Antonio Vivaldi

Program Notes by Ed Lein

Pastoral Dance from "The Four Seasons: Spring" (arr. for flute quartet b Bill Holcombe)

Along with Bach and Handel, the Venetian Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) is now regarded among the very best of the Baroque composers, but after his death his music was virtually forgotten until the 20th Century. During his lifetime the red-haired priest was admired as an opera composer, but today he is best known for his over 500 concertos, and The Four Seasons are among the most performed and recorded violin concertos of any age.

Bill Holcombe (b.1924) is well known as a composer for band and wind instruments, and as arranger for the Tommy Dorsey Band, 101 Strings, and pianist Peter Nero, but he also was principal flutist in Toscanini’s NBC Orchestra and wrote 15 film scores.

--March 9, 2008 (Arioso Flute Quartet)