Antonio Vivaldi 1678–1741
La primavera from The Four Seasons op. 8 Nr. 1
interlude with Thomas Guggeis
Robert Schumann 1810–1856
Symphony Nr. 1 in B Major op. 38 »Spring Symphony«
Igor Stravinsky 1882–1971
Le sacre du printemps
pre-concert talk by Ulrike Kienzle at 10am in the main auditorium
The coming of spring has always been something special and significant in countries all over the world. The solo violin and orchestra in Vivaldi's Four Seasons celebrate spring in all innocence, thrilling audiences with bird song, thunderstorms and dancing nymphs and shepherds.
Schumann’s 1st symphony is characterized by romantic verve and flourishing melodies. Its opening said to have been inspired by a poem that ends with the words: “O turn, turn your course, spring is blossoming in the valley!” So it's title's pretty much perfect
Stravinsky wanted to depict the “radiant rebirth of nature,” indeed “the rebirth of whole world,” in his ballet music The Rite of Spring. Spring rituals used to demand sacrificial rites. The “worship of the earth” at the beginning is followed by the “sacrifice". Composed nearly fifty years after Schumann's symphony, Stravinsky’s worship of nature didn't sound particularly romantic or innocent, indeed the premiere of The Rite of Spring was one of the greatest scandals in music history. The work's considered a key work of modernism today.
