March 4, 1678 July 1741

Born February 17, 1653 Died January, 1713 Most famous Italian composer prior to Vivaldi Vivaldi studied under him and was greatly influenced by his style The paths of all of the famous violinist-composers of 18th-century Italy led to Arcangelo Corelli who was their "iconic point of reference".

At 15 Vivaldi began religious training to be a priest. He was ordained in 1703 and quickly gained the nickname “Il Prete Rosso” or “The Red Priest”. His time as a priest was short-lived as he could not deliver the mass due to a shortness of breath, probably bronchial asthma.

Devout Hospital of Mercy, a mostly all girls orphanage with an excellent music training program. Vivaldi spent the next 30 years of his life with the school and composed most of his works here.

Soon after Vivaldi’s appointment to The Ospedale della Pietà the school gained an international reputation. The school often performed Vivaldi’s works privately and publically.

Prince Phillip of Hesse- Darmsta dt, Governor of Mantua Pope Benedict XIII King Louis X V Emperor Charles VI Vivaldi was commissioned by the Governor of Mantua, played for Pope Benedict XIII, composed for the wedding of King Louis XV, and was Knighted by Emperor Charles VI

Vivaldi’s style & referential music

Vivaldi’s reputation soon soured due to speculation about a relationship he had with one of his operatic leads, his wreck-less spending, pride, vanity, volatile nature and sensitivity.

George Frideric Hande l Johann Sebastian Bach As Vivaldi’s popularity waned and Handel became more popular it was undeniable that many of Vivaldi’s succeeding musicians were greatly influenced by him

Vivaldi sold off any assets he had and travelled to Vienna where he believed he would receive a position with King Charles the VI. Upon arriving to Vienna the king died leaving Vivaldi without a position or money. He died penniless in 1741 and was buried in a paupers grave.

All together there are more than 500 Vivaldi concertos published today, including 40 cantatas, 22 operas, and more than 60 sacred works (donlevi.tripod.com). Many of his works cannot currently be found or may have been destroyed. Vivaldi’s music stayed out for favor for around 200 years after his death. It was not rediscovered again until the 1920’s (Ferrin). What a treasure to have been buried for 2 centuries.

The Tempest of the Sea

Written around 1725 Probably composed in Mantua, Italy perhaps Vivaldi was recalling his home town of Venice and the storms he witnessed over the Adriatic Sea. Part of a collection of 12 concertos called Cimento Dell’armonia e Dell’inventione of The Contest Between Harmony and Invention Written for violin solo, strings, and basso continuo 3 movements written in presto, largo, presto Typical of Vivaldi’s style of “tight, rhythmic compositions, three fast-slow-fast movements, and complex instrumental solos”

The main theme begins fast and boisterously.

The violins begin descending and then build back up the scale with intensity and dynamics. The strings play short ascending scales which sound like rain coming down in sheets upon the listener.

The violin soloist plays with the ensemble in the background playing the rhythm which repeats to make the rain theme. Notice the way in which some of the themes are repeated in round like fashion

The second movement starts with the ensemble and soloist. The tone is now melancholy and the rhythm is largo. The basso continuo is now featured playing low and slow. Again the violin is playing the melody above the ensemble’s rhythmic pattern.

The 3 rd movement starts and the fast pace is back. The violin soloist begins again. He plays high and then begins to descend, then raises again. His intensity builds as he ascends and descends with intermittent trills. Now it is a softer variation of the main theme almost like the tempest is losing the same intensity it had in the very first movement.

The music no longer sounds like sheets of rain pouring down but it still sounds like the wind is blowing in shorter gusts. The sequence that usually sounds like the sheets of rain mentioned plays but it is still less intense. Sometimes the violin plays a quick burst which sounds like a whirlwind but it is never long lasting.

A triumphant end which hints at the first theme and ends everyone together as an ensemble.

“Le quattro stagioni” Summer, Movement 2 & 3 (storm sections)

Composed in 1725 Probably written in Mantua G Minor Adagio, Presto Summer or Estate movement 2&3 which features a storm Sonnet can be read in conjunction with analysis “Boreas” joining the battle refers to the Greek God of the North Wind changing the gentle summer breeze into an afternoon thunderstorm

The gentle breeze is blowing as the text describes. In the typical style of concertos and especially Vivaldi’s concertos the violin soloist is playing a high melody over the lower ensemble which is playing more rhythmically.

A clear musical representation of a low thunder rumbling as the basso continuo and the rest of the strings play lowly. The breeze theme plays again this time a little longer and more melancholy as the shepherd is weeping due to the approaching storm. And then another rumble of thunder in musical form

A return to the sad shepherd theme but lengthening and building on the initial theme. The violin soloist shows off The thunder rumbles one last time as the “gentle breeze” fades out.

orchestra/album/vivaldi-the-four-seasons The storm winds pick up and the 3 rd movement begins in presto tempo The rains or hail start similarly in form to “La Tempesta di Mare”.

Two violinist play together one high and one low calling and answering to each other. The ensemble enters and everyone plays together. The rhythm is short and broken up again probably to represent the rain fall sound.

The intensity builds as the lower group of strings plays. The higher strings answer with a variation or echo of the lower strings sequence. The ensemble plays together sometimes with the soloist over the group. The coda and the end of the movement and season. The storm has subsided.

Ferrin, Craig. "Chapter 13: Referential Music with Poetry." Listen to the Music” Course Content. Talbot, Michael. The chamber cantatas of Antonio Vivaldi. Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: Boydell Press, Scribd.com la-tempesta-di-mare-antonio-vivaldi/ #synopsis&awesm=~oHzXR9xlpcnoRj