
2013-14 / Chamber Music
DURATION
17 minutes, 30 secondsINSTRUMENTATION
string quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
- The Four Seasons...in High Park - 1. Spring Odin Quartet 05:03
- The Four Seasons...in High Park - 2. Summer Odin Quartet 06:53
- The Four Seasons...in High Park - 3. Fall Odin Quartet 06:25
- The Four Seasons...in High Park - 4. Winter Odin Quartet 04:43
Programme Notes
As frequently performed as it is, I never grow tired of listening to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The intensity and rhythmic drive of the string playing, the vivid programmatic elements, and the soaring melodies make it one of the most iconic works in Western music history. As a Torontonian, I am equally captivated by the natural beauty of High Park, a place where the changing seasons offer endless inspiration.
In homage to both of these greats, I composed this string quartet that intertwines the spirit of Vivaldi’s masterpiece with the unique character of High Park. At times, my music directly quotes Vivaldi’s original themes, while at other moments, the references are more subtle or subliminal. Each movement of the quartet captures a different scene from the park across the seasons, evoking the same celebration of nature and its transformative power that Vivaldi so brilliantly conveyed in his own work.
MOVEMENTS:
I. Spring: The renewal of life—birds singing, buds blossoming, and the vibrant energy of nature awakening.
II. Summer: The heat, the humidity, the languid rhythms of the season, and the distant hum of cicadas in the air.
III. Fall: The wind rustling through the trees and the falling of leaves. The musical themes gradually transition, symbolizing the rapid changes in the landscape as autumn progresses. A subtle quote from Maple Leaf Forever evokes the 19th-century Toronto and the time period when the park was first established.
IV. Winter: The serene yet chilling tranquility of snow-covered fields and the dazzling beauty of a frozen pond, capturing the stark stillness and brilliance of the season.
In blending Vivaldi’s timeless homage to nature with the ever-changing scenes of High Park, I hope to offer a fresh musical reflection on the cycles of the year, while paying tribute to two enduring sources of inspiration—one musical, the other deeply rooted in the city I call home.
– Frank Horvat
The Four Seasons…in High Park…contains many literal quotes but its strength lies in dismantling the original ideas into building blocks of unique compositional language.
– Ivana Popovic, WholeNote Magazine

RECORDING
From Oblivion To Hope
Odin Quartet
Alex Toskov (violin), Tanya Charles Iveniuk (violin), Matt Antal (viola), Samuel Bisson (cello)
Producer: Frank Horvat, Alex Toskov
Label: I Am Who I Am Records
PERFORMANCE
World Premiere (Winter)
August 12, 2023
Odin Quartet
Union Station’s Summer Music
Toronto, Canada