Tír Na HiFi

This is the copy I have:




Seems a nice enough recording with good depth - not to harsh sounding either considering the amount of violin - and the "DDD" label! The liner tells me its from 1989 and features Andrew Watkinson and the City of London Sinfonia. Recording was in a school in Surrey.

I'm only starting with Spring as yet - but so far the "slow" middle part is what grabs me most. I like the interplay between the lines running through it. The other 2 parts - maybe its just because I've heard them so many times - they don't grab me as much. It will be interesting to see how the rest fares out.


Fran

Fran wrote:This is the copy I have:

that's the very one have! But mine is 1991 and has two concertos as well, one for 2 violins and one for trumpets. It's a long time since I listened to this CD but I remember playing those more than the 'main event'. I got as far as the end of Autumn last night but had to do a bit of bookkeeping.

Vivaldi: Four Seasons - Spring

The first concerto in the Four Seasons is La primavera (Spring). It is a short Concerto as indeed they all are. There are three movements in this concerto, two quick movements on each side of a slow movement. The first movement, although quite short, paints or evokes some lovely pastoral scenes for us through the music. Upon commencing, the main theme is repeated. Successive repetition is a technique used by Vivaldi to ensure that his themes were remembered by the audience. The opening phrase is immediately repeated and you will notice that the final note of each phrase is going upwards. We then have another phrase that follows which is a variation of the opening statement but at its end it heads downwards. This is the “answer” to the opening statement and we thereby have the beginning of a dialogue or conversation going on. This is a common technique in Classical music and lends interest and variety and it will be demonstrated often in this work. Listen out for it for added interest. The whole opening section is repeated once again but this time as an echo and is also softer in tone for variety. Do you hear it?

Following a second section which is basically a slight variation on the opening section we get the introduction of the soloist. What he does when he does enter is to imitate birdsong. Do you hear the chirping birds singing out? The orchestra returns and then almost immediately begins to describe a flowing stream through the countryside. Suddenly the tranquillity is shattered and we have the outbreak of a thunderstorm. The soloist portrayed the flashes of lightening against the backdrop of the thunder portrayed by the orchestra. When the thunderstorm is finished we get the birds coming back in but you can hear that they are a bit unsettled after the storm. The soloist is given a nice little solo to play towards and the orchestra then wraps up the first movement.

The second movement is the slow movement. I love Vivaldi’s slow movements. Depending on which orchestra and soloist and conductor that interprets the music one can definitely feel the oppressive heat of an Italian afternoon coming through in a lot of the slow movements and I think that we have a good example here. The movement opens with the sound and feel of a slight breeze blowing through the leaves (played by the orchestra) and the barking of a dog; the repetitive bow wow (played by the lower toned violas). The solo violin represents a sleeping goatherd. It is a beautiful, gentle piece of music with paints a lovely, simple scene. Even the barking dog finally falls asleep at the end and perhaps has sweet dreams of his own like the goatherd!

The final movement of this first concerto is based around a folk dance. Exactly like the first movement opening we get the opening dance statement which is then repeated as an echo. Note the change in the rhythm to reflect the dance tune. It is interesting that the soloist is given a more prominent role in this final movement and the orchestral violins and violas disappear leaving only a base line for texture and accompaniment. The lonely violin solo towards the end is ultimately rejoined by the orchestra (peasants dancing) and not only is the movement finalised but so also is the full concerto.

So, for around approximately ten minutes of music we have been treated to quite a lot of music pictures and representations. I hope that you got them all and that if you were not aware of them before it will enhance your appreciation of this first concerto, La primavera, in the Four Seasons.

bombasticDarren wrote:

.... like my Bach, I like my Vivaldi played at quite a lick, and Il Giardino Armonico do not disappoint...

Darren: I found your post to be a great read that was interesing and honest Well done.

I agree with you on your statement but I do not own that Il Giardino Armonico recording. I am delighted that you found it stimulating and I would be curious to know what other recordings you own.

Fran wrote:


I'm only starting with Spring as yet - but so far the "slow" middle part is what grabs me most. I like the interplay between the lines running through it. The other 2 parts - maybe its just because I've heard them so many times - they don't grab me as much. It will be interesting to see how the rest fares out.

I would be interested to know Fran if, after reading my post above, you went back and listened to Spring again, whether or not you got anything new from the music itself? As a self confessed newbie to Classical music do you hear the descriptions or see them in your minds eye?

Listening to my Classic FM magazine version. London Philharmonic with David Nolan.
I really enjoyed the guide Fergus and was able to spot them all. Thanks!

I probably have the same relationship as many others with this piece: I love Vivaldi, but much prefer L'estro armonico (I have the Europa Galante, which I love and nearly know by heart) mainly because the Four Seasons has been overplayed. I do think it is an excellent gateway into classical music and music listening in general. I always play it to my students at least once a year to encourage the idea of active listening and expose them to something other than Jedward etc. I agree that the slow pieces are lovely and probably my favourite. The Autumn Adagio Molto is amazing.

I know I might be alone on this one but I really like this cd:

It mixes Vivaldi with Irish trad. music in a really interesting way. Listen to some Youtube videos and see what you think.

bombasticDarren wrote:I think like most people my age and in my part of the world I first came to hear of The Four Seasons thanks to Nigel Kennedy's ubiqitous recording (this must have been about 1989/90). [.......] Nigel Kennedy was all over the UK media; he seemed a bit odd for a CM violinist, but not odd or intriguing enough to tear me away from my preferred distractions.

Darren's post reminded me that I too bought the Kennedy when it came out. It was one of the first CDs that I bought as part of my then change over to the then new technology of CD. I got it down tonight and gave La primavera (discussed above) a spin....





In that recording Kennedy only knew one Tempo....fast! He goes at it with youthful exhuberance and whereas it does work in the fast movements, the slow movements need to breath a little I think. Still, it is an enjoyable listen and it was a lot of people's gateway to Classical Music at the time.

Claus wrote: I know I might be alone on this one but I really like this cd:

It mixes Vivaldi with Irish trad. music in a really interesting way. Listen to some Youtube videos and see what you think.

I can see how that might work Claus. I have heard Handel's music played in the traditional Irish music style and it came out very well. Geminiani also lived in Dublin for a while and I often hear echos of Irishness in his music. That Classical era music is well suited to be played in the traditional Irish mode perhaps due to the general dance like lilt that it can contain?

Vivaldi: Four Seasons – Summer


The second concerto of the four concertos that make up the Four Seasons is L’estate (Summer). From the very first notes and phrase of the opening movement Vivaldi is trying to depict the oppressive heat of an Italian summer’s day. Even the musicians can only play in a lethargic way in this heat! Can you feel it? However the birdsong, represented by the introduction of the soloist, is much livelier. Can you hear the cuckoo in there? However, we are soon brought back to the oppressive heat. Vivaldi repeats the mood change when the soloist returns with more chattering birdsong. The gentle summer breezes are dramatically interrupted by the appearance of the North Wind. When the storm concludes and the heat haze is restored the soloist returns as a boy crying. At the conclusion of the first movement we are again treated to another, this time more violent, storm.

The short, slow movement is full of contrasts. The movement opens and continues with the sound of buzzing insects in the continuing oppressive heat. Once again, however, we have this lazy, languid atmosphere continually being interrupted by short storm outbursts.

Vivaldi obviously had a thing for storms because the third and final movement of this particular concerto depicts another one! The movement opens with thunder followed by the lightening which is represented by the constantly downward scales. Note the short notes of the orchestra in the background which add a sense of tension and electricity to the air. The storm grows continually and the storm clouds burst with a downpour of torrential rain. When the rain stops the soloist returns with a wonderful passage. The storm continues, subsides and eventually moves on. I think that this is a wonderful example of musical picture painting which is essentially what the music was designed to do; and it all takes only about three minutes or so to portray this wonderful scene in the final movement.

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
The Sonatori De La Gioiosa Marca


This is my version (recommended by someone on the old Cloney forum - if they're here - thanks)

It's just on in the background as myself and Mrs Sloop have some of that nice Vacqueyras I mentioned in the beverage thread. It "sounds" exceptionally good, a really involving recording.

I shall peruse it later with Fergus' notes and see where that takes me.......


SJB