A dramatic start to the week! At around seven this morning we were awoken by a tremendous tempest that roared and shook its furious fists above our heads. As I lay there in awe … I love a good storm … the though came into my mind: blog!

I had in mind a piece by Vivaldi which I thought might be called La Tempesta, but a quick search on the internet revealed that La Tempesta Del Mare by Antonio Vivaldi was not the powerful cascading music that ran through my head as I contemplated this mornings storm. In fact in the face of what was going on outside, La Tempesta Del Mare sounded positively tame. So where had I heard that incredibly stormy piece by Vivaldi? Then I remembered, the majestic summer storm from Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons).

Detail from La Tempesta by Giorgione (1508). Find out more about this unusual painting HERE.

Each of Vivaldi’s seasons was originally accompanied by a sonnet. Here’s il sonetto for summer, with an anonymous translation into English. Read through it and then listen to Vivaldi’s ‘Storm’ by clicking  HERE.

Allegro non molto

Sotto dura stagion dal sole accesa
Langue l’huom, langue ‘l gregge, ed arde ‘l pino,
Scioglie il cucco la voce, e tosto intesa
Canta la tortorella e ‘l gardellino.

Zeffiro dolce spira, ma contesa
Muove Borea improvviso al suo vicino;
E piange il Pastorel, perché sospesa
Teme fiera borasca, e ‘l suo destino;

Adagio e piano – Presto e forte

Toglie alle membra lasse il suo riposo
Il timore de’ lampi, e tuoni fieri
E de mosche, e mosconi il stuol furioso:

Presto

Ah che pur troppo i suoi timor sono veri
Tuona e fulmina il cielo grandinoso
Tronca il capo alle spiche e a’ grani alteri.

Photo (CC) ‘Weathering the Storm’ by Nomadic Lass

Allegro non molto

Beneath the blazing sun’s relentless heat
men and flocks are sweltering, pines are scorched.
We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs
of the turtle dove and finch are heard.

Soft breezes stir the air….
but threatening north wind sweeps them suddenly aside.
The shepherd trembles,
fearful of violent storm and what may lie ahead.

Adagio e piano – Presto e forte

His limbs are now awakened from their repose
by fear of lightning’s flash and thunder’s roar,
as gnats and flies buzz furiously around.

Presto

Alas, his worst fears were justified,
as the heavens roar and great hailstones
beat down upon the proudly standing corn.

Now you know what woke me up this morning! Find out more about Vivaldi’s Sonnets for Le Quattro Stagioni in THIS BLOG