Antonio Vivaldi “The Red Priest”

Family Background Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678 to Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio, in Venice. Antonio was the oldest of nine children. His father was a well respected violinist, and was employed at St. Mark’s as a full-time violinist, under the surname of Rossi.

His father taught him to play the violin, and they later toured Venice together, playing the violin. The earliest known public performance of Antonio was in 1696.

The Priest He began training in the Priesthood in 1693, and was ordained a priest in March of His nickname was il Prete Rosso (“The Red Priest”) because of his red hair. Due to health problems,he was excused from saying Mass shortly after he was ordained. He withdrew from priestly duties, but remained a priest.

Orphange He worked at an orphanage called the Pio Ospedale della Pietà (Devout Hospital of Mercy) in Venice. The orphans began gaining appreciation and esteem abroad, soon after his appointment. He began as a violin master, then as instrumental music director and later, as a contributor of compositions. He composed most of his concertos, cantatas and sacred music while there.

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach was greatly influenced by Vivaldi’s work. Bach transcribed several of Vivaldi’s concertos for solo keyboard, as well as many for orchestra, including the Concerto for Four Violins and Violoncello, Strings and Continuo (RV 580).

His Music He is most well-known for composing over 500 concertos (210 of which for violin or violoncello solo), 46 operas, sinfonias, 73 sonatas, Chamber music and Sacred music. His most famous work is most likely Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons). This is an early example of a tone poem, where he attempted to capture all the moods of the four seasons without the use of percussion to dramatize the effects he wanted to portray.

Vivaldi composed non-academic music, meant to be appreciated by the wide public, not solely the intellectual minority. Vivaldi’s music was innovative. He looked for harmonic contrasts and clever melodies and themes, to brighten the formal and rhythmic structure of the concerto. He was very popular throughout Europe. During the height of his career, Vivaldi received commissions from European royalty and nobility.

Passing Like many composers of his time, Vivaldi’s life ended in poverty. Changing musical tastes quickly made his compositions old fashioned and obsolete. He died shortly after moving to Vienna in July of He was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave.

Rediscovered After his death, his works became virtually unknown until the early 1900’s. In 1939 Alfredo Casella organized “Vivaldi Week”. Since that time, Vivaldi has once again moved to greatness.

The Four Seasons Vivaldi’s best known work is “The Four Seasons” (Le quattro stagioni), a set of four violin concertos, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque Music. It was composed in 1725, in a set of twelve concerto's entitled Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione (The Test of Harmony and Invention). The first four were each named after a season. Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones.

Spring Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring) – Allegro – Largo – Allegro Pastorale Spring Spring has come and joyfully the birds greet it with happy song, and the brooks, while the streams flow along with gentle murmur as the zephyrs blow. There come, shrouding the air with a black cloak, lighting and thunder chosen to herald [the storm]; then, when these are silent, the little birds return to their melodious incantations. And now, in the pleasant, flowery meadow, to the soft murmur of leaves and plants, the goatherd sleeps with his faithful dog at his side. To the festive sound of a pastoral bagpipe, nymphs and shepherds dance under their beloved roof, greeting the glittering arrival of the spring.

Summer Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer) – Allegro non molto – Adagio e piano – Presto e forte – Presto Summer In the harsh season scorched by the sun, man and flock languish, and the pine is on fire; the cuckoo begins to call and soon after, the turtledove and the goldfinch are heard singing. Zephyr [the west wind] gently blows, but Boreas [the north wind] suddenly enters into a contest with its neighbor, and the little shepherd weeps for he hears the awesome threatening storm and his fate. To his tired limbs rest is denied by the fear of lightning, awesome thunder, and the furious swarm of flies and hornets! Alas, his fears are justified. The sky is filled with thunder and lightning and hail cuts down the proud grain.

Autumn Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, "L'autunno" also known as the "Danza Pastorale" (Autumn) – Allegro – Adagio molto – Allegro Autumn The peasant celebrates the pleasure of the happy harvest with dances and songs; and inflamed by the liquor of Bacchus, many end their rejoicing with sleep. The mild pleasant air makes all abandon dance and song; this is the season that invites all to the sweet delights of peaceful sleep. The hunters, at the break of dawn, set forth with horns, guns, and hounds. The animal flees, and they follow its tracks. Already frightened and tired by the great noise of guns and hounds, the wounded animal makes a weak attempt at fleeing, but is overcome and dies.

Winter Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter) – Allegro non molto – Largo – Allegro Winter Trembling with cold amidst the freezing snow, while a frightful wind harshly blows, running and stamping one's feet every minute, and feeling one's teeth chatter from the extreme cold; Spending quiet contented days by the fire while the rain outside drenches people by the hundreds; Walking on ice, and moving cautiously, with slow steps, for fear of falling, spinning around, slipping, falling down, again walking on ice and running fast until the ice cracks and splits; hearing Sirocco, Boreas, and all the winds at war burst forth from the bolted doors - this is winter, but it also brings joy!

Bibliography Encyclopedia of World Biography - Antonio Vivaldi Biography 8notes.com – Antonio Vivaldi About.com – Classical Music – Antonio Vivaldi Profile About.com – Music Education – Profile of Antonio Vivaldi Wikipedia – Antonio Vivaldi