Vivaldi’s De vier jaargetijden door Noa Wildschut

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

The Venetian-born and raised Antonio Vivaldi composed his The Four Seasons during a brief period of service in Mantua. Although he missed bustling Venice—at that time Venice was the world's premier cultural, sophisticated hotspot—he enjoyed the rural surroundings of Mantua. It inspired him to compose four violin concertos in which the seasons of the countryside resonate: Vivaldi brought to life flowing rivers, singing birds, barking dogs, buzzing mosquitoes, howling shepherds, storms, drunken dancers, silent nights, and frozen landscapes. It is lively music full of contrasts, power, passion, and emotion.

Noa Wildschut and the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra

The young violin virtuoso Noa Wildschut is a familiar face at the Concertgebouw: since she first played in the Main Hall during The Night of the Promising at the age of seven, she has performed as a soloist there on numerous occasions. The Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra is not new to her either: 'I have had the privilege of playing with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra a number of times; it feels very familiar. We also performed The Four Seasons together. Vivaldi's music is very evocative; you hear barking dogs, birds, and stormy weather. I try to visualize that when I play it. At the same time, I want to put something of myself into it, and I leave room for the audience to form their own interpretation.'