Vivaldi Summer

Background

Born in Venice in 1678 and died in 1741
Father was a violinist in the orchestra at St Mark's Cathedral

Ordained in 1703 at the age of 25
Known as a red priest
Main work in his life - in Osepedale delle Pieta (Hospital of Pity or Compassion) which was an institution for orphaned and illegitimate girls.
Taught young girls to play music and composed concertos for them.
Also worked in Teatro Sant' Angelo (Opera theatre)
Wrote over 600 concertos, Italian operas
The 'Founder' of ritornello form, as well as the 3 movement Fast-Slow-Fast concerto form.
Also 'Founder' of Programmatic music.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Dedicated to Count Graf Wenzel von Morzin of Bohemia
Set of 4 Solo Concertos for violin, small string orchestra and basso continuo.
Part of a larger collection of 12 called Il cimento dell'armonia e del'invention, or The Contest of Harmony and Invention op. 8
Published in Amsterdam in 1725

1st Movement Allegro non molto

Section	Description	Key and Cadence
Tutti 1	A .Beneath the blazing sun's relentless heat men and flocks are sweltering Ritornello theme: syncopated motif. 2 ascending sequences with Ta tititi motif. Pines are seared Descending scalic motif used in imitation between the Solo Vln, 1st ,2nd Vln and Vla, BC. Ritornello theme returns in the 1st and 2nd vlns for 5 bars and is repeated an octave lower.	G minor Imperfect Cadence Flat IIb (Neapolitan Sixth) Chord Perfect Cadence
Solo 1	B. The cuckoo loosens his voice/ Allegro Solo Vln playing repeated G (3 bars). Motif is shortened to 3 bars and played a tone higher.The next phrase is further shortened to 1 1/2 bars, semitone higher. The Bird Sings Motif is derived from the Solo theme 1 with changing intervals, emphasising the pitches of the triads. The movement of the different notes depict the singing of the cuckoo. BC accompanies with dotted rhythm motif.	G minor
Tutti 2	Tutti continues the Solo theme 1 motif for 3 bars. The ritornello theme returns.	G minor Perfect Cadence
Solo 2	C. And soon the sweet songs of the Turtledove is heard Solo Theme 2 (Turtledove) by Solo Vln, leaping 2nds and 4ths. Tonic Pedal in BC. Interrrupted by semiquaver triplets in the ripieno vlns (representing the breeze). The Finch Sings Solo Vln plays only. Demisemiquaver Motif with leaps of 4ths alternated with trills.	G minor bypasses Eb major
Tutti 3	D. Zephyr stirs the air Semiquaver triplet motif in the Vlns accompanied only by the Vla. 2 bar repetition. Triplet motif changed to dotted rhythm. 2 bar descending sequences, in terraced dynamics. (Indicates wind movement) Borea (North Wind) sweeps them suddenly aside Diminution of rhythm which creates driving momentum in the vlns. Forte dynamics. Running scalic motif with direction changes to indicate the wind directions. Vla and BC play pedal. After which, the motif changes to a pivot on the note D.4 bar repetition. The pivot point changes afterward. 1 bar ascending and descending sequences follow. Vla and BC changes to dominant pedal. Ritornello theme in a different key ( D minor).	G minor D minor Perfect Cadence Perfect Cadence
Solo 3	E. The weeping shepherd rembles at the menace of violent storm and what it may betide Disjunct Solo theme 3 (Weeping theme) played in 2 bar descending sequences with descending chromatic bass note by the BC. Tonic pedal in C minor in BC under the weeping theme.	Ambiguous Tonal Center E minor - C minor - Eb major - G minor German Sixth chord/C minor Perfect Cadence
Tutti 4	Storm: Demisemiquaver motif returns, pivoting on D with changing intervals. Dominant pedal in BC. Pattern of motif changes to descending seconds. Direction changes to indicate the wind direction. Ends with 4 bars of extended chord I (Repetition).	G minor Perfect Cadence

2nd Movement adagio

Section	Description	Key and Cadence
a 1 Adagio	F. Rest is denied his weary limbs by the fear of lightning and violent thunder and the furious swarm of flies and bluebottles. Solo Violin melody ( Long value notes : Ta -a- ai-ti Ta-a tai-ti teemri ta)depicts the Shepherd boy's weary limbs while the dotted rhythm creates the driving force of the swarm of insects.	G minor I-VIIb-V-I Perfect Cadence
b1 Presto	Change of rhythm to relentless tiri tiri in (f ) to depict thunder. Monophonic Texture.	G minor
a2 Adagio	Solo Vln melody consists mainly of ta-i ti rhythm. Vlns repieno stated 'insect' theme in chord Ib and so on (see keys and cadences).	G minor : Ib-IIb Bb major: Vb-I-IVc-I-Vb
b2 Presto	Ripieno plays 'thunder' theme for 1 1/2 bars in monophonic texture.	Bb major
a3 Adagio	Solo vln plays a 1 1/2 bar ascending sequence followed by a 1 bar descending sequence, accompanied by the 'insect' theme.	Bb major: I C minor: VIIb-I D minor:VIIb-I (D+) G minor: I-IV-V7d-V7b-VIIb/D- - V Perfect Cadence
b3 Presto	'Thunder' theme by the ripieno.	G minor
a4 Adagio Presto Adagio	Solo Vln plays closing phrase accompanied by 'insect' theme. Interrupted by 'thunder' theme and 'insect' theme returns.	G minor I-Vb-IVb-V7-VIIb/d minor-V-I Perfect Cadence

Possible Long Essay Questions:

1. Describe Vivaldi's use of ritornello form in Vivaldi's 'Summer'.

2. Imagine that you are the violin soloist in Vivaldi's 'Summer'. Describe some of the interesting or difficult passages you have to play.

3. Describe the three movements of 'Summer' from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons concentrating on the descriptive elements of music.

4. Compare the 1st and 3rd movements of Vivaldi's 'Summer', concentrating on his use of ritornello form and instrumentation.