Autumn has arrived already! The changing color of the leaves in the autumn is a signal of the last warming before winter, which can make our hearts feel warm. However, besides the esthetic scenery like the picture of a falling leaf; many moons ago, one talented composer composed his legendary masterpiece which incredibly conveys ambiance and feelings in autumn, his name is Antonio Vivaldi.

Vivaldi was a composer and violinist in the Baroque period (1600-1750); he was born in 1975 (but some sources indicate that 1678) in Venice, Italy which is well known as the city of canals. His father was Giovanni Battista Vivaldi, the Saint Mark’s Basilica violinist in Venice; so Vivaldi was often accompanied to church with his father, which made him impressed with the music. In addition, he was taught to play a violin by his father and became a famous violinist pursuant to him. Due to this reputation, Vivaldi was appointed to work at Conservatorio dell’ Ospedale della Pietà which is a music academy for orphans, this place is a reliable and eminent music academy in Europe. During Vivaldi’s working period, he made the academy to earn the highest prosperous reputation it had ever received.

A song composed by Vivaldi mostly for singing and playing by string instruments is popular. Casella, the Italian composer in the 20th century, wrote with admiration about Vivaldi’s work, “Vivaldi is who composes the pieces with great elaborateness, his work can cause the listener to bewitchingly release a mood in accordance with the lyrics and melody without realizing it.”

Vivaldi has composed a multitudinous number of pieces, including 40 operas and over a hundred religious songs. But the types that have the largest number and the most popular among people are concertos and sonatas, which he composed around 90 sonatas and 490 concertos. The most famous of his pieces is “The four seasons”.

The four seasons is a set of concertos for violin and orchestra, there are 4 concertos which means each season in one year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each concerto is relatively short and very pleasant to listen to. Vivaldi obviously intended for this piece to communicate the atmosphere of each season.

I had a chance to listen to the four seasons many years ago, and I was literally impressed by it. Due to the arrival of autumn, it reminded me of one of the concertos in this set, it is “Autumn”. Every time I listen to it, the autumn ambiance is obviously showing in my head. A scenery of a falling orange leaf, farmers enjoying the harvest, and people dancing and enjoying the warm atmosphere before winter comes. My heart warms every time I listen to this piece, encouraging me to share that feeling with others through this article.

 Autumn based on this poem written by Vivaldi,

               L’Autunno (Autumn)

Opus 8, No. 3, in F Major

I. Allegro--

The peasants celebrate with dance and song,

The joy of a rich harvest.

And, full of Bacchus’s liquor,

They finish their celebration with sleep.

II. Adagio molto--

Each peasant ceases his dance and song.

The mild air gives pleasure,

And the season invites many

To enjoy a sweet slumber.

III. Allegro--

The hunters, at the break of dawn, go to the hunt.

With horns, guns, and dogs they are off,

The beast flees, and they follow its trail.

Already fearful and exhausted by the great noise,

Of guns and dogs, and wounded,

The exhausted beast tries to flee, but dies.

               According to the poem above, “Autumn” communicates the autumn atmosphere by starting at the beginning with the mood of the farmer’s happiness in harvesting, they celebrate by dancing, singing, and drinking; then, they end the celebration with sleep. Next, the middle part of the piece describes the vibe that farmers stop celebrating and sleep while enjoying the pleasant ambiance of autumn. And the last part of the piece finishes by communicating a hunting atmosphere.

               Vivaldi perfectly imparts the autumn vibe through his piece, he gives us the prodigious experience of autumn every time we listen to it. I recommend you all who read this article to listen to “Autumn” while seeing the scenery of autumn or even when you are closing your eyes, this piece will bring autumn to you without you having to do anything apart from listening, just let your heart go along with this piece. Every time that “Autumn” is played, autumn is there.

               To glorify and reminisce about Vivaldi, the great composer who marvelously brought us to experience exquisiteness and emotions through his pieces.         

                You can listen to “Autumn” right here: Antonio Vivaldi - Four Seasons *Autumn* - Frederieke Saeijs

References

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, ‘Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” Poems’ (Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, December 29, 2017) <https://www.charlottesymphony.org/blog/vivaldis-four-seasons-poems/> accessed October 13, 2022

ณรุทธ์ สุทธจิตต์, สังคีตนิยม: ความซาบซึ้งในดนตรีตะวันตก (พิมพ์ครั้งที่  8, สำนักพิมพ์แห่งจุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, 2011) 

ทวี มุขธระโกษา, นักดนตรีเอกของโลก, ( สถาพรบุ๊คส์, 2008) 

ไพบูลย์ กิจสวัสดิ์, คีตกวี: ปรัชญาเมธีแห่งภาษาสากล (โรงพิมพ์ห้องภาพสุวรรณ, 1981) 

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