Vivaldi | Concerto op. 8 n. 4, "Inverno" - Allegro non molto (1725)
 
The unparalleled fame that the name “four seasons” gave to the Vivaldi’s concertos op. 8 n. 1 to 4 - as he described them in a letter to count von Morzin – shouldn’t distract from recognizing their absolute musical value. They are a gem of baroque music and violin virtuosity, as well as a lovely piece of musical onomatopoeia, where the evocative melodic modulations that recall season specific events and feelings come along a sonnet which describes them in words. In the first movement of the Winter, the music describes with astonishing precision snow, cold wind, foot stamping and teeth chattering, preparing the relieving feeling of the Largo, where the warmth of a cozy house protects from the outside winter rain.