Spring is just around the corner. When it comes to spring-themed classical music, we will probably think of Vivaldi's Four Seasons Concerto or Beethoven's Spring Sonata. Most of these spring-related pieces use the piano or violin as the main instruments, to have the bright tones of the music portraying the brightness of the music. Then, what can be imagined if these spring music is interpreted by the cello?
Mendelssohn's "Spring Song"
The Romantic composer Mendelssohn wrote a series of solo piano music, titled "Songs without Words". This was an attempt hoping that the song-like melodies alone would stimulate the musical imagination. One of these melodies, Opus. 62 "Spring Song", is a bright and lively piece in a major key with many ornamental notes, which makes the melody more lively and light. The cello version by the American cellist Harry Wimmer brings a warmer and more substantial tone to this short piece; on the other way round, the lightness and fluidity of the melody also bring out the more lively side of the cello.
Music source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekOe2laGT6k
Piazzolla's Primavera Porteña (Buenos Aires Spring) from "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires"
Vivaldi wrote his "Four Seasons" in the Northern part of the globe; Piazzolla, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, also wrote about the "Four Seasons" of his native land and embodied his imagination of the spring, summer, autumn and winter of the Southern Hemisphere in a tango quintet. Th piano, accordion, violin, electric guitar and double bass play out the sharp rhythms of the tango minor to celebrate the departure of the cold winter and the vitality of renewal. The Utah Symphony Orchestra's version of the cello ensemble may not have the same energy and enthusiasm of the original instrumentation, but rather allows one to look more closely at how the different parts of the polyphonic melody intertwine to create a different kind of vibrancy.
Music source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALI1389DFm0
Saint-Saëns' The Swan
So, is there any spring music is written for the cello? The Swan by Saint-Saëns may be the one worth-mentioning the most. As the most famous piece in the Carnival of the Animals suite, it has an arpeggiated piano accompaniment that resembles a rippling lake, with the cello representing the swan floating peacefully on the water. The Swan was later used by many famous ballet artists for their solo dances, where their delicate dance moves merged with the swan depicted in the music to form a beautiful and noble white swan on stage.
Music source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qrKjywjo7Q