Appreciating Atlanta Symphony’s hot ticket this weekend, ‘The Four Seasons’

Credit: Spivey Hall

Credit: Spivey Hall

“The Four Seasons” is technically a violin concerto, but Vivaldi was definitely trying his compositional hand at the “invention” side of “The Contest.” For example, instead of clear-cut intervals of solo vs. orchestra, at times the ensemble writing leans more in the direction of chamber music: After the joyful introduction of the first concerto, “La Primavera” or “Spring,” Vivaldi wrote an energetic, intertwined trio for three violins, including the soloist. It is a challenge to hear which violinist is playing what!

Click on the link below to hear the way Vivaldi transcribes bird songs here, with warbling and trilling phrases, and the way the musicians ease slowly into the section, underscoring the “natural” feel of this moment:

Vivaldi’s vivid evocation of the sounds of nature was another innovative compositional move for the early 18th century, as were the sonnets that he published (and possibly penned) to accompany the score. The text gives ensembles an inspirational starting point, like at the beginning of the second largo movement of “Spring,” where the violas are instructed to play brusquely, imitating the barking of a dog.

The slow movements of Baroque concertos were also written sparsely so that soloists could showcase their improvisational and ornamentation skills, which at the time were taught to all performing musicians as part of their training. No two performances are alike, and it is a fascinating window into performers’ minds to hear their interpretation, as you can hear from two contrasting recordings below:

In addition to imitating the sounds of nature, Vivaldi seeks to capture the unique feel of each season. For instance, at the beginning of the second concerto, “Summer” or “L’estate,” the sonnet describes oppressive heat:

“Under a hard season, fired up by the sun Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine …”

The composer achieves this by writing this ensemble section off the downbeat, with hardly any melodic movement, making the music feel reluctant and heavy:

A soft breeze blows, eventually turning into a storm, which you can hear in the way the rhythm of the string becomes faster and more insistent. The large, plucked instrument on the right is a theorbo, a member of the lute family used as part of the basso continuo section, the instruments that provide the harmonic bass line.

Vivaldi also takes time to include rituals associated with the different seasons, including a peasant celebration of Thanksgiving at the beginning of the third concerto, “Autumn,” and a hunt in the third movement. The rhythms and meter of both these movements are adopted from Baroque dance music, which you can hear in the strong downbeats and the “bouncier” dotted rhythm used in the melody.

Most Baroque composers published little more than notes on the page, relying on musicians to add the dynamics, articulation, use of vibrato and ornamentation. Vivaldi gives musicians more to work with in “The Four Seasons,” thanks to his sonnet being engraved directly in the music. The words of the sonnets will be in the programs for all three Atlanta performances.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: “The Four Seasons”

8 p.m. Jan. 10 and 3 p.m. Jan. 12 at Symphony Hall. Limited tickets for Friday’s performance remain at $42-$82. 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. aso.org. 3 pm. Jan. 11 at Spivey Hall. Sold out. spiveyhall.org

Credit: ArtsATL

Credit: ArtsATL

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