Vivaldi's most well known work, written around 1720, "The Four Seasons" is composed of 4 violin concertos, each one with 3 movements representing a different season of the year. To help us understand his work, Vivaldi included a series of poems describing each season's events. The association between music and narration, with each poetic line translated into music, was an ingenious approach to composition for that period and an astonishing and very difficult work, which helps us imagine the scenes and create a seasonal mood. Although written almost 300 years ago, this innovative and creative music achievement still feels very contemporary with its beautiful images and dynamic sounds and is one of the most sensational pieces of music.
In the first movement of the "Spring Concerto", violins mimic the sounds of birds and brooks but then change tone as thunderstorm arrives and orchestra imitates thunderclaps. The little birds return at the end. In the second movement, the music describes a goat herder sleeping in a meadow, evoking a calm and peaceful scene. The third movement describes nymphs and shepherds dancing. The orchestra plays festive music and the sound of the joyous gatherings of people celebrating the return of fauna and flora after a difficult winter. To see the original poem, and better visualise this composition, follow the link:
https://www.charlottesymphony.org/blog/vivaldis-four-seasons-poems/