The history of Antonio Vivaldi's life and music with musical examples for study.

1. Music 10

2.  Born inVenice 1678, the son of a
professional violinist, and began
studying composition at age 13.
 Taught violin at Pio Ospedalla de
la Pieta (Devout Hospital of Mercy)
 Ordained as a priest in 1703 – referred to fondly as
“The Red Priest” because of his auburn hair.
 An outrageously successful composer in his time but
died a pauper inVienne in 1741.

3.  Institute meant to give shelter and
education to orphaned, abandoned
or underprivileged children
 The most talented students were
permitted to stay after graduation
 Master ofViolin and Director of Music
 Taught music to the students, composed at least 4
pieces of music per month, organized, rehearsed for
and produced several large-scale concerts per year,

4.  Sacred music
 Stabat Mater (“The Sorrowful Mother Stood”)
 Oratorio: Moyses Deus Pharaonis;Juditha triumphans
 Opera
 More than 40: Armida; L’incoronazione de Dario
 Cantata
 Instrumental music
 Concertos (especially for violin)
 Sonatas for strings
 “Connor casara” and “L’estro armonico”  12 concerti for
1/2/4 violins
▪ Breakthrough compositions

5.  As a priest, and living in a time where religion
was very influential on music,Vivaldi wrote
often on the theme of religion.
 Stabat Mater – A hymnal setting of a Catholic
poem depicting Mary, Jesus’ mother, during
his crucifixion
▪ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchFa3l7ZUQ
▪ Sung by countertenor Philippe Jaroussky

6.  Armida – Music byVivaldi; libretto by Palazzo
 Based on the story of a witch, Armida, who attempts
to foil a Christian army’s plan to invade Muslim
territory but instead falls in love with Rinaldo, who
she planned to kill.
 Written for Carnival season in 1738
 Excerpts of the opera are now missing, including
the entire second act; and have been re-written
by other composers
▪ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSk1BvgmjE
▪ Raffaella Milanesi as Armida

7.  Best-known for his violin concertosThe Four Seasons (Le
quattro stagioni)
 Wrote a number of 5-finger exercises for his students at
the Conservatory which also doubled as pieces for
performance (concerti)
 Music for strings very challenging Vivaldi was a virtuoso
and challenged his students to play as well as he did.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGdFHJXciAQ
 Winter fromThe Four Seasons withVenetian Carnival masks

8.  Vivaldi retired from his position at the
Conservatory in 1940
 Becoming ill
 Planned on moving fromVenice toVienna
 Died of “internal fire” (asthmatic bronchitis) in 1941
shortly after arriving inVienna
 In later years, other composers celebrated his
music by performing it or re-arranging it.Today,
his music is heralded as some of the most
beautiful and definitive to come out of the
Baroque era.