Juozas Rimas wrote:

>What can you say about Vivaldi's music? Like many, I know the Four Seasons
>and I like them.  However, after finding out Vivaldi has written the total
>of almost 50 concerti, 39 operas, 23 symphonies etc, I started to worry
>about the relation of quantity and quality.  Could you please assure me
>the seasons are his best work and I don't have to bother digging deeper?

First of all, I think the number was closer to 500 concertos.  Back when
I started listening to classical music I really only listened to Baroque
music.  Vivaldi was a very early favorite of mine.  Unfortunately, my
opinion of his music quickly started to diminish.  I love the 4 seasons
(and the entire Op.8 which has some great works besides the famous four)
but have not found much other Vivaldi music I like.  I started collecting
the Vivaldi works and was continually disappointed by each one.  Op.3 L'
Estro Armonico was supposed to be good...BLAH!!  Op.4 La Stravaganza
considered by many to be a masterpiece collection...BLAH!  So many people
like the Gloria in D but I am not one of them.  I feel bad sometimes for
having such a low opinion of Vivaldi's general output.  I am as big a
Baroque fan as anyone but I just can't listen to Vivaldi.

AS I said, I DO think very highly of the cello sonatas and I still love
Opus 8.  I heard some selections from Opus 10 and/or 11 the other night and
I did like them more than usual.  I think I am just not a fan of the light
flaky music which I associate with Vivaldi.  I don't mind light but I won't
stand for flaky.  Maybe this is how I feel about Mozart and the reason I
just can't listen to his music either.  I'll take some Henry Purcell or
Marin Marais or Matthew Locke any day of the week.  Bottom line: I don't
think you'll find anything from Vivaldi that will interest you any more
than the 4 seasons.

--Wes Crone