vivaldi's quattro stagione is a musical depiction of
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) There is some debate as to whether the four concertos were written to accompany four sonnets or vice versa.[1] Though it is not known who wrote these sonnets, there is a theory that Vivaldi wrote them himself, given that each sonnet is broken down into three sections, neatly corresponding to a movement in the concerto. Whoever wrote the sonnets, The Four Seasons may be classified as program music, instrumental music that intends to evoke something extra-musical [2] and an art form which Vivaldi was determined to prove sophisticated enough to be taken seriously.[3]
Concerto A concerto (/kənˈtʃɛərtoʊ/; plural concertos, anglicised from the Italian concerti, which is also used in English) is a musical composition, whose characteristics have changed over time. In the 17th century, "sacred works for voices and orchestra were typically called concertos."[1] J. S. Bach "...was thus reflecting a long-standing tradition when he used the title 'concerto' for many of the works that we know as cantatas."[1] However, in recent centuries and up to the present, a concerto is a piece usually composed in three parts or movements, in which—usually—one solo instrument (for instance, a piano, violin, cello or flute) is accompanied by an orchestra or concert band.