| The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni in original Italian) is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. The work has been recorded on numerous occasions. The concertos were first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve, Vivaldi's Op. 8, entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Contest of Harmony and Invention). The first four concertos were designated Le quattro stagioni, each being named after a season. Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones. At the time of writing the Four Seasons, the modern solo form of the concerto had not yet been defined (typically a solo instrument and accompanying orchestra). Vivaldi's original arrangement for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped to define the form. In modern times, others have made transcriptions and arrangements to be performed on different instrumentation. Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring) 1. Allegro Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer) 1. Allegro non molto Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, "L'autunno" (Autumn) 1. Allegro Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter) 1. Allegro non molto Nigel Kennedy (born December 28, 1956 in Brighton, England) is a violinist and violist. Kennedy has played a part in making classical music popular, particularly among young people. He has also performed and recorded most of the major violin concerti. Aged 16, Stéphane Grappelli invited the prodigy to appear alongside him at New York's Carnegie Hall, under the threat from his teachers at the Julliard that it would ruin his classical career. He made his recording debut in 1984 with the Elgar Violin Concerto, but most know Kennedy through his interpretation of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" recorded in 1989, sold over 2 million copies and earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the then best-selling classical work of all time. The album remained top of the UK classical charts for over a year with sales equivalent to one copy sold every 30 seconds of every day. |
The Four Seasons played by Nigel Kennedy - Spring 1st movement The Four Seasons - Spring 2nd movement The Four Seasons - Spring 3rd movement The Four Seasons - Summer 1st movement The Four Seasons - Summer 2nd movement The Four Seasons - Summer 3rd movement The Four Seasons - Autumn 1st movement The Four Seasons - Autumn 2nd movement The Four Seasons - Autumn 3rd movement The Four Seasons - Winter 1st movement The Four Seasons - Winter 2nd movement The Four Seasons - Winter 3rd movement |
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