![]() Vivaldi took up the post the year after becoming a priest, and the year after that saw the publication of his first music. The standard of music-making was so high that many leading figures would perform in concert with the foundlings. What he took only slightly more seriously was his position as maestro di violino (and later superintendent) of the Conservatorio dell’Ospedale della Pietà, one of the most famous musical centres in Venice, founded for the care and education of orphan girls. The Church remained a useful backcloth for the remainder of his life but it seems that his priestly duties were never taken terribly seriously. Vivaldi was a lifelong asthmatic and complained of chest pains during services. When he was 15 he began training for the priesthood but no sooner had he been ordained in 1703 than he was given a dispensation from saying Mass. His father was a violinist at San Marco and Vivaldi inherited his gift for the instrument, as well as his red hair (hence his nickname ‘the Red Priest’). He was born in Venice when the city, though long past the height of its mercantile power, was the musical capital of Europe. Now he’s considered to be one of the most important figures of the Baroque era. for 2 vn., 2 vc., 2 mandolins, 2 ob., 2 hn., 2 tpt., etc.Even in the mid-20th century, Vivaldi’s reputation as a composer was so small that not even the exact date of his birth or the place and date of his death had been established his music was very rarely played in the 19th century. and sinfonias for vn., orch., and basso continuo 7 concs. (fl., ob., recorders, vns., bn., etc.) and basso continuo over 60 concs., sinfonias, and sonatas for str. output is so vast that it can only be summarized: 10 sonatas, vc., basso continuo 28 sonatas, vn., basso continuo 4 sonatas, fl., basso continuo sonatas, 2 vn., basso continuo concs. or vn., and basso continuo (1737, doubtful authenticity). ![]() and 1 without solo (1729) Op.13, Il pastor fido (The Faithful Shepherd), 6 sonatas for musette, viella, recorder, ob. concs., the first 4, in E, G minor, F, and F minor being known as The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni) (1725) Op.9, La cetra (The lyre), 11 vn. (1716–21) Op.8, Il cimento dell' armonia e dell' inventione (The Contest between Harmony and Invention), 12 vn. and vc., etc.) (1711) Op.4, La stravaganza (The extraordinary), 12 vn. and basso continuo (1709) Op.3, L'estro armonico (Harmonic inspiration), 12 concs. ![]() and basso continuo (1705) Op.2, 12 sonatas for vn. There have been several catalogues of his work, the most recent (Leipzig 1974) by Peter Ryom (works are numbered with the prefix RV = Ryom‐Verzeichnis). as a solo instr., and he displayed a keen interest in the use of unusual instr.: it is the infinite variety and invention of his work that has made it so beloved 300 years after his birth. No composer did more to establish the vc. Once regarded merely as the composer of works for str., his genius as an opera composer is now recognized (he said he wrote 94, but fewer than 50 are extant) as well as the Venetian splendour of his church mus. fell out of favour for many years, but the 20th cent., in particular since the revival of interest in authentic methods of performing baroque mus., has seen it re‐est. In 1741 he decided to leave Venice for Vienna, presumably in search of some court appointment, but died there, being buried in a pauper's grave.Īmong contemporaries who appreciated Vivaldi was J. Despite intermittent disputes over the years, Vivaldi was still maestro at the Pietà and was still writing cantatas for perf. centenary celebrations-his reputation stood higher in Fr., Holland, and Eng. In 1738, visited Amsterdam, where his mus. of a new Vivaldi opera at Ferrara was forbidden by papal authorities on ground that Vivaldi was a priest who did not say Mass and had a relationship with a woman singer. In 1734 first collaborated with librettist Goldoni (1709–93). By this time, Vivaldi was known and admired throughout Europe. Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons), was pubd. Between 17, wrote operas for Mantua, Vicenza, Milan, and Rome. Spent 3 years in service of Landgrave of Hesse‐Darmstadt in Mantua, probably 1719–21. Was also operatic impresario in Venice and cond. Vicenza 1713 first Venetian opera, Orlando finto pazzo, 1714. at orphanage (Ospedale della Pietà) from 1703 and gave recitals. Entered church, becoming priest 1703, though after 2 years never said Mass because of congenital chest complaint.
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