Singing for my Supper…

Words. I find them interesting, and subscribe to a daily email service which supplies a new word every day. In English.

But foreign phrases also interest me. Like Quattro Stagioni. From my Latin lessons of the previous century, I recognised the “quattro” as being related to four or fourth…

(Above): With the fast-disappearing days of autumn, as winter starts extending its icy tentacles into our lives, we had the last batch of home-grown tomatoes to convert into relish preserve. And, on the preserving jar, I spotted the embossing “Quattro Stagioni.”  Quite obviously there are four brothers in the Stagioni family, and they own a glass bottle factory in Italy.

Professor Google, however, disagrees with me. He says that we need to thank Mr Vivaldi for the term, translated into English as “The Four Seasons.” and Bormioli Rocco S.p.A. has used the term as the trademark for their glass preserve and canning jars and bottles.

 

The Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni) is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi, composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces in the classical music repertoire. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season. For example, "Winter" is peppered with silvery pizzicato notes from the high strings, calling to mind icy rain, whereas "Summer" evokes a thunderstorm in its final movement, which is why the movement is often called "Storm".

1: Concerto No.1 in E Major, RV 269, "SPRING", Allegro / Largo / Allegro (Pastorale dance)

2: Concerto No.2 in g minor, RV 315, "SUMMER", Allegro non molto - Allegro / Adagio – Presto – Adagio / Presto (Summer Storm)

3: Concerto No.3 in F Major, RV 293, "AUTUMN" , Allegro (Peasant Dance and Song) / Adagio molto (Sleeping Drunkards) / Allegro (The Hunt)

4: Concerto No.4 in f minor, RV 297, "WINTER" , Allegro non molto / Largo / Allegro

The words for Concerto No.3 Autumn, reads as follows:

Allegro
The peasant celebrates with song and dance the harvest safely gathered in.
The cup of Bacchus flows freely, and many find their relief in deep slumber.
Adagio molto
The singing and the dancing die away
as cooling breezes fan the pleasant air,
inviting all to sleep without a care.
Allegro
The hunters emerge at dawn,
ready for the chase,
with horns and dogs and cries.
Their quarry flees while they give chase.
Terrified and wounded, the prey struggles on,
but, harried, dies.