Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Three highlights of classical music

Antonio Vivaldi:
The Four Seasons
George Frideric Handel:
Water Music, Orchestral Suite no. 1
Joseph Haydn:
Farewell Symphony

The renowned Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague
, which is also very well known in Germany, presents three highlights from its extensive repertoire - two masterpieces of Baroque music
(Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and George Frideric Handel's "Water Music") and one of the most important representatives of Viennese Classicism (Joseph Haydn with his "Farewell Symphony"). The three pieces were
carefully selected and put together so that they form a meaningful combination, an appealing
unit and round off the musical evening in style.

Antonio Vivaldi's probably best-known work is "The Four Seasons". The composer, himself a master violinist, combined four violin concertos - each concerto describes a season.
Above all, natural phenomena are imitated: In spring, it is a flurry of different chirping
bird species. In summer, you can feel the heavy heat and the wait for something to cool down, then a
heavy thunderstorm; then the buzzing of bees and swarms of mosquitoes. A drinking song and hunting motifs
describe the fall. Wind, rain, perhaps even snowfall, but warming up by the fireplace and
an ice skater at the end illustrate the contrasts of winter: the cozy life in the house
and the harsh climate outside. Many renowned composers (including Joseph Haydn) have dedicated themselves to the four
seasons; however, the most ingenious musical description of nature comes from Antonio Vivaldi.
Various anecdotes surround the creation of George Frideric Handel's "Water Music":
The composer is said to have moved from Hanover (related to the English royal family) to London and made his "debut" with his new master, King George I, with the incidental music for a royal pleasure cruise on the Thames. However, this is only documented for the second suite
. In any case, His Royal Highness was so enthusiastic that he had the "Water Music" and individual
pieces from it repeated several times.

The "Farewell Symphony" (No. 45) was composed during Joseph Haydn's employment as Kapellmeister to Prince Esterházy. As the musicians - with a few exceptions - had to serve there without contact to their families during the season
, they longed for a vacation. This was also noticeable
in their music: It became increasingly sluggish, ponderous and tired, until the soloists - one
after the other - left the stage. Not the only example of Haydn's indestructible yet
subtle humor.