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Classics Explained: VIVALDI - The Four Seasons

An exploration of The Four Seasons narrated by Jeremy Sipeman

Jeremy Siepmann (reader)

Classics Explained: VIVALDI - The Four Seasons

Classics Explained: VIVALDI - The Four Seasons

An exploration of The Four Seasons narrated by Jeremy Sipeman

Jeremy Siepmann (reader)

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Contents and tracklist

Vivaldi: An Introduction to … VIVALDI: The 4 Seasons
Work length1:58:43
Introduction: Opening, upward-pointing figure
Track length1:33
Answering, downward figure completes the phrase
Track length0:22
Beginning of dialogue
Track length0:25
The nature of musical conversation; repetition; ' echo ' effect
Track length1:26
Upward pointing to one ' target ' note
Track length0:40
' Answer ' points to two, downward notes
Track length0:11
Same idea repeated 3 times
Track length0:19
The first Solo section: birdsong from three soloists, not one
Track length1:53
Repeat of ' two-pronged ' theme in orchestra
Track length0:22
Orchestra depicts murmuring stream, but still there's no real melody
Track length0:51
Further illustrative ' water studies '
Track length0:32
Orchestra erupts into thunderstorm
Track length0:27
Orchestral thunder, virtuosic ' lightning ' from soloist - but still no ' tune '
Track length0:54
Soloistic ' birds ' return to the air
Track length0:41
Variant of opening theme, with ' argument ' between two notes, one high, one low
Track length0:25
Cue to First Movement
Track length0:20
First Movement (Complete)
Track length3:29
Scene setting and Main Theme of Second Movement
Track length1:56
Analytical comment and Main Theme again
Track length0:57
Main Theme varied
Track length0:41
Further variation, tracing slow, descending scale-steps
Track length0:43
Analytical discussion of ' pace ' and ' tempo ' ; further variant of main theme
Track length2:51
Vivaldi springs a surprise, reversing direction and heightening tension
Track length0:44
Analytical cue to Second Movement
Track length0:44
Second Movement (Complete)
Track length2:35
Undercover ' bagpipes ' initiate the finale
Track length1:05
Second part of Main Theme: new notes, same rhythm
Track length0:18
An ' echo ' with a difference
Track length0:23
Reminder of ' echoed ' phrase in its original form
Track length0:12
Surprise variant provides springboard into new descending four-note pattern
Track length0:19
Unexpected, ' flowing ' entrance of soloist
Track length0:36
The use of ' sequence ' in first extended solo
Track length1:21
Vivaldi prepares expectation...
Track length0:19
... and frustrates it by bringing in a new theme, using his four-note ' motto '
Track length1:07
Violins accompanied by flowing ' commentary ' in lower strings
Track length0:34
Soloist returns with new variant
Track length0:36
Pace slows as violins trace another four-note scalewise descent
Track length0:24
The peasants return with the main theme, which turns unexpectedly downward
Track length0:47
Intensification as harmonies change under broad, descending four-note ' motto '
Track length0:37
Mini-earthquake transformed into harmonic landslide
Track length0:46
Critical mood-change in soloist's lonely soliloquy
Track length0:42
Cue to restoration of main theme in its entirety as the movement ends
Track length0:22
Third Movement (complete)
Track length4:15
Scene setting and opening of First Movement
Track length0:34
Expanded groups of answering phrase
Track length0:24
Upper and lower strings alternately succumb to lethargy
Track length0:49
As in ' Spring ', soloist enters with birdsong
Track length0:34
Orchestra hijacks soloist's material
Track length0:40
Soloist returns,first as turtle-dove, then as goldfinch
Track length0:50
Gentle breezes give away to North Wing
Track length1:03
The storm subsides; soloist enters as weeping peasant boy
Track length1:00
Movement ends as storm returns
Track length0:17
First Movement (complete)
Track length5:20
Second movement opens with extremecontrasts
Track length1:34
Second Movement (complete)
Track length2:28
Stormy Weather; thunder
Track length0:37
Lightning from upper strings
Track length0:22
More lightning: ' heat ' lightning from violins, ' fork ' lightning from violas
Track length0:24
Torrential rain, depicted by entire orchestra
Track length0:46
Deferred entry of solo violin, in virtuoso vein
Track length0:54
Peasant's failing resolve as violin spirals down
Track length0:21
Nature triumphant; soloist draws on orchestra's 'rain' music
Track length1:35
The peasant's capitulation
Track length0:23
Third Movement (complete)
Track length3:03
Repetitiousness and folk music; the movement's opening
Track length1:17
Secondary theme, a closely related development of the first
Track length0:28
Solo entry restates the opening theme, ' double-stopping '
Track length1:05
Unexpectedly, a new theme where a repeat might be expected
Track length0:36
The soloist as ' drunkard '
Track length0:45
Further violinistic slips and slides
Track length0:15
Orchestra re-enters with main theme, but is interrupted by the drunkard
Track length0:18
Other drunks join in ' dialogue ' with the orchestra
Track length1:01
The orchestral peasants continue their dancing, but things have changed
Track length0:57
Enter another drunk, courtesy of the virtuoso soloist
Track length0:40
The dance breaks up
Track length0:38
The drunkard interrupts again, then falls asleep, breathing heavily
Track length0:56
Conversation amongst the sober peasants leads to their final dance
Track length0:24
First Movement (complete)
Track length4:46
Scene-setting for Second Movement
Track length1:08
Second Movement (complete)
Track length2:45
Similarities between the Third Movement and the First
Track length1:06
Expectation and surprise: Vivaldi tacks on one bar too many
Track length0:27
A case of predictable unpredictablity: novelty and repetition
Track length0:36
Soloist's double-stopping depicts hunting horns
Track length0:34
Orchestra yields to unexpected display of virtuosity by soloist
Track length0:38
Soloist suddenly takes the part of the fleeing beast
Track length0:25
Symmetrical paralels with First Movement: ' beast ' / ' drunkard ' etc
Track length0:47
Death of the quarry, end of the movement
Track length0:17
Third Movement (complete)
Track length3:13
Orchestral strings enter, part by part; soloist depicts the biting wind
Track length1:24
Wind subsides and returns, tormenting the trudgers through the snow
Track length0:53
Soloist depicts snow flurries
Track length0:27
Soloist's flurries interrupted by six blasts of orchestral wind
Track length0:32
Teeth chattering, and with stamping feet, the travellers finally reach their goal
Track length1:54
Cue to First Movement as a whole
Track length0:11
First Movement (complete)
Track length3:24
Soloist's ' aria ' accompanied by pizzicato ' raindrops '
Track length0:37
A sequence of simple scales, accompanied by opening rhythm
Track length0:33
Two scalewise ideas for the price of one: foreground and background
Track length0:52
New, rising scale-pattern unfurled with ever-greater breadth
Track length0:36
The pace increases eight-fold in concluding downwards scale
Track length0:36
Against an unvarying tempo, the pace is repeatedly varied
Track length1:03
Foreground / Background
Track length0:34
Detailed discussion of foreground / background perceptions; analogies with speech
Track length2:14
Second Movement (complete)
Track length2:19
Scene-setting; soloist begins for the first time
Track length0:47
Soloist rises progressively, in sequence, decoratively outling chord of the home key
Track length0:26
First orchestral section; ace is halved; the undermining onset of chromaticism
Track length0:47
The walkers lose their balance and stylishly fall down
Track length0:22
Soloist returns as the original solitary walker and strides away from the others
Track length0:23
One tempo, two rates of speed: fast for the soloist, slow for the orchestra
Track length1:51
Orchestra evokes the warm winds of the Sirocco
Track length0:36
Answering blast from the Borea, the could wind of the north; struggle for supremacy
Track length1:07
Cue to final movement
Track length0:23
Third Movement (complete)
Track length3:08
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