Don’t you hear? It’s winter.

Everyone has heard of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” or at least, I’m sure, would recognize the theme from Spring right away. (Listen here.) The Four Seasons is a series of four concertos written for the violin by Antonio Vivaldi in the characteristically Baroque style, each named for one of the seasons. I began to think a bit more about these pieces when I came across a music review for a violinist Robert McDuffie, who just recently performed the Four Seasons along with Phillip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 2 or “The American Four Seasons,” which McDuffie actually asked Glass to write.

Is there any way to put sounds to the seasons that we go through as humans? I think so! It is interesting to see how Phillip Glass chose to portray the same seasons that Vivaldi did. Try this as an exercise to see which you think ring more true to the respective times of the year. For me, Spring by Vivaldi is extremely convincing because it sounds so light, joyous and peppy which goes hand in hand with the excitement of new life, if you would like to look at it that way. You can see for yourself though. What do you think?

Vivaldi’s winter, summer and autumn.

Glass’ American Four Seasons here.