There is some debate as to whether the four concertos were written to accompany four sonnets or vice versa. Vivaldi's original arrangement for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped to define the form of the concerto. 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). Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones (and these movements likewise vary in tempo amid the seasons as a whole). The first four concertos are designated Le quattro stagioni, each being named after a season. Vivaldi dedicated their publication to a Bohemian patron, Count Václav Morzin (of Vrchlabí 1676–1737), and in so mentioned the count's longstanding regard for these four, in particular (which had apparently been performed with the nobleman's orchestra, in Prague's Morzin Palace)-although his dedication may have been closely related to the completion of an Augustinian monastery that year, where Vivaldi, a priest himself, refers to Morzin, the church's dedicator, as 'Chamberlain and Counsellor to His Majesty, the Catholic Emperor'-while (as Maestro di Musica in Italy) Vivaldi presents them anew, with sonnets or enhancements for clear interpretation. 8, entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Contest Between Harmony and Invention). The concertos were first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve concerti, Vivaldi's Op.

For example, 'Winter' is peppered with silvery pizzicato notes from the high strings, calling to mind icy rain, whereas 'Summer' evokes a thunderstorm in its final movement, which is why the movement is often called 'Storm' (as noted in the list of derivative works). The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season. Composed in 1725, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces in the classical music repertoire.

The Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni) is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi.

Four seasons composer