Why should you listen to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"? - Betsy Schwarm

翻译人员: G Ko 校对人员: Mingyu Cui

Light, bright, and cheerful.

轻松、明快、愉悦。

It's some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music.

这是18世纪早期所有音乐中相当为人熟知的一首。

It's been featured in uncounted films and television commercials,

它曾出现在无数电影和电视广告中，

but what is it and why does it sound that way?

但它叫什么？又为人们让人产生这种感受呢？

This is the opening of "Spring" from "The Four Seasons,"

这是《四季》协奏曲中《春》的开头，

by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi.

由意大利作曲家安东尼奥·维瓦尔第创作。

"The Four Seasons" are famous in part because they are a delight to the ear.

《四季》享有盛名一方面因为它美妙悦耳。

However, even more notable

然而，更值得注意的是

is the fact that they have stories to tell.

它其实在讲述一些故事。

At the time of their publication in Amsterdam in 1725,

1725年《四季》在阿姆斯特丹首次发行时，

they were accompanied by poems

是配有诗歌的，

describing exactly what feature of that season

诗中描绘了维瓦尔第试图用音乐

Vivaldi intended to capture in musical terms.

传递的季节景色。

In providing specific plot content for instrumental music,

为器乐提供对应的情节内容，

Vivaldi was generations ahead of his time.

在这方面，维瓦尔第领先了几个时代。

If one were to read the poems simultaneously to hearing the music,

如果你在读这首诗的同时听音乐，

one would find the poetic scenes

你就会发现

synchronizing nicely with the musical imagery.

诗里的场景巧妙地同步于音乐画面。

We are told that the birds welcome spring with happy song,

我们读到鸟儿唱着欢快的歌谣迎接春天，

and here they are doing exactly that.

音乐表达的正是这一感觉。

Soon, however, a thunderstorm breaks out.

但是，很快一阵雷雨爆发。

Not only is there musical thunder and lightning,

音乐里不仅有雷电，

there are also more birds,

还有更多的小鸟，

wet, frightened, and unhappy.

它们湿漉漉的，没精打采，受到了惊吓。

In "Summer," the turtle dove sings her name "tortorella" in Italian,

在《夏》里，斑鸠用意大利语吟唱自己的名字“tortorella”

before a hail storm flattens the fields.

之后一阵雹暴侵袭田野。

"Autumn" brings eager hunters dashing out in pursuit of their prey.

《秋》是猎人们热切地追捕猎物。

The "Winter" concerto begins with teeth chattering in the cold

《冬》的协奏曲则以牙齿冻得打颤开头

before one takes refuge by a crackling fire.

然后人们开始烤火取暖。

Then it's back out into the storm

随后又是一阵暴风雨

where there'll be slips and falls on the ice.

人们在冰面上滑倒、摔跤。

In these first weeks of winter, the old year is coming to a close,

在冬天的头几周，旧年即将结束，

and so does Vivaldi's musical exploration of the seasons.

维瓦尔第的四季音乐探索之旅也随之结束。

Not until the early 19th century

直到19世纪早期

would such expressive instrumental program music, as it was known,

这类表达丰富的音乐

become popular.

才流行起来。

By then, larger, more varied ensembles were the rule

那时，乐团的规模变大，乐器种类增多，

with woodwinds, brass, and percussion to help tell the tale.

木管、铜管和打击乐器一起描述故事。

But Vivaldi pulled it off with just one violin, strings, and a harpsichord.

但是维瓦尔第仅用一把小提琴、弦乐器和一架大键琴就完美演奏了整个故事。

Unlike his contemporary Bach,

与同时代的巴赫不同，

Vivaldi wasn't much interested in complicated fugues.

维瓦尔第对繁杂的赋格曲并不很感兴趣。

He preferred to offer readily accessible entertainment to his listeners

他更喜欢用平易近人的音乐愉悦听众

with melodies that pop back up later in a piece

这些旋律又拼在一起

to remind us of where we've been.

提醒我们身处怎样的音乐场景。

So the first movement of the "Spring" concerto begins with a theme for spring

所以，《春》的第一章节以春天一景开始

and ends with it, too, slightly varied from when it was last heard.

又以之结束，与开头略有不同。

It was an inspired way to attract listeners,

这是一种极具创意的吸引听众的方式，

and Vivaldi,

而维瓦尔第

considered one of the most electrifying violinists of the early 18th century,

被认为是18世纪早期最令人印象深刻的小提琴家，

understood the value of attracting audiences.

他知道吸引听众的重要性。

Such concerts might feature himself as the star violinist.

他常常在音乐会上亲自当首席小提琴手。

Others presented the young musicians of the Pietà,

有些音乐会的首席小提琴手则由皮耶塔学校的年轻音乐家担任。

a Venetian girls' school where Vivaldi was Director of Music.

皮耶塔是一所大多数学生都是孤儿的威尼斯女子学校。

Most of the students were orphans.

维瓦尔第在那做音乐总监。

Music training was intended not only as social skills suitable for young ladies

音乐训练不仅是一种适合年轻女子的社交技能，

but also as potential careers

也是一种潜在职业，

for those who might fail to make good marriages.

对于那些可能无法谋得良缘的女生。

Even in the composer's own time,

甚至在维瓦尔第所处的时代，

Vivaldi's music served as diversion for all,

他的音乐就服务于所有人群，

not just for the wealthy aristocrats.

而不是专供富有的贵族。

300 years later, it's an approach that still works,

300年后，这一方法依然行之有效，

and Vivaldi's music still sounds like trotting horses on the move.

维瓦尔第的音乐听起来仍然像欢快的马儿在奔跑。