Antonio Vivaldi (1676-1741) The Four Seasons Complete, Op. 8 No. 1-4
Contents:
SPRING
Spring from the Four Seasons (RV269; Op. 8, No. 1) Score: 23 pages. Duration ca. 10:42
I. Allegro - Spring has returned. Song of the Birds. All is gay, and the birds sing happily.
FLOWING FOUNTAINS: Fountains play in the breeze, constantly moving.

THUNDER: The skies are dark; lightning flashes and thunder roars.
SONG OF THE BIRDS: After the storm, the birds return with their song.
II. Largo - THE SLEEPING GOATHERD: On the flowered meadow, the goatherd and his dog roam among the blossoming trees. The Barking Dogs
III. Allegro - PASTORAL DANCE: Nymphs and shepherds dance to the bagpipes under the beautiful skies of spring.

SUMMER
Vivaldi: Summer from the Four Seasons, Op. 8 No. 2 (RV315) Score: 31 pages, Duration: ca 10:00, 3 movements
I. Allegro non molto
LANGUISHING IN THE HEAT
Man and beast wilt in the burning sun; even the evergreens feel the heat.
THE CUCKOO
The Cuckoo sings loudly.
THE DOVE
And the songs of the turtledove and goldfinch are ardent.
THE GOLDFINCH
The gentle breezes sigh.
CHANGING WINDS.
but the north wind suddenly appears and starts to quarrel.
THE NORTH WIND
A frightened shepherd weeps in fear and bemoans his fate.
II. Adagio
The fierce lightning and terrible thunder makes the shepherd unable to rest his weary body.
BLUE-BOTTLE FLIES
III. Presto
TEMPESTUOUS SUMMERTIME
The shepherd is right to be afraid. The sky flashes and the thunder is awesome.
Grain and fruit are destroyed by the storm.

AUTUMN
Vivaldi: Autumn from the Four Seasons, Op. 8 No. 3 (RV316) Score: 27 pages, Duration: 10:37, 3 movements.
I. Allegro. The peasants dance and sing, hailing the fruits of the harvest.
The drunkard drinks deeply from the cup of Bacchus.
The Drunks. A Drunk.
The drunkards fall into a deep slumber.
II. Adagio molto. The drunkards sleep soundly; the season is mild; peace and rest overtake all the joyous peasants.
III. Allegro. The Hunt.
As dawn breaks the hunter appears with his horn, hound, and gun.
The prey appears; the chase is on.
The prey is bewildered by the clamorous dogs and the noise of the guns.
Fatigued and wounded, the prey falls and dies.

WINTER
Vivaldi: Winter from The Four Seasons, Op. 8 (RV297) Score: 23 Pages, Duration: ca. 8:30, 3 movements.
I. Allegro non molto. We shiver in the snow and are pierced by the cruel winds.
We run and stamp our feet at every step.
Our teeth chatter with the cold.
II. Largo. We pass the day contented by the fireside; outside it is raining very hard.
III. Allegro. We carefully walk on the ice. We are afraid we may fall.
We Slip and fall. We get up and bravely try again.
The ice is breaking, the cracks are wide.
The shrieking winds are at war.
Such is winter, but it has its joys.

Volume 1 of our Patriotic collection contains four classic patriotic tunes and three complete Sousa marches. Altogether this has 15 minutes of music that both you and your audience are sure to love.

These arrangements can be played with anywhere from 3 to 7 parts, suitable for a small chamber group, accompaniment for a choir, or a full band or orchestra (school, community, or professional). This is one of the most versatile collections you'll ever use!

To demonstrate the flexibility of this collection, the audio clip has "America the Beautiful" performed as a full concert band, a string orchestra, and a woodwind trio.


The songs included in Volume 1 are:

The Star-Spangled Banner (US National Anthem), by John Stafford Smith.
America the Beautiful, by Samuel Ward.
Battle Hymn of the Republic ("Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory").
My Country, 'Tis of Thee ("America", known as "God Save the King/Queen" in England).
Stars and Stripes Forever, by John Philip Sousa.
Washington Post March, by John Philip Sousa.
Semper Fidelis, by John Philip Sousa.


These songs are also available separately through the publisher link above.

Each song is in its original key, so it is easy to combine these with your own choir or piano/organ parts.

This collection contains a full score, as well as individual parts in all the appropriate clef and transposition to support the following ensembles:

Brass trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet.
Woodwind trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet.
String trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet.
Clarinet trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet.
Saxophone trio, quartet, and quintet.
Mixed trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet, with optional percussion.
Wind ensemble, brass ensemble, string orchestra, full orchestra, and full band.


The parts are described as follows:

Part 1 [D4-Ab5] is the main melody. Flute/Piccolo, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, Alto Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Bb Trumpet, Violin, Viola.
Part 2 [G3-Eb5] has some B-section melody and harmony. Bb Clarinet, Alto/Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, French Horn, Bb Trumpet, Violin, Viola.
Part 3 [G3-Bb4] is additional harmony. Bb Clarinet, Alto/Bass Clarinet, Alto/Tenor Saxophone, French Horn, Bb Trumpet, Baritone, Trombone, C/Bb Euphonium, Violin, Viola, Cello.
Part 4 [F2-C4] is the main bass line. Bass Clarinet, Baritone/Bass Saxophone, Bassoon, French Horn, Trombone, Bass Trombone, C/Bb Euphonium, Tuba, Cello, Bass.
Part 5 [E2-C4] is other harmony. Bass Clarinet, Bass Saxophone, Bassoon, French Horn, Trombone, Bass Trombone, C/Bb Euphonium, Tuba, Cello, Bass.
Part 6 [E2-F4] is the main melody down an octave, with some additional notes. Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trombone, C/Bb Euphonium, Cello, Bass.
Part 7 is an optional percussion part (snare drum, cymbal, bass drum) that can be added to any of the above combinations, or skipped entirely.

We recommend the following combinations:

Trio: Parts 1, 2, 4 (4 works better than 3 for trio).
Quartet: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4.
Quintet: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Sextet: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Septet: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Be sure to also check out our three volumes of Christmas Carols for All!