Antonio Vivaldi, born in Venice in 1678, was known as 'il prete rosso' (the red priest) due to his holy status, having been fully ordained in his mid-twenties.
Instruments
Jonathan Morton, the violinist and artistic director on this recording, plays a Nicolo Amati violin made around 1640.
Composer Biography
Astor Piazzolla, the composer of Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, was advised by legendary teacher Nadia Boulanger to embrace his identity as a tango musician, leading to his 'nuevo tango' style.
Composition History
Vivaldi's The Four Seasons were published in Amsterdam in 1725 as part of a collection of twelve concertos titled Il Cimento dell' Armenia e dell'invenzione, opus 8.
Compositional Technique
Each of Vivaldi's Four Seasons concertos is prefaced by a descriptive sonnet, possibly written by Vivaldi himself, which details the imagery evoked in the music.
Compositional Technique
Leonid Desyatnikov 'vivaldified' Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by replicating Vivaldi's orchestration, including a solo violin, and weaving in allusions and jokes, such as Vivaldi's Summer into Piazzolla's Winter.
Critical Reception
After Vivaldi's death, The Four Seasons fell into obscurity, like much music of the past, and were only rediscovered in the 20th century.
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