full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Betsy Schwarm: Why should you listen to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"?

Unscramble the Blue Letters


Light, bright, and cfhuerel. It's some of the most familiar of all erlay 18th century music. It's been featured in uncounted films and television commercials, but what is it and why does it sound that way?

This is the opening of "Spring" from "The Four Seasons," by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. "The Four Seasons" are famous in part because they are a delight to the ear. However, even more notable is the fact that they have sorteis to tell. At the time of their picablouitn in Amsterdam in 1725, they were accompanied by poems describing exactly what feature of that season Vivaldi indenetd to capture in musical terms. In providing specific plot content for itnrmtaensul music, vdvaili was generations ahead of his time.

Open Cloze


Light, bright, and ________. It's some of the most familiar of all _____ 18th century music. It's been featured in uncounted films and television commercials, but what is it and why does it sound that way?

This is the opening of "Spring" from "The Four Seasons," by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. "The Four Seasons" are famous in part because they are a delight to the ear. However, even more notable is the fact that they have _______ to tell. At the time of their ___________ in Amsterdam in 1725, they were accompanied by poems describing exactly what feature of that season Vivaldi ________ to capture in musical terms. In providing specific plot content for ____________ music, _______ was generations ahead of his time.

Solution


  1. early
  2. publication
  3. intended
  4. stories
  5. vivaldi
  6. cheerful
  7. instrumental

Original Text


Light, bright, and cheerful. It's some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music. It's been featured in uncounted films and television commercials, but what is it and why does it sound that way?

This is the opening of "Spring" from "The Four Seasons," by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. "The Four Seasons" are famous in part because they are a delight to the ear. However, even more notable is the fact that they have stories to tell. At the time of their publication in Amsterdam in 1725, they were accompanied by poems describing exactly what feature of that season Vivaldi intended to capture in musical terms. In providing specific plot content for instrumental music, Vivaldi was generations ahead of his time.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
concerto begins 2


Important Words


  1. accompanied
  2. amsterdam
  3. antonio
  4. bright
  5. capture
  6. century
  7. cheerful
  8. commercials
  9. composer
  10. content
  11. delight
  12. describing
  13. ear
  14. early
  15. fact
  16. familiar
  17. famous
  18. feature
  19. featured
  20. films
  21. generations
  22. instrumental
  23. intended
  24. italian
  25. light
  26. music
  27. musical
  28. notable
  29. opening
  30. part
  31. plot
  32. poems
  33. providing
  34. publication
  35. season
  36. seasons
  37. sound
  38. specific
  39. stories
  40. television
  41. terms
  42. time
  43. uncounted
  44. vivaldi