26 Mar Allegro ~ March 27th – April 2nd, 2017
Spring
Sonnet to accompany Spring Concerto in E Major by Vivaldi (1720)
Allegro
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
and murmuring streams are softly caressed by the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their charming songs once more.
Largo
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps, his faithful dog beside him.
Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.
This week begins with the New Moon in Aries, summoning the primal enthusiasm of the new season into full bloom. Aries, being the first sign in the zodiac, brings dynamism into your experience regardless of your location upon the Earth. Thus, even in the southern hemisphere where the season has turned towards autumn, there remains a great internal flowering to behold.
With an intense square between retrograde Jupiter in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn resounding throughout the whole week, expect an added depth and complexity to arise in your life. There will be soft petals and thorns; dewdrops and rainstorms.
With Jupiter magnifying Pluto’s propensity to illuminate inward and hidden experiences, expect intuition to become so palpable that your desire to express the inexpressible may be quite vivified. There is a thin line between madness and mysticism that can only be bridged by great devotion to art and science. With such a raging river of perception and desire, this week will likely take on more than a hint of the Baroque.
Some of the most celebrated music to herald the wild festivity of springtime is Vivaldi’s La Primavera (Spring) from his set of four concertos, La Quattro Stagione (The Four Seasons). Just as in the zodiacal wheel of the year, Vivaldi’s concertos commence with the season of the “first green”, La Primavera.
Vivaldi was originally destined to be a priest. During his time at the seminary he was given the nickname the “Red Priest” because of his flaming red hair. (A nice Arian image) In addition, he was known for having the fiery temper associated with red-hair along with a total lack of regard for manners. (Even more Arian in character)
Vivaldi was a composer of the Baroque period, an historical term that describes the architecture of the period between 1600-1750, which was always a grand achievement in ornament and design. But if Baroque describes a style of architecture, how can the term also describe a style of music?
There is in fact a sympathetic relationship between architecture and music, as both are a perfect blend of art and mathematics. The great German philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, once poetically observed:
“Music is liquid architecture; Architecture is frozen music.
The fundamental characteristic of Baroque architecture is dynamism, a sense of motion within intricate form. Complexity of lines, flowing ornamentation and rich decor are all emblematic of the Baroque style. And because both buildings and music are constructed from artful mathematics, the music of this era, including Vivaldi, offers the listener an immersion into the liquid of Baroque architecture.
The Four Seasons concertos were made all the more Baroque by the array of arts that Vivaldi married together for effect. First of all, he was inspired to compose the concertos after viewing four paintings of the seasons by the artist Marco Ricci. Then, to add another layer of complexity, Vivaldi composed lyrical sonnets to accompany the concerto music, creating a unique alchemical potion of painting, music, poetry, and the Spirit of the Age!
As a result, the opening concerto, La Primavera, is an immersive synesthetic explosion of vivid color, splendor in the grass and dynamic motion! With a golden resonance that speaks to every soul, it says:
“Springtime is upon us! The birds celebrate her return with festive song…”
In musical form, Vivaldi’s La Primavera is a brilliant testament to humanity’s love and devotion to the cycles of life, the rapid ebb and flow of hope and fear; sunshine and rain. With many layers of trills, flowing notes, and the heaviness of thunder, the listener is swept away by the spirit of springtime and the soul of the Baroque.
Monday/Tuesday: Allegro
On Monday, the first New Moon of the astrological new year occurs in Aries, encouraging a blaze of independence and courage. The power of rebirth and regeneration is enhanced at every New Moon, but this one in Aries will be particularly impactful because it comes with a special rush and push of inspired growth! Do not allow your ideas to remain trapped in your head. Take some inspired actions and enjoy the warmth that is generated by your dynamic motion!
In addition to the Sun and Moon, Venus retrograde, Mercury and Uranus will also be in Aries at this time. With such an immersion of cardinal fire some new excitement is bound to erupt!
This New Moon will be in a conjunction to Venus retrograde, now in the midst of her transition from evening to morning star. Thus, you may feel especially capricious and flirtatious, but not necessarily committed to anything. For the most part, this period is meant to be vividly experienced through direct action. Avoid unnecessary hesitation and deliberation in favor of seizing the day!
The way that you relish this new lust for life is an inauguration into the tempo of the next zodiacal cycle. Take care to find a pleasing rhythm that you arrange exquisite variations on for the next twelve months.
Wednesday/Thursday: Largo
The middle of the week is characterized by a shift in tone, ushering in the next phrase of music from quick and lively to slow and dignified; from allegro to largo. The slowness arrives through a trine between Mercury in Aries and Saturn in Sagittarius, which will give you a mind to make the architecture of your plans and communication much more solid. If you need to make some improvements to your writing, to your concentration, or to any other practical task this is a good day to begin that process.
On Thursday, the square between Jupiter retrograde in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn will perfect. This is the second movement in a three part concerto of Jupiter/Pluto squares. The last one occurred in November 2016 so there may be an issue or an opportunity from the past that comes full circle once again.
The Baroque qualities of Jupiter and Pluto will offer you deep perceptions into many layers of reality, where life is made incredibly vivid through symbols and synchronicities. The dilemma here will arise from your reaction to having the doors of perception opened. Gnosis and apotheosis are sometimes too hot to handle as supportive beliefs burn to ash beneath your feet. Thus, be gentle with how you push yourself during this time.
Exhale the excess mania, stay grounded and allow your liberation to remain a slow and dignified process of growth.
Friday/Saturday/Sunday: And Allegro Again!
The dynamism returns over the weekend as both Mercury and Venus in retrograde change signs.
On Friday, Mercury enters into the fixed Earth sign of Taurus which brings a sensual quality to your mind. An even deeper appreciation of the Baroque may emerge as Taurus exalts the wisdom of the senses rather than the intellect’s taste for the theoretical. When Mercury is in Taurus, excellent plans can made to facilitate both practical necessities and pleasurable parties. Use your new mental attunement to Taurus to invite more work and more play.
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.
You may finally cool your burning desires and passions on Sunday when Venus retrogrades back into Pisces, her sign of exaltation. This shift in Venusian energy will summon a lilting hymn of softness back into your love relationships. The quietude and comfort will remain subtle throughout the rest of her retrograde, but this light mist of seawater will be refreshing and restorative just the same.
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