Antonio Vivaldi Four Seasons Concerto

Beethoven’s symphony No. 5 in C minor has four movements. The first movement is “Allegro con brio”. In the first movement, Beethoven uses sonata form and duple meter to express “fate knocking at the door.” When this part Played by the string’s instruments, it gives me a serious threatening and nervous feeling. In the second theme, Beethoven used Solo French horns to present quiet and peaceful fate, but this atmosphere did not last long. Low strings and descending line are bringing tough, dark and dangerous atmosphere. The second movement is Andante con moto. The rhythm is slow and the meter is triple. It utilizes theme and variations. Theme A is a recitative and played by violas and cellos. It presents a warm feeling. Variation B uses Trumpets,

Just hearing the melody it is easy to picture the ballerinas in their snow costumes dancing along in a light and elegant way. Just as you get use to the repeating melody a contrasting statement is introduced with different tone color, melody, and key. This contrasting part introduces more instruments than just the flute like a trumpet, brasses, and cymbals. This section has wider range with leaps and steps. It is also in an F sharp minor key which is different from the D major key of the flutes. The melody of the piece then returns to a shortened version of the original melody. I enjoy the grace and sophistication that comes with the first melody, but also enjoy the lower sounds that are introduced by the trumpets. Returning to the original melody keeps the piece from losing the sense of grace and refinement and for me is the perfect way to end this

Staccato, one of the most remarkable characteristics in this piece, brings energy to the entire music. In the subject line of the A section (this piece has a five-part A-B-A-B-A form), the melody of the left hand purely consists of staccatos whose short, bouncing feature opens up a dynamic theme., This dynamic is further expressed as the piece enters B section, since the high-pitched notes have more distinguishable sounds and a more rapid speed. This movement then culminates at five major chords whose high pitch and strong, sharp volume produce an extraordinarily penetrating sound. All these movements delineates a playful scene of rain dancing at every corner of the world: on a roof, a stream, an umbrella, a petal of flower, etc. By reflecting sunlight, every drop of rain looks like a shining crystal that illuminates the surroundings and illuminates our heart.

Antonio Vivaldi is a famous Italian baroque composer, known by most Suzuki violin students who study his concertos or by audiences everywhere who have heard and love his composition of the Four Seasons.  Having grown up as students of the Suzuki Violin Method, we recognize this composer and have experience performing his pieces.  In addition to his many concertos written for solo violin, Vivaldi composed many concertos intended to be performed by two solo violins, accompanied by a small orchestra.  Because we are both violinists, we chose to analyze the second movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins in A minor, RV 522, included in his L’Estro Armonico works.

I selected Antonio Vivaldi as from the list of composers due to his vast influence in the development of music, including current popular styles such as the double violin concertos and ritornellos, and his influence on future composers such as Bach. Vivaldi’s significance to the music world is further emphasized by the introduction and popularization of concepts such as his usage of rhythm to create escalating tension and the application of motivic elements as themes for his pieces. Vivaldi’s life was set out to pursue priesthood from a young age yet, ironically, an illness allowed him to follow his true passion as both a violinist and composer. Antonio Vivaldi remained pious throughout his life and it was his particular education as a priest

Antonio Vivaldi was born in 1678 in Venice; he was the eldest of nine children born to Giovanni Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio. His family was fairly poor; his father was a barber turned professional violinist. His father cofounded a musical fraternity called the Sovvegno Dei Musicisti di Santa Cecilia in 1685 with Giovanni Legrenzi, a famous Venetian music figure. Antonio traveled around performing with his father

Both movements in this sonata began with slow introduction played by cellist, and later accompanied by the piano. The first movement, Andante, was first gentle and soft, giving me a sense of serenity and peace. However, the tempo suddenly increased after the abrupt shift to Allegro vivace. The sudden change in tempo, rhythm, and dynamic surprised me like a ringing alarm suddenly wake me up from a sweet and placid dream, bringing me back to the cruel reality. The second movement, Adagio, also started with a slow introduction but both performers played together instead of just the cellist. As the second movement progressed the tempo became faster and the melody became more playful and animated, along with unexpected pauses. The second movement reminded me of the story of Alice in Wonderland. I could imagine a little girl experiencing a wonderful adventure in the wonderland and encountering and playing mysterious characters and objects. I enjoyed all three sonatas performed by Anton Nel and Bion Tsang, but I especially loved the Sonata in C major, Op.102, No. 1, by Ludwig Van

The first movement, “Spring,” in E Major represents the birdsong of the season. The solo violin is supported by two other violin soloists, Jorge Ochoa and Martin Irving. Unfortunately, the cohesiveness between the three violins was slightly off in tempo. However, they quickly recovered representing a high level of musicianship. Next, “Summer,” demonstrates the intense heat and storms by the G Minor key. Takayama imitates the goldfinch, turtledove, and cuckoo on her violin while the orchestra imitates buzzing insects. Later, in F Major, “Autumn,” consists of the theme of a drunken solist which provides extreme freedom in the music. Lastly, the terrifying season of “Winter” voices the frozen water and bitter cold of the outside air. The instruments begin by conversing in F Minor prior to the virtuosic entrance of solist, Akemi Takayama. The second movement switches to E-flat Major, demonstrating the coziness of the indoors during the colder

Just so you know before hand, the lyrics to the music came from the CD with trademark of Delta Music Inc. The movement opens agitatedly as the orchestra picks up fragments of one theme after another from the previous three movements, as if seeking a satisfactory vehicle for its expression; but each is discarded in turn. The first seven notes of the main theme to come are tentatively uttered, but it too is abandoned as the search continues. Once again the theme begins, this time in the woodwinds, but it soon breaks off. Finally, the theme emerges decisively in the basses for a subdued first statement. The second statement is calm, tranquil, confident, and the theme continues onward in the various voices of the orchestra, broad and flowing. The winds make a strong statement of the theme. The flow of the music abruptly halts--there are rapid shifts--great agitation, until the orchestra introduces the baritone singing the first three lines of the poem, rejecting the feverish discords of the previous passage, calling for a different music, whose nature is suggested by the strings beneath his voice:

Music during the Baroque era was regarded as a powerful form of communication that could invoke any emotion in the audience members. This philosophical belief was derived from a revival of the ideas of the Greco-Roman culture. As a result of these ideas, composers believed that they could also affect their listeners through the power of melody, harmony, rhythm, and stylistic details. The emphasis on communication was reflected in the major styles and components that were used throughout Baroque compositions. Baroque music is characterized by the composers’ attention to detail, such as contrast in dynamics, ornamentation, and the emphasis on bass line. These characteristics of the Baroque era of music are reflected in Antonio Vivaldi’s compositions. Known as one of the most popular pieces in Baroque repertoire, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons reveals how composers of the Baroque period used different techniques, such as ritornello and contrast, to invoke emotion through the powerful communication of music. The Four Seasons perfectly represents the Baroque period because of Vivaldi 's style, techniques, and theme.

Misty dew covers the entire surface of the field. The yellowing corn stalks stand erect and proud until my grandpas tractor comes to end their growth. Autumn slowly weaves its way in and leaves a stain of brilliant color in its wake. Not everyone enjoys such colors, but when you take a second to step outside your doorstep, and look at all the wonders that surround you, you’d be surprised at how marvelous the world can truly be. To me, Autumn is a time for relishing in the colors. Soaking in the oranges and reds while sitting by a warm fire. It’s a time for remembering that everything does end, but it does not have to end in the dreadful way we think it will. Autumn is a time for the closeness of others to keep out the chill of the morning and the starry-eyed darkness of the night.

The fourth movement, “Omnia sol temperat” is sung in a completely different way. It begins with a male soloist singing, accompanied softly by violins. The way Orff chose to display this movement shows that there is no defined rhythm he is following. The soloist singing in a profound masculine voice sets the tone for this movement.

In Adagio, the tempo picked up to match a vivace feel. It had the mood of anticipation. Quite like knowing that a battle must be fought but there is no idea as to when, but they’ll still be prepared. The melody repeated a lot with different alterations.

With every end, there is a beginning. When the cold winter ends, there is a new beginning in nature where the trees and flowers start fresh as they grow once again. The poem “Spring”, takes us, readers, to a setting where the place shows complete nature. We are to imagine aesthetic scenery where spring has arrived and everything that happens during this season is happening right in front of us.