A variation of the melody is played by the chamber ensemble before the solo violin enters with a quaint, trill-orientated solo line. Marked Allegro, the first movement of La Primavera is perhaps the most famous of the whole set. The strong unison playing at the beginning introduces the famous motif that is then developed throughout this concerto. Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,Īnd the birds take up their charming songs once more.

The birds celebrate her return with festive song, La Primavera (‘Spring’) The First Movement – Allegro Each concerto is in a fast-slow-fast structure and the accompanying sonnets are also split into three sections to represent each movement vividly. It has been speculated that the music from each concerti was based on the countryside sights in Mantua – where Vivaldi was residing at the time of composition. Vivaldi also took it a step further by unusually including published sonnets that went with each of the concerti (which he may have written himself). The conception of what we can now deduce as an early form of programme music was revolutionary in the Baroque period. Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons ContextĪntonio Vivaldi composed his ever-popular collection of violin concerti The Four Seasons around the year 1721.

Vivaldi four seasons