Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi Lyrics
{Instrumental}
Sonnet in English (translated from Italian):
Springtime is upon us
The birds celebrate her return with festive song
And murmuring streams are
Softly caressed by the breezes
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar
Casting their dark mantle over heaven
Then they die away to silence
And the birds take up their charming songs once more
Largo
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
Rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps
His faithful dog beside him
Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes
Nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
Beneath the brilliant canopy of spring
Under a hard season, fired up by the sun
Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
We hear the cuckoo's voice;
Then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard
Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening
The North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside
The shepherd trembles
Fearing violent storms and his fate
Adagio e piano - Presto e forte
The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around
Presto
Alas, his fears were justified
The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail
Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain
Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances
The pleasure of a bountiful harvest
And fired up by Bacchus' liquor
Many end their revelry in sleep
Adagio molto
Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance
By the air which is tempered with pleasure
And (by) the season that invites so many, many
Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment
Allegro
The hunters emerge at the new dawn
And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting
The beast flees and they follow its trail;
Terrified and tired of the great noise
Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens
Languidly to flee, but harried, dies
To tremble from cold in the icy snow
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
To run, stamping one's feet every moment
Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold
Largo
Before the fire to pass peaceful
Contented days while the rain outside pours down
Allegro
We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously
For fear of tripping and falling
Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and
Rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up
We feel the chill north winds course through the home
Despite the locked and bolted doors...
This is winter, which nonetheless
Brings its own delights
Sonnet in English (translated from Italian):
Springtime is upon us
The birds celebrate her return with festive song
And murmuring streams are
Softly caressed by the breezes
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar
Casting their dark mantle over heaven
Then they die away to silence
And the birds take up their charming songs once more
Largo
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
Rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps
His faithful dog beside him
Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes
Nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
Beneath the brilliant canopy of spring
Under a hard season, fired up by the sun
Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
We hear the cuckoo's voice;
Then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard
Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening
The North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside
The shepherd trembles
Fearing violent storms and his fate
Adagio e piano - Presto e forte
The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around
Presto
Alas, his fears were justified
The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail
Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain
Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances
The pleasure of a bountiful harvest
And fired up by Bacchus' liquor
Many end their revelry in sleep
Adagio molto
Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance
By the air which is tempered with pleasure
And (by) the season that invites so many, many
Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment
Allegro
The hunters emerge at the new dawn
And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting
The beast flees and they follow its trail;
Terrified and tired of the great noise
Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens
Languidly to flee, but harried, dies
To tremble from cold in the icy snow
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
To run, stamping one's feet every moment
Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold
Largo
Before the fire to pass peaceful
Contented days while the rain outside pours down
Allegro
We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously
For fear of tripping and falling
Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and
Rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up
We feel the chill north winds course through the home
Despite the locked and bolted doors...
This is winter, which nonetheless
Brings its own delights