Nonesuch LP: The Four Seasons
These four concertos for violin and orchestra are the first of a set of twelve published in Amsterdam in 1725 titled Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione, or The Trial of Harmony and Invention. Each concerto takes its structure from a sonnet, possibly written by Vivaldi, printed in the principal violin’s partbook, each on the theme of the respective season. The concertos remained popular long after Vivaldi’s death, particularly in France (where “Spring” was a favorite of the French court). Yet despite not being republished until 1950, Le quattro stagioni is now the most recorded piece of classical music — a legacy of its popularity on classical music radio stations from the 1950s to the 70s.
With their descriptive tonal painting of the seasons, these composition were considered daring and highly inventive — still are even today. After listening to many different recordings, both on period and modern instruments, one can’t help but be impressed with the vivid effects Vivaldi packs into his score. On this Nonesuch recording featuring violinist Reinhold Barchet, Southwest German Chamber Orchestra delivers a fairly standard interpretation under the baton of Paul Hindemith’s former student Friedrich Tilegant.
Concerto No. 1, “Spring” — The sonnet accompanying this concerto tells us that in the Largo “the goatherd sleeps with his trusty dog beside him”; the languorous musical setting is interrupted by the “barking” of a dog on the solo viola.
1. Allegro
2. Largo
3. Allegro
Concerto No. 2, “Summer” — After the scorching sun beats down on the farm laborers, a storm looms in the distance, breaking in the third movement into a thunderous hailstorm matched by a “hail” of rapid passagework in the orchestra and solo.
1. Allegro non molto
2. Adagio
3. Presto
Concerto No. 3, “Autumn” — “Autumn” opens with a peasant dance celebrating the harvest and concludes with a hunt — complete with horns, guns, and dogs — that eventually brings down a wild stag.
1. Allegro
2. Adagio molto
3. Allegro
Concerto No. 4, “Winter” —“Winter” depicts first the shivering of peasants and the chattering of teeth, then relaxing moments by the fire, and finally the abundant joy of sliding on the ice and the sound of the whistling winter winds.
1. Allegro non molto
2. Largo
3. Allegro
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