Listening Assignment: Introductory Concepts

Listening Assignment : Introductory Concepts

There is no doubt that The Four Seasons ' is among the best musical pieces whose beauty has stood the test of time . Benjamin Ivry (2007 ) wrote the following in his commentary on the masterpiece

[It is] a set of four violin concertos by the Venetian composer , Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741 , [that] remains one of the all-time bestsellers in classical recording , with over 200 CD versions currently in print Written in 1723 as part of a twelve-concerto series entitled The Contest Between Harmony and Invention ' The Four Seasons has appeared

in endless guises in pop culture , particularly on soundtracks of films

Performed by an orchestral ensemble and solo violin , The Four Seasons ' is inspired by nature - it even includes , among other things the sounds of birds , bees , and dogs . Winter ' is the part that portrays in music the cold , bleak and desolate feelings that such season can bring . This creative composition conveys unhappiness , and even pain or suffering to the listener , depending on the latter 's life experiences and depth of imagination . Indeed , it is a marvel that the same instruments that played the jovial spirit of Spring ' could as well evoke such an eerie and sad sensation in the listener

I think the entire composition is a work of genius and that each component of it effectively served the purpose of putting together a marvelous classic thus , its unfading appeal to listeners

Reference

Ivry , Benjamin (2007 . Why the Four Seasons ? The Horizon , Commentary Magazine ( HYPERLINK "http /www .commentarymagazine .com /blogs /index .php /ivry /461 http /www .commentarymagazine .com /blogs /index .php /ivry /461 Listening Assignment PAGE \ MERGEFORMAT 2...