A guide for reading, imagining and listening together. In 'The Four Seasons', Antonio Vivaldi didn’t just write four concerti, he told stories with it. Ahead of ACO Family Days this October, we've assembled this guide for how to listen actively and discover the rich imagery of The Four Seasons.
Each concerto in The Four Seasons is paired with a short poem, filled with vivid images: birds calling, thunder rolling in, hunters in pursuit, teeth chattering in the cold. The music follows these scenes closely, which makes for an excellent entryway to listening to these pieces. Read a line from the poem, press play, and see if you can hear it come to life.
SPRING
“Spring has come, and joyfully the birds greet it with cheerful song…”
Spring opens in brightness. The music feels fresh and alert, like stepping outside on the first warm day after winter.
Right away, you’ll hear the birds. Short, quick notes pass between the violins, like calls echoing across an open field. Beneath them, the music flows gently, suggesting water moving nearby. In the middle, everything softens. The energy settles into stillness: a goatherd asleep under a tree, his dog keeping watch.
Listen for:
- Birdsong in the violins, light and skipping
- Flowing water in the continuous, rippling accompaniment
- A sense of rest in the middle movement, steady and unhurried
SUMMER
"Under the harsh sun’s burning rays, man and flock languish…”
Summer begins not in movement, but in stillness. The heat presses down, and the music stretches with it, long lines that feel suspended in the air.
There are small sounds: buzzing insects, distant birds, tension builds.
Then, almost without warning, the storm arrives. The orchestra surges. Notes flash and collide; rhythms sharpen, and thunder cuts through everything. The calm is gone, replaced by urgency.
Listen for:
- The sense of heat in slow, sustained lines
- Flickers of movement, like insects circling
- The sudden unleashing of the storm: rapid runs, sharp accents, dramatic shifts
AUTUMN
“The peasant celebrates with dance and song the pleasure of the harvest…”
Autumn begins in celebration. You can hear it in the energy of the music.
There’s a looseness here too, as though the dancing has gone on a little too long. Phrases tip and sway slightly. Then comes sleep. The middle movement drifts into something hazy and languid, the strange, wandering dreams of an afternoon rest. The final section snaps back into focus for the hunt. Horn calls ring out, the pace quickens, and the music pushes forward as dogs chase and hunters pursue their prize.
Listen for:
- The physicality of dance: rhythms that feel grounded and lively
- The softened, dreamlike stillness of sleep
- The urgency of the hunt, with sharper rhythms and driving momentum
“Shivering, frozen amidst the icy snow… stamping one’s feet…”
Winter feels immediate, almost physical. The music shivers with it. Short, repeated notes flicker rapidly, like chattering teeth.
There are brief moments of warmth. Inside, by the fire, the music becomes smoother. Then we’re back outside. The ground is icy and slippery. The music slips unexpectedly, phrases sliding out from under themselves before gusts of wind gather everything up again in a restless, shifting motion.
Listen for:
- The tremor of repeated notes, sharp and quick
- A sudden warmth in the slower, more sustained passages
- The instability of ice, music that feels like it might lose its footing
We hope you enjoy listening together.
Join us at ACO Family Days: The Four Seasons this October to hear selections from these pieces played live.
