Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) Italian

List of Vivaldi compositions

            Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice.  His father was a professional violinist who 

      taught his son to play. As a boy, Vivaldi and his father would play music around the town.   

      Vivaldi suffered from poor health throughout his life.  He began studying for the priesthood 

      at 15 and became a priest at 25.  He was known as The Red Priest because of his bright red 

      hair. 

            In September 1703 at age 25, Vivaldi became maestro di violino (master of violin) at 

      an orphanage called the Pio Ospedale della Pietà (Devout Hospital of Mercy) in Venice.  

      (There were four similar institutions in Venice; their purpose was to give shelter and 

      education to children who were abandoned or orphaned, or whose families could not 

      support them.  They were financed by funds provided by the Republic.  The boys were 

      taught a trade and had to leave when they reached 15.  The girls received an education 

      in music, and the most talented stayed and became members of the Ospedale's renowned 

      orchestra and choir).

            Shortly after Vivaldi's appointment, the orphans began to gain appreciation and esteem 

      abroad.  Vivaldi wrote concertos, cantatas and sacred music for them.  These sacred works, 

      which number over 60, are varied: they included solo motets and large-scale choral works 

      for soloists, double chorus, and orchestra.   

            Scarlatti began composing operas in 1713 and for two decades was quite successful at 

      it.  About 1718, Vivaldi moved to Mantua for three years, where he was the court composer, 

     and then he spent three years in Rome.  While there he wrote  The Four Seasons which was

     wildly popular throughout Europe.  He returned to Venice in 1725.  His popularity continued 

     for several more years and he received commissions from numerous members of royalty and 

     nobility.  He wrote dozens of operas over a 25 year period. 

            By 1733, the Venetian tastes in music had changed, interest in Vivaldi's music began 

      to wane, and the aging Vivaldi began to struggle financially.  He moved to Vienna in 1739, 

      hoping to get patronage from Emperor Charles VI, but Charles died soon after Vivaldi's 

      arrival.  Vivaldi died after an internal illness in 1741 at the age of 63. 

Opera:  A List of Vivaldi's Operas


Sacred Music:

      "Gloria" in D major RV 589  (1715?)  (30:00)


Instrumental Music (partial list):

       12 Trio Sonatas (1705)  

       12 Violin Sonatas  (1709)  

       L'estro armonico  (the harmonic inspiration)  (1711)  His first set of (12) violin concertos.

       La stravaganza  ("Extravagance") (12 Violin Concertos)  pub. 1716

      The Four Seasons (1716 - 1717, pub. 1725)