Hannah French THE ROLLING YEAR

The Rolling Year

'The Four Seasons', Antonio Vivaldi's famous set of highly descriptive violin concertos, was published 300 years ago, but the themes it contains continue to reveal new truths to listeners today.
Through the rich imagery of each concerto and its accompanying poetry, Dr Hannah French uncovers the detail of Vivaldi's personal and creative life. In conversation with fellow musicians and experts in health, nature, food, wine, and science, she helps bring a new perspective to the music through our shared experiences of the joys and fears of the ever-evolving seasons.
To spend a year in the company of Vivaldi is to witness the sounds of both ancient festivals and the beauty and brutality of the natural world - a rolling year that enhances our sensory experience of the seasons today.

Hannah French
Yorkshire-born Dr Hannah French is a broadcaster and author.

She presents BBC Radio 3's The Early Music Show, Saturday Breakfast, and live concerts from Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms.
Her first book, Sir Henry Wood Champion of J.S. Bach (Boydell Press, 2019) has been described as ‘utterly absorbing’, and ‘a fascinating contribution to the emerging history of the early music revival’. Faber will publish The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi on 6 November 2025.

Hannah has given pre-concert talks for a variety of music organisations (Kings Place, Oxford International Song Festival, Tafelmusik), hosted literary events (Hay Festival, Folkestone Literary Festival), award ceremonies (RPS), and interviews (Insights for the Royal Ballet and Opera). She’s served on a variety of jury panels (REMA, Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Music Magazine) and both presented and appeared as a music expert on TV (BBC2, BBC 4, Sky Arts).

Her first book, Sir Henry Wood Champion of J.S. Bach (Boydell Press, 2019) has been described as ‘utterly absorbing’, and ‘a fascinating contribution to the emerging history of the early music revival’. Faber will publish The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi on 6 November 2025.

Hannah has given pre-concert talks for a variety of music organisations (Kings Place, Oxford International Song Festival, Tafelmusik), hosted literary events (Hay Festival, Folkestone Literary Festival), award ceremonies (RPS), and interviews (Insights for the Royal Ballet and Opera). She’s served on a variety of jury panels (REMA, Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Music Magazine) and both presented and appeared as a music expert on TV (BBC2, BBC 4, Sky Arts).

This book signing will take place in our new Oxford shop (the old upper level of the music shop) and is free to attend.

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