Venice, Italy

Tonight I decided to take the uncivilised amongst us (ie mum and dad) to a concerto, being Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' here in Venice, Italy at the Chiesa Della Pieta where Antonio Vivaldi would spend time praying and contemplating in silence.  A little fact that they don't know (which doesn't surprise me) is that Vivaldi wrote the 'Four Seasons' while at his holiday home in Asolo, where we were the other day, which is ten minutes from where my nonno was born.

For all of you that don't know anything about one of the baroque period's greatest musicians, Antonio Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' was published in 1725, in a set of twelve concerto's entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Test of Harmony and Invention). Each concerto is in the distinct form of fast-slow-fast movements.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons are among the boldest, if not the boldest, program music of the baroque period. Antonio Vivaldi wrote the individual Sonnets to go along with each movement of the Four Seasons. What's amazing is how accurately Vivaldi musically portrays each Sonnet without losing the overall quality and balance of the work. I strongly recommend listening to each movement of the Four Seasons while reading the corresponding Sonnets. I found It a truly unique experience.