Saturday music spot: "Summer" from Vivaldi's "The Four seasons."

Each of the four parts of Antonio Vivialdi's "Four Seasons" sets a sonnet about that season to music, with specific lines from the poem for each of the three movements.

On this sweltering summer's day, I have posted below a link to a Youtube clip of a wonderful performance of Vivaldi's "Summer" by the Trondheim Soloists. The violin soloist is Mari Silje Samuelsen.

And here are the words of the poem which this music brings to life.


SUMMER

First movement (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.

Second movement (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.

Third Movement (Presto)

Alas, his worst fears were justified,
as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn. 

(For the benefit of any reader who is unfamiliar with Italian or with  musical terms, the first movement is played fast, the second starts slow and quiet but becomes very fast and loud, and the third movement is very fast.)

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