Advantages: Classic Concertos for Everybody Disadvantages: Strings only!!!no woodwind...boo!
prominent.
Thus Vivaldi wrotes sonnets to accompany his music and to establish each thought in his mind.
It is obvious to say then that Concerto is labelled Spring through to Winter, with three movements within each season.
Most form again adopts the ABA construction, a favorite of Vivaldi.
These are as follows:
1: Spring: Concerto No.1 in E Major
Allegro / Largo / Allegro
This I think, is the most well known of the Concertos, and has been used on numerous car adverts and airline adverts. This is what most people remember Nigel Kennedy playing at the very beginning of Nigel Mania!!!!
The string compostion reflects the freshness of spring and depending on what recording you buy (trust me there is loads of
choice!) this normally sells the album, this movement is the most played also by a leading Classical Radio.
2: Summer: Concerto ...
with a fanfare like opening to the first movement and then launches into the main material. It has two contrasting themes in the first movement, a rhythmic one and a much more lyrical one. The first movement makes a great opening to the concerto, with a good bright tempo, a great melodic line (especially in the middle with a lovely, high, lyrical melody) and great orchestral accompaniment. The second, middle, movement is much slower and has a main string chorale (hymn like tune) which is heard at the start and end of the movement. The middle has the tuba solo which is very chromatic and leads to a climactic point. This movement isn't as good in my opinion, but as contrast is a very important part in many concerti, this is achieved, and achieved quite well. The final movement is faster again, with a rondo structure and bright dance like melody ...
Advantages: vivid, passionate and entirely against type. Totally first class Disadvantages: the foldout CD is bizarre!
Before I go any further, I would like to express an extremely large THANK YOU to my dear friend Teresa, also known as zerbine28, who is not only a most friendly lady, but also an erudite and knowledgeable writer in her own right, far moreso than I could ever hope to be. It is she who so marvellously provided me with this CD, a gesture which goes far beyond the shelling out of $18 for the purchase of the music. So, in return, I say you all go out and at least read some of her reviews on my behalf. Thanks a bunch, Teresa!
Anyhow, we've all heard Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons, at least in some form. There always excerpts of them playing on the TV commercials, or something equally innocuous. This is usually accompanied by a sonorous voice announcing "Gainsborough's Furniture ? your first choice in elegant furnishings and accessories ...
