Four Seasons Op. 8 n°1 : Spring

About this work

Spring begins with a ritornello so familiar that we might forget to listen to what follows. Vivaldi brings an entire landscape into it: the violins imitate birds, water begins to run, then a storm briefly crosses the sky. When the opening theme returns, the fine weather seems to have won — at least until the next shower.

The concerto closely follows the sonnet associated with The Four Seasons. In the slow movement, the solo violin represents the sleeping shepherd, the violins murmur through the leaves and the viola repeats the dog's bark. Yes, the viola officially plays the dog: since it has been given a character for once, its two notes deserve some care. The finale becomes a pastoral dance carried by a regular pulse.

In ensemble, distinguish the images before seeking a unified sound. Birdsong needs vitality, the storm a clear attack, and the ritornello a shared articulation. In the Largo, the soloist must preserve a calm line above the two layers of accompaniment; if the dog covers the shepherd, the scene loses much of its charm.


What the document contains

One 40-page full score and one 7-page solo violin part.
The violin I, violin II, viola and cello parts.
Six PDFs collected in an archive, plus one separate MIDI file.

The historical notice associates this material with Mutopia and the MutopiaBSD licence. Retain the notices included in the documents.