The first movement of Spring from
The Four Seasons
Listening Guide
Embedded Files
Giuliano Carmignola (solo violin); I Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca / Giuliano Carmignola (conductor)
Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Composition: The first movement of Spring from The Four Seasons
Date: 1720s
Genre: solo concerto and program music
Form: Ritornello form
Performing Forces: solo violinist and string orchestra
Nature of Text: The concerto is accompanied by an Italian sonnet about springtime. The first five line are associated with the first movement
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.
What we want you to remember about this composition:
- It is the first movement of a solo concerto that uses ritornello form
- This is program music
- It uses terraced dynamics
- It uses a fast allegro tempo
Other things to listen for
- The orchestral ritornellos alternate with the sections for solo violin
- Virtuoso solo violin lines
- Motor rhythm
- Melodic themes composed of motives that spin out in sequences
Timing
Timing
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Text and Form:
Text and Form:
Orchestra plays the Ritornello. Repetitive motives played by all the violins; cellos subdivide the beat, provided the motor rhythm; Dynamics terraced from loud to soft to loud to soft, every three measures; In E major
"Coming of spring"
Solo Section featuring the solo violin, joined by two other violins. Solo violin imitates the birds with repeated notes that are ornamented by trills and then repeated in shorter note values
"Birds celebrate" with "festive song."
Ritornello starts with openingphrase. Opening phrase returns and then a softer new phrase with oscillating notes to depict the murmuring brook;
Forte for the return of the opening phrase; then forte repeated low notes foreshadowing the appearance of lightening.
"Murmuring streams" "caressed by the breezes";
Solo section. Solo violinist playing rapid notes in groups of three to represent lightning; answered by low repeated note in other strings representing thunder
"Thunderstorms…roar"
Solo section: Solo violin + 2 violins; cello sustains a drone pitch. More high-pitched, ornamented and repeated notes to represent
More chirping birds
Orchestra. Return of a motivic fragment from the opening phrase now more legato and repeated in a sequence.
Solo violin + basso continuo. More fast, repeated and oscillating notes
Final reference to birds and streams
Orchestra: ritornello. Forte for the first melodic phrase of the ritornello; last phrase ends piano
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