(The Four Seasons)-Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) stands with Handel and J.S. Bach as one of the titanic figures of late Baroque composition. Not only was he lauded as a composer of vocal and instrumental works both sacred and secular he was without serious competition the most prolific composer of his age. In addition to hundreds of vocal works includingforty-nine operas he composed five hundred concertos. The Four Seasons are probably the best known of his concerti with the second movement Largo portraying time spent by a roaring firelistening to the rain pounding against the window.This new arrangement for concert band retains allthe warmth of the original.
