Intelligence Squared Is Vivaldi Still the Soundtrack of the Seasons? With Dr Hannah French
Nov 23, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Hannah French, a broadcaster and musicologist, dives into the intricate relationship between Vivaldi's Four Seasons and nature. She explores how Vivaldi's experiences in Mantua shaped his work, the symbolism of birds in his concertos, and the unique psychological portrayal of each season. Dr. French reveals how modern climate challenges resonate with Vivaldi’s music and shares her personal journey of seasonal listening, advocating for 15-minute rituals to deepen our connection to nature through sound.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Four Seasons As A Seasonal Gateway
- Vivaldi's Four Seasons functions as a gateway to seasonal listening and understanding music's ties to nature.
- Dr Hannah French argues the concertos reveal human emotions mapped onto seasonal cycles, not mere pastoral allegory.
Mantua Shaped The Concertos
- Vivaldi composed The Four Seasons around age 41 while holding a court role in Mantua, not solely at the Pietà in Venice.
- Mantua's lakes, palace spectacles, and court culture shaped the concertos' theatrical, nature-infused character.
Yearlong Fieldwork In Seasonal Time
- French wrote the book by living a year in step with the seasons and arranging interviews at specific seasonal moments.
- She travelled to festivals, tasted period dishes, and timed research to experience seasonal contexts firsthand.
