Behind the Art:
The Four Seasons

View artwork, listen to music, and learn about the individuals who created them.

Tuesday, September 1

This activity is for ages 9 and up, but anyone can join.

The Four Seasons is a set of four violin concerti, in which each concerto represents one of the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The Four Seasons was written by the Italian composer and violinist Antonio Vivaldi around 1720, and published in 1725. A concerto is a musical composition that features solo instrumentalists accompanied by an orchestra or smaller ensemble. One of the most unique and unusual things about Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is that he wrote poems to accompany his compositions, helping to further evoke the tone of each season.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) was born in Venice, Italy. He was an important and influential Baroque composer, and he wrote hundreds of musical compositions throughout his life, as well as several operas. The Four Seasons are among his most well-known concerti.

Photo Credit: Antonio Vivaldi by François Morellon la Cave; 1725, Public Domain, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Antonio_Vivaldi.jpg

Check out these videos to learn more about The Four Seasons and Antonio Vivaldi:

Listen to The Four Seasons performed by Budapest Strings: https://youtu.be/GRxofEmo3HA
10 Facts About Antonio Vivaldi: https://youtu.be/Rl3llJAnT38
TED-Ed: Why Should You Listen to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"?: https://youtu.be/Xcpc8VDsv3c