Vivaldi's Four Seasons at 300
Les Arts Florissants with Théotime Langlois de Swarte, violin

When published in 1725 nobody could imagine Vivaldi’s Opus 8, Nos. 1-4 (“The Four Seasons”) would become perhaps the most frequently heard music of all time.  Yet today, 300 years on, they remain as popular as ever.

This program frames these iconic works in a new light.  Their overtly narrative style (Vivaldi included sonnets – perhaps written himself - alongside the music) invites questions about the fleeting, cyclical nature of our existence, our relationship with nature, and the eternal renewal of earth’s cycles, now being modified by climate change.

The opening Monteverdi brings us to a Venice prior to Vivaldi’s birth.  The “Madrigalesco” concerto shows Vivaldi paying homage to the master, echoing Monteverdi’s bold harmonic approach, and thus providing a bridge between this earlier style and 18th century virtuosity. Uccellini’s “Bergamasca” plunges us into the improvisational practices of the Venetians, with a bass line familiar from today’s pop music.

Geminiani’s popular transcription of Corelli’s sonatas for chamber orchestra unites two geniuses of the baroque era.  Corelli, whose groundbreaking Op. 5 (concluding with “Follia” and published in 1700) – was an inspirational figure to the young Vivaldi.  Geminani traveled widely and helped establish Italian repertoire throughout Europe.  This “Follia”, published in 1729, was almost certainly influenced by the appearance of Vivaldi’s Op. 8 just four years prior.