Accompanied by the Trondheim Soloists, a musical chamber ensemble of string players based in Trondheim, Norway, the Norwegian violinist Mari Silje Samuelsen performs “Summer” from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni). Artistic Director: Øyvind Gimse. Video by Tor Melgalvis. Camera: Kjetil Andersen, Jan Gunnar Martinsen, and Tor Melgalvis.
Antonio Vivaldi’s Summer from The Four Seasons
Antonio Vivaldi’s “Summer” (L’Estate, RV 315) is the second concerto from his famous work “The Four Seasons” and vividly depicts the season’s atmosphere and events through its dynamic movements.
- Allegro non molto: This movement portrays the languor caused by the blazing summer sun, with music that simulates the heat and slow, cumbersome movements of the season.
- Adagio e piano – Presto e forte: A contrast between the stillness of the sleeping goatherd and sudden thunderstorms, this movement alternates between quiet, gentle sections and sudden, forceful bursts, mimicking a summer storm.
- Presto: This final movement illustrates a fierce summer storm in full fury, with rapid scales and energetic rhythms that convey the intensity and chaos of nature unleashed.
Vivaldi’s Summer Poems
Unusually for the time, Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying poems (possibly written by Vivaldi himself).
Italian
Allegro non molto
“Sotto dura Staggion dal Sole accesa
Langue l’ huom, langue ‘l gregge, ed arde il Pino;
Scioglie il Cucco la Voce, e tosto intesa
Canta la Tortorella e ‘l gardelino.
Zeffiro dolce Spira, mà contesa
Muove Borea improviso al Suo vicino;
E piange il Pastorel, perche sospesa
Teme fiera borasca, e ‘l suo destino;”
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
“Toglie alle membra lasse il Suo riposo
Il timore de’ Lampi, e tuoni fieri
E de mosche, e mossoni il Stuol furioso!”
Presto
“Ah che pur troppo i Suo timor Son veri
Tuona e fulmina il Ciel e grandioso
Tronca il capo alle Spiche e a’ grani alteri.”
English translation
Allegro non molto
Beneath the blazing sun’s relentless heat
men and flocks are sweltering,
pines are scorched.
We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs of the turtle dove and finch are heard.
Soft breezes stir the air….but threatening north wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearful of violent storm and what may lie ahead.
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
His limbs are now awakened from their repose by fear of lightning’s flash and thunder’s roar, as gnats and flies buzz furiously around.
Presto
Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn.
You can also read all four seasons’ poems.
Trondheim Soloists
Trondheim Soloists (Norwegian: TrondheimSolistene) is a musical chamber ensemble of string players based in Trondheim, Norway. The ensemble was founded in 1988 and has been an arena for professional concert training for string players at the Music Conservatory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Their performing style has been described as a hybrid between modern techniques and period ideas: they use baroque bows but on metal stringed instruments.
Mari Samuelsen
Mari Samuelsen (born 21 December 1984 ) is a Norwegian classical violinist. The violin played by Mari-Silje, 18, was made in 1716, during Stradivari’s golden period, and is named after its previous owner, the Hungarian violinist Tivadar Nachéz (the Hungarian violinist and composer, 1 May 1859 – 29 May 1930), who used it at concerts for 30 years.
Sources
- The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) on Wikipedia
- Four Seasons on BaroqueMusic.org
- Trondheim Soloists on Wikipedia
- Mari Samuelsen on Wikipedia
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