Some composing activities inspired by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

1. Wisps and Smatterings

• Using two or more of these smatterings of Vivaldi’s seasonal music, compose a short, wispy piece of music for members of your class to play.
• Make your composing exciting and clever by applying some of the development techniques in the box to the smatterings.

2. Seasonal Variations

• Write a set of variations on the melody below for the instruments available in your class.
• The variations should have the following characteristics:

Variation 1: the melody is scattered amongst the parts in a hocket-like effect

Variation 2: is in a minor key

Variation 3: changes time signature on a regular basis

Variation 4: the melody has longer note values than the accompaniment

Variation 5: the intervals are expanded and contracted

Variation 6: the time signature is all the way through

Variation 7 : is anything you like

3. Four Personalized Seasons

• Compose your own music to go with each season.
• Here are some simple ideas. You can think up better ones, I’m sure, but if not, use these!

Compose cuckoo and daffodil music.

Compose trembling, shivering, freezing cold music.

Compose some dance music for an autumn festivity.

Compose “sweltering in the sun” music.

 
You can find the whole series of activities relating to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons here.