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