"Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Summer: 1" genre: Piano
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	RESTLESS & DRAMATIC, no other piece from the Four Seasons has the range of emotional highs and lows to be found in the first movement of Summer. It begins with the mysterious dark colours of a July night before a storm. But tension builds quickly, culminating in a violent spasm released by the North wind. A plaintive peasant chant follows, but is soon disrupted by the stormy wind and a furious coda.
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	Story Behind the Song *** About the Programmatic References *** Vivaldi published his Four Seasons accompanied by four descriptive sonnets, which functioned as musical aids to help the public in its listening experience. However, the music had been circulated for years without the verses. In my opinion they are useful for historical insights and trivia, but should be mostly forgotten after an initial reading. Here are the sonnet lines (translated from Italian) that Vivaldi attributes to the first movement of Summer. Numbers in brackets indicate the precise time in the music at which the words are associated. [0:00] Under the harsh season ignited by the sun Man and flock languish, [0:56] and the pine burns; [1:23] The cuckoo offers his voice, and, soon heard, [2:19] The young turtledove [2:52] and goldfinch sing. [3:08] Zephyr blows gently, [3:31] but suddenly Boreas offers opposition to his neighbour; [4:13] And the shepherd weeps, because he fears A severe storm in the offing, and his destiny.

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