movement from the "Winter" concerto, and also performs it reggae-style.[56]
Innesa Tymochko (Ukraine) performed her crossover version of the Presto from the "Summer" concerto, for violin.[57]
Wez Bolton (Isle of Man) recorded a cover version of the Allegro non molto movement from the "Winter" concerto, based on the Japanese video game "Beatmania" remix.[58]
Absynth Against Anguish (Romania) produced an electronic (trance) version of the concerti.[60]
Riccardo Arrighini (Italy) recorded the concerti for solo piano, in a jazz style.[61]
Christophe Monniot recorded ambient-jazz interpretations of the concerti.[62]
Christian Blind (France) recorded a surf guitar/acid rock version of the Allegro movement from the "Spring" concerto.[63]
Sodagreen (Taiwan) launched their "Vivaldi Project" which resulted in a series of pop albums based on the concerti: Spring/Daylight, Summer/Fever, Autumn/Story and Winter/Endless. The project was completed in 2015 with the release of the fourth album.[citation needed]
2010
Art Color Ballet (Poland) performed their "4 elements" show to the Presto movement from the "Summer" concerto, arranged by Hadrian Filip Tabęcki (Kameleon).[64]
David Garrett (Germany) recorded a crossover version of Vivaldi's winter (allegro non molto), combining classical violin with modern rock music.[65]
2011
Black Smith (Russia) performed the Presto movement from the "Summer" concerto in the style of
Angels (Greece) performed their crossover version of the same movement, scored for electric strings.[67]
Szentpeteri Csilla (Hungary) performed her crossover version of the same movement, scored for piano.[68]
Leonel Valbom (Portugal) remixed the Presto movement from the "Summer" concerto with VST Synths.[69]
Tim Kliphuis (Netherlands) performed the Allegro from the "Spring" movement as a crossover of world-music styles.[70]
Niibori Guitar Ensemble (Japan) Performed the Presto from the "Summer" movement as a arrangement for their concert at the Minato Mirai Hall on 1 June 2011 [71]
Daniel Hope, Richter discarded around 75 per cent of the original source material; the album is 44 minutes long.[75]
Aura (Japan) recorded an a cappella arrangement of the concerti, and had also performed Vivaldi's Spring chorus (from Dorilla in Tempe) on a prior album.[76]
Sinfonity (Spain) performed the concerti for "electric-guitar orchestra".[77]
Bachod Chirmof (USA) produced a
animation of Vivaldi's winter (movements I & III).[78]
Tornado Classic (Russia) performed the Presto movement from the "Summer" concerto, with electric guitar and slap bass.[79]
The symphonic rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra used a portion of the first movement of the "Winter" concerto in their song "Dreams of Fireflies (On A Christmas Night)" on their Dreams of Fireflies EP.[citation needed]
2013
Richard Galliano (France) recorded the concerti for accordion, as well as a few of his opera arias on the instrument.[80]
Periodic (Germany) produced a megamix of the concerti, which incorporates electronica with samples of a classical recording.[82]
Steven Buchanan (USA) produced a tetralogy of "midseasons" (slow movements and corresponding sonnets) from Vivaldi's program music.[83]
William Harvey (USA) conducts the Afghan Youth Orchestra, the primary ensemble of Afghanistan National Institute of Music, in his composition "The Four Seasons of Afghanistan" at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.[84]
2014
Let it Go" from the computer-animated film Frozen.[85]
Along with the original composition of "Winter" included in Fantasia: Music Evolved, there are also two mixes: the "Alt Rock" mix, and the "Steve Porter" mix.[citation needed]
"For Seasons" is a recomposition of Vivaldi's concertos using algorithms to portray climate change from 1725 to 2019. Arranged by Simone Candotto and performed in November 2019 by the NDR Elbphilharomie Orchestra, under the direction of Alan Gilbert.[89]
Ballet Arizona performed original choreography by artistic director Ib Andersen in an outdoor performance set against the lush Southwest landscape of the Desert Botanical Gardens.[90]
"The [Uncertain] Four Seasons" is a reworking of Vivaldi's original, by both human composers and AI algorithms based on climate predictions for the year 2050. Each performance is modified to fit the climatic predictions for the location of performance. The project includes a multi-orchestra, streamed event planned for November 1, 2021, in connection with the
United Nations Climate Change conference held in Glasgow, Scotland. It was inspired by the 2019 performance, "For Seasons."[91]
The Brazilian telenovela Quanto Mais Vida, Melhor! covered the "Summer" concerto for a special sequence where the four main characters "switch bodies". For the scene, the compositions also had different rhythms involving rock, classical music, pop, and samba, respectively.[93]
Vivaldi and Italian Baroque specialists,
Beats by Dre
advertisement.
The eponymous heroine of Wednesday plays Winter at the cello. (episode 3)
2023
Winter and Summer were also heard in the character Kafka's trailer from the game Honkai: Star Rail.
^Two versions are available, one with more extensive sleeve notes giving the political background and history of the work's rediscovery issued by Ermitage ERC CD 12006-2.
