The Four SeasonsPaperback, 26 January 1999

Vivaldi's violin concertos called The Four Seasons are among the best-known and most-loved collections of string music. Their programmatic nature, based on the lines of sonnets printed along with the music, brings seasonal sights and sounds readily and delightfully to the ear: the bird calls in Spring, the swarms of wasps in Summer, the hunters' horns in Autumn, the winds and icy snow of Winter.
Dr. Eleanor Selfridge-Field, a recognized authority on music of the Italian Baroque, has researched primary sources in Italy to prepare this specially commissioned, authoritative new edition. Together with its excellent scores -- new music plates have been prepared to create an unusually pristine and elegant edition -- the volume provides a thorough introduction to Vivaldi's music and times, as well as a new English translation of the original sonnets (with a guide to their linear placement in the scores). The work appears here in full score, with bar-numbered movements. Ideal for study in the classroom, at home, or in the concert hall, this affordable, high-quality, conveniently sized volume will be the edition of choice for music students and music lovers alike.