Editing The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) (section)

==Sonnets and allusions==
{{Listen|type=music|header=Concerto No. 1 in E major, "La primavera" (Spring)
|filename=Vivaldi - Four Seasons 1 Spring mvt 1 Allegro - John Harrison violin.oga|title=I. Allegro
|filename2=02 - Vivaldi Spring mvt 2 Largo - John Harrison violin.ogg|title2=II. Largo
|filename3=03 - Vivaldi Spring mvt 3 Allegro - John Harrison violin.ogg|title3=III. Allegro}}
{{Listen|type=music|header=Concerto No. 2 in G minor, "L'estate" (Summer)|help=no
|filename=04 - Vivaldi Summer mvt 1 Allegro non molto - John Harrison violin.ogg|title=I. Allegro non molto
|filename2=05 - Vivaldi Summer mvt 2 Adagio - John Harrison violin.ogg|title2=II. Adagio
|filename3=06 - Vivaldi Summer mvt 3 Presto - John Harrison violin.ogg|title3=III. Presto}}
{{Listen|type=music|header=Concerto No. 3 in F major, "L'autunno" (Autumn)|help=no
|filename=07 - Vivaldi Autumn mvt 1 Allegro - John Harrison violin.ogg|title=I. Allegro
|filename2=08 - Vivaldi Autumn mvt 2 Adagio molto - John Harrison violin.ogg|title2=II. Adagio molto
|filename3=09 - Vivaldi Autumn mvt 3 Allegro - John Harrison violin.ogg|title3=III. Allegro}}
{{Listen|type=music|header=Concerto No. 4 in F minor, "L'inverno" (Winter)|help=no
|filename=10 - Vivaldi Winter mvt 1 Allegro non molto - John Harrison violin.ogg|title=I. Allegro non molto
|filename2=11 - Vivaldi Winter mvt 2 Largo - John Harrison violin.ogg|title2=II. Largo
|filename3=12 - Vivaldi Winter mvt 3 Allegro - John Harrison violin.ogg|title3=III. Allegro|description3=All performed by the Wichita State University Chamber Players, an ensemble of the [[Wichita Symphony Orchestra]]}}

There is some debate as to whether the four ''concerti'' were written to accompany four [[sonnet]]s or vice versa.<ref>{{cite book|last=Everett|first=Paul|title=Vivaldi: The Four Seasons and Other Concertos, Op. 8|year=1996|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-0521404990|page=[https://archive.org/details/vivaldifourseaso00ever/page/76 76]|url=https://archive.org/details/vivaldifourseaso00ever|url-access=registration}}</ref> Though it is not known who wrote the accompanying sonnets, the theory that Vivaldi wrote them is supported by the fact that each sonnet is broken into three sections, each neatly corresponding to a movement in the concerto. Regardless of the sonnets' authorship, ''The Four Seasons'' can be classified as [[program music]], instrumental music intended to evoke something extra-musical,<ref name="LACO">{{cite web|author=Christine Lee Gengaro|url=http://www.laco.org/performances/116/?program=1|title=Program notes: Four Seasons|publisher=Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715101739/http://www.laco.org/performances/116/?program=1|archive-date=15 July 2012}}</ref> and an art form which Vivaldi was determined to prove sophisticated enough to be taken seriously.<ref>{{cite web|author=Andrew Mellor | url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/classical-features/vivaldi-four-seasons/ | title=''The Four Seasons'': A Guide To Vivaldi's Radical Violin Concertos | publisher=UDiscover Music | date=2024-03-20 | access-date=2025-03-10}}</ref>

In addition to these sonnets, Vivaldi provided instructions such as "The barking dog" (in the second movement of "Spring"), "Languor caused by the heat" (in the first movement of "Summer"), and "the drunkards have fallen asleep" (in the second movement of "Autumn").

A new translation of the sonnets into English by [[Armand D'Angour]] was published in 2019.<ref>[https://www.armand-dangour.com/2017/07/vivaldis-four-sonnets/ "Vivaldi's Four Sonnets"] by [[Armand D'Angour]]</ref>

===Sonnet text===
{| class="wikitable"
!Sonnet
!Italian
!English
|-
|'''Spring'''
|<poem>''Allegro''
Giunt' è la Primavera e festosetti
La Salutan gl' Augei con lieto canto,
E i fonti allo Spirar de' Zeffiretti
Con dolce mormorio Scorrono intanto:
Vengon' coprendo l' aer di nero amanto
E Lampi, e tuoni ad annuntiarla eletti
Indi tacendo questi, gl' Augelletti;
Tornan' di nuovo al lor canoro incanto:

''Largo''
E quindi sul fiorito ameno prato
Al caro mormorio di fronde e piante
Dorme 'l Caprar col fido can' à lato.

''Allegro''
Di pastoral Zampogna al suon festante
Danzan Ninfe e Pastor nel tetto amato
Di primavera all' apparir brillante.</poem>
|<poem>
''Allegro''
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
and murmuring streams are
softly caressed by the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,
casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence,
and the birds take up their charming songs once more.

''Largo''
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps,
his faithful dog beside him.

''Allegro''
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes,
nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
beneath spring’s beautiful canopy.</poem>
|-
|'''Summer'''
|<poem>
''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 mosconi il Stuol furioso!

''Presto''
Ah, che pur troppo i Suo timor Son veri
Tuona e fulmina il Ciel e grandinoso
Tronca il capo alle Spiche e a' grani alteri.</poem>
|<poem>
''Allegro non molto''
Under a hard season, fired up by the sun
Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
We hear the cuckoo's voice;
then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard.
Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening
the North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside.
The shepherd trembles,
fearing violent storms and his fate.

''Adagio e piano – Presto e forte''
The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around.

''Presto''
Alas, his fears were justified
The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail
Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain.</poem>
|-
|'''Autumn'''
|<poem>
''Allegro''
Celebra il Vilanel con balli e Canti
Del felice raccolto il bel piacere
E del liquor de Bacco accesi tanti
Finiscono col Sonno il lor godere.

''Adagio molto''
Fà ch' ogn' uno tralasci e balli e canti
L' aria che temperata dà piacere,
E la Staggion ch' invita tanti e tanti
D' un dolcissimo Sonno al bel godere.

''Allegro''
cacciator alla nov' alba à caccia
Con corni, Schioppi, e cani escono fuore
Fugge la belva, e Seguono la traccia;
Già Sbigottita, e lassa al gran rumore
De' Schioppi e cani, ferita minaccia
Languida di fuggir, mà oppressa muore.</poem>
|<poem>
''Allegro''
Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances,
The pleasure of a bountiful harvest.
And fired up by Bacchus' liquor,
many end their revelry in sleep.

''Adagio molto''
Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance
By the air which is tempered with pleasure
And (by) the season that invites so many, many
Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment

''Allegro''
The hunters emerge at the new dawn,
And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting
The beast flees and they follow its trail;
Terrified and tired of the great noise
Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens
Languidly to flee, but harried, dies.</poem>
|-
|'''Winter'''
|<poem>
''Allegro non molto''
Agghiacciato tremar trà nevi algenti
Al Severo Spirar d' orrido Vento,
Correr battendo i piedi ogni momento;
E pel Soverchio gel batter i denti;

''Largo''
Passar al foco i dì quieti e contenti
Mentre la pioggia fuor bagna ben cento

''Allegro''
Caminar Sopra il giaccio, e à passo lento
Per timor di cader girsene intenti;
Gir forte Sdruzziolar, cader à terra
Di nuove ir Sopra 'l giaccio e correr forte
Sin ch' il giaccio si rompe, e si disserra;
Sentir uscir dalle ferrate porte
Sirocco, Borea, e tutti i Venti in guerra
Quest' é 'l verno, mà tal, che gioja apporte.</poem>
|<poem>
''Allegro non molto''
To tremble from cold in the icy snow,
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
To run, stamping one's feet every moment,
Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold

''Largo''
Before the fire to pass peaceful,
Contented days while the rain outside pours down.

''Allegro''
We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously,
for fear of tripping and falling.
Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and,
rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up.
We feel the chill north winds course through the home
despite the locked and bolted doors...
this is winter, which nonetheless
brings its own delights. </poem>
|}