1. Sharon L. Hansen Music 1010 Spring 2017 Semester Project
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
Hi, my name is Sharon Hansen. I have chosen to do my Semester Presentation on Antonio Lucio Vivaldi.
Sharon L. Hansen
Music 1010
Spring 2017 Semester Project

2. Introduction Antonio Lucio Vivaldi Baroque Era Composer
Son of professional violinist
Raised to become a priest
Wrote hundreds of compositions
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was a Baroque era composer, whose musical style had a defining influence on the musical ages to follow. Being the son of a professional violinist, he grew up with music as part of his everyday life. Though his early life would be dedicated to studying the Catholic priesthood, music would become his passion, and he would later write hundreds of concertos, many sacred choral works and over forty operas which can be enjoyed today.

3. Biography Born March 4, 1676, Venice, Italy Eldest of nine children
Learned violin when young
Wrote a composition at 13
Antonio Vivaldi was born in the city of Venice, on March 4, His parents were Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio, as recorded in the register of San Giovanni in Bragora. (1) Antonio was the eldest, and the family would eventually grow to nine children in all. It is likely that Antonio learned to play the violin at an early age, as his father would take him on tour through Venice to play with him.
Vivaldi may have first started studying composition under Giovanni Legrenzi, an early Baroque composer. One scholar from Lusembourg, Walter Kolneder had noted that he could see some influence of Legrenzi’s style in Vivaldi’s early composition Leatatus sum (RV Anh 31) which Vivaldi wrote in 1691 at just 13 years of age. (2) He learned to play other instruments as well but due to poor health, likely a form of asthma, he was not able to play the woodwind instruments. (3)

4. Biography At 15 began studying priesthood Priest at age 25, in 1703
Nickname il Prete Rosso - The Red Priest
Ospedale della Pieta
At the age of fifteen Vivaldi began studying to become a priest, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1703 at age 25. Due to a family trait he inherited of shocking red hair, he soon received the nickname of il Prete Rosso, “The Red Priest”. He was employed at the Ospedale della Pieta, a home that was termed an orphanage, but was really a home filled with the offspring of noblemen and their mistresses. The school was well funded by the anonymous “fathers” and was quite lavish, and the children there were very well taken care of. While there were three other similar schools for abandoned or orphaned children in the city, which also taught music, the Pieta was known for having the highest music standards in Venice. (4) The boys in the school were taught trades, and had to leave when they reached the age of 15, but the girls were given a musical education. Vivaldi wrote concertos, cantatas and sacred vocal music for them. The young women who showed great talent stayed at the Pieta as members of their widely-known orchestra and choir. It was during his time at the Pieta that Vivaldi wrote his major compositions.

5. Biography Three opuses published by 1711
Musical Director at the Pieta in 1716
Progressive operas gained criticism
Although popular, operas not as highly acclaimed
In 1705, Vivaldi had his first collection of works published in his Opus 1, consisting of 12 sonatas for two violin and basso continuo. In 1709, he published his Opus 2, a second set of 12 sonatas for violin and basso continuo. (1) Then in 1711, his first concerti collection was published, for one, two and four violins with strings, L’estro armónico, Opus 3. This confirmed what many Venetians were suspecting at that time, that Vivaldi was a musical genius who was perfecting the Baroque concerto form, while also bringing forth new instrumental musical expression. (5) In 1716, the board of directors at the Pieta promoted Vivaldi to maestro de’ concerti (music director).
Vivaldi would go on to publish at least another eight opuses (two more are disputed as to their authenticity). However, there are hundreds more of his of compositions which are not part of an opus. Several individuals have researched and cataloged Vivaldi’s works using separate classifications, but today the standard that is used is the Ryom-Verzeichnis, often abbreviated with RV, and identifies each composition with a unique number. It was created by Peter Ryom, a Danish musicologist born in (6) Verzeichnis is the German word for directory or index.
During early 18th century, Vienna had become a tourist center, and the mainstream entertainment was opera. Vivaldi made a good sum of money writing operas for the competing theaters in Venice. Today only about 50 of his operas remain as some were lost during the late 18th and 19th centuries. Vivaldi was also an impresario for many operas, producing and staging operas written by other composers. He assisted in the composition of many other operas as well. Also during this time Vivaldi was composing many religious works for the Pieta to perform, which showcased the girls’ wide range of talents in many different instruments. (1)
Vivaldi had a progressive operatic style, which some of the more conservative musicians of the time did not like. For example, one magistrate and amateur musician, Benedetto Marcello, wrote a pamphlet denouncing Vivaldi and his operas, though he did not mention him directly. Unfortunately, Vivaldi’s operas never did obtain the same level of notoriety than those of his contemporaries. (2) Although his two most successful operatic works, La constanza trionfante and Farnace, were performed in multiple revivals during Vivaldi's lifetime, his productions just did not run for any extended period in the major opera houses. (7)

6. Biography Suffered financial hardship at end of life
Moved to Vienna in 1740
Died on July 28, 1741
Two portraits known
One portrait is supposed (lower right)
Towards the end of his life Vivaldi was experiencing financial troubles, finding it harder to commission work for a society with a rapidly changing taste in music, and likely due as well to Venice being in a deep economic downturn. (4) He left the Pieta, and he chose to sell many of his compositions to move to Vienna in 1740 for reasons that are not exactly clear, but possibly in hopes to work with the Emperor Charles VI who Vivaldi had gained favor with some years earlier. But the Emperor soon died, and without other financial backing Vivaldi became impoverished. That following year he died as well on July 28, 1741, in a poor widow’s home. He was buried in Vienna, in a simple grave in a cemetery owned by a public hospital fund, after a funeral held, sadly with no music performed. (2)
There are only two, possibly three original portraits of Vivaldi that are known to have survived. One is an engraving made in 1725 by Francois Morellon La Cave, for the first publication of his Opus 8, Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione, "The Contest Between Harmony and Invention". It shows Vivaldi holding a sheet of music, and was used to create several copies later by other artists. Another likeness is an ink sketch done by Ghezzi in 1723, a caricature showing Vivaldi’s head and shoulders in profile. Of this portrait, there are two versions: one in the Vatican Library and another more detailed copy recently discovered in Moscow. A third is an oil painting is found in the International Museum and Library of Music of Bologna; however, this portrait is anonymous. It is thought to be of Vivaldi due to its strong resemblance with the La Cave engraving. (8)

7. Composition History Helped define Baroque concerto form
Three movements:
Fast – Slow – Fast
Emphasis was on slow movement
Vivaldi’s music was ground-breaking for his time. Many of his compositions are enthusiastic and playful, with harmonic contrasts and unique melodies and themes. His contributions to the Baroque concerto genre defined the form to that of a dialog between soloist and ensemble, and established certain formal characteristics as standards in concerto writing. The concerto form has three movements, the first being fast, the middle slower, and the final one fast. Vivaldi drew emphasis on the middle slow movement. (9) In addition, his compositions established the concerto as a place to showcase instrumental virtuosity, which seems fitting as Vivaldi held the reputation as one of the finest violinists of his generation. More than two hundred of Vivaldi’s concertos are for violin. (10) Johann Sebastian Bach was deeply influenced by Vivaldi’s concertos and arias. Bach transcribed six of Vivaldi’s concerti for solo keyboard, three for organ, and one for four harpsichords, strings and basso continuo, based upon the concerto for four violins, two violas, cello and basso continuo (RV 580). (2)

8. Composition History Le Quattro Stagioni, The Four Seasons
Four concerti: Spring, Summer, Autumn Winter
Four sonnets go with each concerto
Published in Amsterdam in 1725
One of earliest examples of “Program Music”
Vivaldi is perhaps most widely known for his concerto known as The Four Seasons, or Le quattro stagioni. The name given this collection, his Opus 8, is Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione, or "The Contest Between Harmony and Invention", which I referenced earlier regarding the portrait that was made for the first publication of this opus. Vivaldi wrote these concerti while living in Rome between 1723 to It is a set of four concerti, one for each season, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. He also put with each of these four sonnets, which he may have written himself; however, the authorship is uncertain. These poems give context and understanding to the feelings these pieces are to inspire. The sonnets are particularly significant because they are some of the earliest and one of the most detailed example of what would later be called programmatic music, or music with a narrative element. (11) It is thought that he may have been inspired by the countryside around Mantura, where there are flowing creeks, singing birds, and barking dogs, all sounds referenced in the sonnets that accompany the concerti. Vivaldi’s Opus 8 was first published in Amsterdam in 1725 by Michel-Charles Le Cène. (2)

9. Composition History
Concerto No. 2 in G minor, “L’estate” Summer from Op. 8, RV 315
1. Allegro non molto (in G minor)
2. Adagio e piano – Presto e forte (in G minor)
Presto (in G minor)
I have chosen for this presentation the concerto Summer. Like many of Vivaldi’s violin concertos, this contains what I like to call the equivalent of modern-day guitar solos in my favorite rock-n-roll songs. Of the three movements, I find the third movement Presto exhilarating; truly electrifying like the thunder storm it portrays, and simply stunning in complexity and form. The recording for this presentation was produced on July 1, 2009, by Denon, and is performed by Zdenek Dejmek and the Janacek Chamber Orchestra. Let’s read the sonnet for this concerto.

10. Composition History
Allegro non molto Beneath the blazing sun’s relentless heat men and flocks are sweltering, pines are scorched. We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs of the turtle dove and finch are heard. Soft breezes stir the air….but threatening north wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearful of violent storm and what may lie ahead. Adagio e piano – Presto e forte His limbs are now awakened from their repose by fear of lightning’s flash and thunder’s roar, as gnats and flies buzz furiously around. Presto Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn.
Allegro non molto
Beneath the blazing sun’s relentless heat
men and flocks are sweltering,
pines are scorched.
We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs of the turtle dove and finch are heard.
Soft breezes stir the air….but threatening north wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearful of violent storm and what may lie ahead.
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
His limbs are now awakened from their repose by fear of lightning’s flash and thunder’s roar, as gnats and flies buzz furiously around.
Presto
Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn.

11. Listening Guides Allegro non molto 0:00 Exposition, Theme A
0:00 
Exposition, Theme A 
The piece begins with two long notes from all the strings at pianissimo level in G minor, then two more notes an octave lower. Then begins a melancholy three-note cadence that will repeat throughout the movement. The meter is mixed and starts in 3/8. The music paints the sonnet’s picture of a hot, lazy summer day, maybe with a little breeze in the air.
0:41
Repeat Theme A
The three-note theme starts over again.
1:03 
Theme B 
The meter changes to Common time, or 4/4. The violin solo bursts with a rapid succession of conjunctive fortissimo notes. The strings quietly accompany and then join in full force for just a few seconds (1:36), then they all rest.
1:42 
Theme A
Returning to 3/8 time, all strings begin again the three-note cadence at pianissimo.
1:56
Theme C
The violin soloist begins to “flutter” and perhaps you can hear those birds in the sonnet now. The rest of the strings join in this new theme that is allegro but they alternate from piano and pianissimo, as the larger string group imitates the soloist.
 2:40
Theme B
The violin soloist and strings come in together forte with the forceful second theme of the wind from the north, and you can picture it “sweeping” the birds aside.
 3:08
The three-note theme returns with all strings, then moves into a violin solo.
4:22
Violin and orchestra together return to the rushing short notes, indeed giving the impression is that this wind might just turn into something much stronger.

12. Listening Guides Adagio e piano – Presto e forte 0:00
0:00 
Exposition, Theme A
One long note plays at piano level on a solo violin, rolling into a mournful melody, which continues to develop through the movement. You can imagine the feverish day continuing; the meter is Common time, or 4/4.
0:17
Theme B
The rest of the strings burst in with a furious rush of short, conjunctive notes at fortissimo level. The strings have come and gone as quick as lightening.  
0:22 
Theme A
Violin solo picks up softly where it left off with long, disjunctive notes.
0:46 
Again, the strings come in with a sudden wrath like thunder with short fortissimo notes.  
0:51 
The sad melody continues again. The pianissimo accompaniment of strings which has been consonant can now be heard becoming more dissonant building a foreboding feeling of impending doom.
1:31
The force of strings come in again for what is now a familiar but a much more brief electric strum.
1:36
The fateful violin solo melody begins again.
1:54
The final burst of thunderous strings come in with their strong, short notes before all decrescendo to pianissimo, playing a homophonic, long, last note until it can be heard no more.

13. Listening Guides Presto 0:00 Exposition - Theme A
All strings begin fortissimo at 3/4 time, at Tempo Impetuoso, which means impetuously, such as a raging storm, like the one in the sonnet that the shepherd feared would come. These sixteenth notes are mostly the same note, with the one distinct note per measure going down the musical scale. After four measures, there is a rest for a measure, and then the pattern repeats.
 0:11
Development - Theme B
Now half the strings go down the scale go note by note for one measure, then the rest of the strings imitate the first group in the following measure. The motive then is played again, and continues for ten measures, creating a rippling effect.
 0:25
Contrast
The notes now begin moving upwards on the scale rather than down, in what feels like bursts because of minute eighth note and sixteenth note rests in between. But this is just for eight measures, and then there is a short transition where many of the motives played before are repeated briefly, first at piano then they crescendo.
 0:50
Solo
The violin solo begins with going up the scale in the familiar pattern, then continuing the amazing sixteenth notes in even larger disjunctive stretches, showcasing the virtuoso's talent.
 1:10
Bridge
The rest of the strings soon join in, as this is violent summer storm after all, and there are some new patterns of scales both going down and up.
 1:30
Recapitulation – Theme A
The Exposition theme is repeated but varied slightly, with the violin soloist playing the melody from 1:35 to 1:50, where previously this was played by all strings. Again at 2:04, for just for six quick seconds, the soloist plays those amazing disjunctive sixteenth notes from the beginning of the piece.
 2:11
Theme B
The ensemble plays the furious Development theme, building on it with variations and finishing with a powerful finale.

14. Composition History
Flute Concerto in F Major, Op. 10 No. 1, RV 433 "La tempesta di mare": I. Allegro
First of six flute concerti in opus 10
Published in Amsterdam around 1728
«HAPPY» music!
La tempesta di mare, or "The Storm at Sea", a flute concerto in F Major (RV 433; P. 261), is the first of Six Flute Concertos, in Vivaldi’s Op. 10, and is the final composition I have chosen to complete this presentation. Vivaldi wrote several different tempesta di mare concertos. La tempesta di mare may also refer to two earlier versions of the same concerto, RV 98, a concerto da camera (chamber concerto) featuring the flute, from which Vivaldi derived the concerto grosso RV 570. La tempesta di mare may also refer to the violin concerto with the same name published in the same 1725 edition as the The Four Seasons; this is however a different composition than the three flute concerto variants. (9) Giving a musical impression of a storm was a popular theme in baroque music, clearly influenced by the impressions of rolling about on wild waves
I chose this movement because for me it seems to encapsulate the vibrant style of Vivaldi’s music, so uniquely uplifting with the soprano flute. I played the flute for a few years in school, and I can appreciate the hours of dedication and practice it would take to even try to play this! But most importantly it is a very good representation of what Vivaldi’s music is to me: an auditory drug with medicinal qualities equal to or better than anything my doctor can prescribe. It just makes me happy.
The first publication of this concerto, included as No. 1 in Vivaldi's Op. 10, VI Concerti a Flauto Traverso, was around 1728 in Amsterdam, by Michel-Charles Le Cène. The La tempesta di mare name for the concerto is given in the score. (9) The recording for this presentation was published November 17, 1993, by Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin. The flautist is Patrick Gallois, with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

15. Listening Guides
Flute Concerto in F Major, Op. 10 No. 1, RV 433 "La tempesta di mare": I. Allegro
0:00 
Exposition, Theme A 
The exposition begins with the whole ensemble playing at the forte level in F major, climbing the scale with eight sixteenth notes then returning to the first note with four quarter notes. The meter is Common time. This short motive plays again, this time with different notes (some instruments playing higher, others lower).  
0:11
Development,
Theme B
The flute virtuoso begins somewhat of a counterpointe dialogue with the string sections that will weave in and out throughout the piece.
0:36
Theme C
The flute and ensemble play together a bright, cheery sort of see-saw melody of sixteenth notes that seems to build in tension as it slowly climbs the music scale.
1:10
Recapitulation – Theme A
Theme A is replayed but with a slight variation.
1:28
Solo
Flute solo takes off in mezzoforte with trills up and down still in the same even tempo of sixteenth notes, and a piano accompaniment from the ensemble. Then from 1:42 to 1:49 the strings come in at forte level for what seems like a bit of a break for the flute soloist. But then the flautist returns with amazing triplets for two measures, then a difficult series of cadences that truly showcase the virtuoso’s skills.
2:00
 Notation
Here in the solo I find it especially stunning where the flute’s notes become more disjunctive and likely more difficult whole being played at this incredibly fast tempo.
2:15
 Recapitulation
For the finale, the ensemble returns to Theme A at forte level, but just for a few measures. Then with a rest, then three strong descents down the musical scale, four eighth notes and then, with what feels like a very long quarter note, the sea is quiet.

16. Bibliography & References
1. Robbins Landon, H. C. Vivaldi: Voice of the Baroque. s.l. : University of Chicago Press, pp. 15, 26, 31, 42, 52. ISBN
2. [Online]
3. Talbot, Michael. Vivaldi. London : J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., pp. 39.
4. [Online]
5. [Online]
6. [Online]
7. [Online]
8. Talbot, Michael. The Vivaldi Compendium. Woodbridge : The Boydell Press, pp. 87,
9. [Online]
10. [Online]
11. [Online]