Transcript document

Antonio Vivaldi
History
Born on March 4th, 1678 in Venice, Vivaldi grew up in a fairly poor area. As he grew older and
he eventually became a priest in 1703, however, his heart was not in the masses and the
church, but music. Some accounts say that Vivaldi would fake sick episodes and leave
the altar in the middle of a sermon to quickly go and jot down musical notes that had
entered into his mind. Although faking sickness was a way to escape the church callings
at times, Antonio Vivaldi still suffered from what could have been a number of nervous
disorders. Most of Vivaldi’s working life was spent at the Ospedale della Pietà. Ospedali,
which are more commonly known as on “orphanages”, were places that young female
children of the King’s mistresses were sent. Vivaldi taught violin to these girls in the
orphanage. He would teach them five fingered exercises that eventually became the
makings of some of his greatest masterpieces later on in life.
History Cont.
After about 8 years at the orphanage Vivaldi became a bit less attached and began doing
some work for an opera house called Teatro Sant’ Angelo, during which time he also
continued to compose, publishing twelve concertos. At the opera house he began writing
operas and completed his very first one in the 1713-1714 season, calling it “Ottone in villa”. In
1717 Vivaldi moved to Mantua to take a job as Chamber Capellmeister at the court of
Landgrave Philips van Hessen-Darmstadt. Vivaldi became a very popular name in the opera
and musical world and soon met a singer named Anna Giraud while he was in Mantua. Along
with her sister, they moved back to Venice with Antonio. Vivaldi resigned from Opesdale in
1740, and then later died on July 28, 1741 receiving a modest burial.
History of 4 Seasons, Op. 8/2, RV
315, “Summer”
Op. 8/2, RV 315, “Summer” is just one of a series of 4 pieces composed by Antonio Vivaldi in
1723. The other three are appropriately named; Winter, Autumn, and Spring, the other 3
seasons to match summer. These pieces were a set of the first four violin concertos in a set
of twelve cocnerti done by Vivaldi and are of his most famous pieces of work. Each
representation of Vivaldi's interpretation of each season is matched with corresponding
composition to the name. Summer in particular is often referred to as “Storm” because in it's
last movement is a noticeable sound associated with what I would call a thunderstorm. What
he did with his work in composing this piece was very bold for his time as far as they way
that music was being composed in that time. He was able to grasp the concept of each
season and describe it in a song, allowing listeners to view their own image of each season
in their head. Before this time, referential music such as this was not as well described or
received until the 4 seasons came to be.
History of the 4 Seasons Cont.
When Vivaldi wrote the four seasons, the modern solo form of the concerto had not been defined quite yet
as it now is today, his work with arranging for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped
others define this form that helps arrange the sound exactly how Vivaldi wanted to hear it and the way that
others use this form today. Vivaldi's 4 seasons helped impact composers for generations after him and his
concepts are still in use today and many classical arrangements and depictions for referential music.
Antonio Vivaldi wrote the four concertos to accompany four sonnets whose author is uncertain. There is
one theory that Vivaldi wrote them himself only because of the way they match up with his movements. In
the case they he had written them himself, the four seasons could be classified as program music. As well
as the sonnets, Vivaldi provided things such as “The Barking Dog” and “Languor caused the heat” as
instructions on how to listen, or how he interpreted his work of the 4 seasons. This peice of music will
forever be famous in the world of music and composition, as well as a reference to composers even in
todays world as a model for concertos and referential music.
Listening Guide
“Summer”
0-:30
-Sets up the mood for the song as well as the repeat that the next following sections will
repeat to before changing to another. It involves 3 sets of 1 note in a major mode. It is light
and happy. This section opens up the mind for your interpretation of the beginning of
summer.
:30-1:19
-Now the same violin playing previously is joined with the rest of the strings in the group and
the notes elongate out, allowing the season to seemingly ease in out of spring and warm up.
It the repeats 0-:30 which will be joined in the repeats throughout the song.
1:19-1:52
-Violin solo emerges, it is light and happy depicting maybe the light sprinkle of a summer
storm on the way. It's notes are quick and high.
1:52-1:59
-A major crescendo rises with all instruments, depicting the storm that has made it into this
summer day. It is loud and exciting with quicker notes and a faster feel. The music is rich and
heavy, easy to listen to.
1:59-2:15
-Repeat of the sections from 0-1:19, the storm has left and is now allowing the ground to dry
and the sun to peak out behind the clouds again.
Listening Guide Cont.
2:15-2:42
-Low cello and violin duet in the song, starts sounding minor and feels dreary as the storm
clouds pass. At the end of this section you'll notice it seemingly moves from a minor to a
major sound as the lowest note changes to a different harmony to the violins melody.
2:42-3:10
-Major mode emerges out again with the violin solo which ushers in the rest to follow and
bring back the full bright sound of a summer day, it is happy and light sounding.
3:10-3:38
-The music speeds up, creating a more anxious feeling. A crescendo leads the way into an
exciting repeat of the section from 1:52-1:59
3:38-3:57
-Another repeat of 0-1:19 which is very popular in this type of music, it brings the mood back
to remind you where in the seasons we are and the possibility of a another “storm” to come.
3:57-5:00
-Sound returns to minor mode for a moment, all instruments have joined together and keep it
a longing sound. The music has slowed down, at the end of the section it gradually gets
louder leading into a build up of rain clouds again.
5:00-5:26
-The music transitions again into a light rain with the violin solo playing quick, high notes,
keeping the melody as the other instruments drop out, the sound prepares for a storm.
5:26-5:54
-Crescendo leads into an exciting storm with major sounds, bright notes and a wide range of
notes that decline down the scale over and over as if the rain is now pouring down.
Listening Guide Cont.
5:54-6:20
-The violin repeats its solo, as if the storm has stopped and only a light rain remains, this
same pattern will continue throughout the rest of the song.
6:20-6:50
-There is full sound here with all instruments coming together as if the storm has picked up
again, the music is loud and exciting, the violin solo emerges again as if the rain is pouring
out of the sky again with less fury but still exciting as it keeps the melody as before.
6:50-7:36
-Once again, the violin solo repeats itself alone now with just it's melody. The notes are
elongated and not quite as bright as before but still have a major feel as if the storm is at it's
break before the whole storm erupts.
7:36-9:00
-The violin solos lead into an eruption of sound as all instruments join in a crescendo. It is an
exciting, full sound as the storm strikes again.
9:00-9:18
-The fast violin joins in again with a solo of it's own. It's light, high notes depict the rain that
is falling with the storm that is going on. This is just a precursor to the final and most
dramatic storm.
9:18-10:00
-All instruments join again as their sound rages into another storm of crescendos and
exciting full sounds that usher in the final storm.
10:00-10:34
-Repeat of 8:07-9:00
10:30-11:04
-The final climax of the storm, all instruments build up to the end in a theatrical full sound
that ends with a single violin at the end of the summer storm.
References
http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxvivaldi.html
http://www.biography.com/people/antonio-vivaldi-9519560
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/baroqueperiod/ss/fourseasons.htm