Everyone knows Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. However, not many people know that besides being a prolific composer, Vivaldi was also a poet of modest talents who wrote quite a few sonnets and other verse. Among his poetic output were four sonnets that he intended to serve as a programmatic description for each of the violin concertos making up The Four Seasons.
Gerald Elias (Photo: Ruben Schoenefeld)
Vivaldi’s imaginative seasonal concertos live on, while these literary pieces are nearly forgotten today, but Gerald Elias will resurrect them at this Saturday’s Vivaldi by Candlelight concert. “These are sweet poems, and they’re nicely written,” Elias said.
Narrating them will be a special guest: David Cowley, long time principal oboe for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and a close friend of Elias’.
Cowley and Elias, the former associate concertmaster of the Utah Symphony and the music director of the Vivaldi by Candlelight concerts, recently met with Reichel Recommends to talk about the concert, which for the past 30 years has been an annual benefit event for the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy. “I’m looking forward to this concert very much,” Cowley said.
David Cowley (Photo: Luc Besson)
Besides narrating, Cowley will also be the soloist in two double concertos: in J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor, BWV 1060R, with Elias; and in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes in D minor, RV 535, with the Utah Symphony’s long time principal oboe Robert Stephenson.
“The Bach was something Jerry and I wanted to do together when we first met,” Cowley said. “And here we are, 30 years later.”
Pairing the two concertos together is a good idea, Cowley said, even though the two are intrinsically different. “Bach creates a depth of sound. It’s about the complexity of the contrapuntal writing.
“Vivaldi’s concerto is filled with sunshine. It has rhythmic energy – the same energy you find in Beethoven’s Seventh, but on a small scale. And even though it’s in a minor key, it’s an upbeat piece.”
Both concertos are delightful works, but the focal point of Saturday’s concert is The Four Seasons. Vivaldi’s most easily recognizable work has been played before at Vivaldi by Candlelight, but Elias has come up with a different approach. Instead of just one soloist, Elias has asked four former symphony colleagues to do the honors.
In the spotlight will be Lynnette Stewart (“Spring”); David Langr (“Summer”); Stephanie Cathcart (“Autumn”); and David Porter (“Winter”).
“They’re all terrific musicians,” Elias said. “People don’t have enough opportunities to hear them outside of the symphony, and I’m happy to feature them.”
- CONCERT DETAILS
- What: Vivaldi by Candlelight
- Venue: First Presbyterian Church, 12 C St.
- Time and Date: 8 p.m. Dec. 15
- Tickets: $40 reserved, $125 per person sponsorship (includes pre-concert dinner)
- Phone: 801-832-3272
- Email: kclark@utahdiplomacy.org
- Web: www.utahdiplomacy.org