Class #4: Antonio Vivaldi. Biography 1678 (Venice) – 1741 (Vienna) Father/Son violinists ...

Class #4:Antonio Vivaldi

Biography 1678 (Venice) – 1741 (Vienna)

Father/Son violinists

Innovative composer Form (Sonata) Woodwind Virtuoso violin technique

Virtuoso!"Vivaldi played a solo accompaniment-- splendid-- to

which he appended a cadenza which really frightened me, for such playing has never been nor can be: he brought his fingers up to only a straw's distance from the bridge, leaving no room for the bow-- and that on all four strings with imitations

and incredible speed."

Venice City/state

Tourism Festivals

Christmas

Vivaldi the traveler... Work

Wealth poorly invested

Paris, Amsterdam*, Vienna, Rome Dresden!

Professional musician! Appointment (Patronage)

Church and/or state

Music Publishing Dedications

Vivaldi the priest... “The Red Priest”

Asthma?

Musical Opportunities

The Ospedele della Pieta “Hospital of Pity (Compassion)”

...as it looked then...

And today...

Theater....

Job duties Teach

Violin, viola, flute, oboe, harpsichord and voice

Compose

Two concerti every month for public performances

Performances Most famous and admired orchestra in all of

Venice! Popularity!

Fame!

Large, heavy curtains. Why?

Who are the girls? Orphans?

Illegitimate?

Physically challenged?

Departure... Why?

Popularity Travel Duties included Mass Love?

Vivaldi the lover... Anna Giro

30+ years difference Accomplished singer Scandal!

Vivaldi’s music Prolific

500 concerti, 40 cantatas, 52+ operas, 60+ sacred works

The rest?

Ownership?

Vivaldi and opera Six opera houses in Venice Diversion from sacred music Profit

Ownership Fame

Social aspect

Instrumental Music Attention to timbre

Unusual and new instruments

Sonata (“Sonata Allegro”) form

“The Four Seasons” 1718-1720 "The Contest of Harmony and Invention“

Program music

Four violin concerti Three movements each

“Spring” (1st movement)Springtime is upon us.

The birds celebrate her return with festive song,and murmuring streams are softly

caressed by the breezes.

Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven,

Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their charming songs once more.

“Springtime is upon us...” Ritornello

Part A Part B

Complete Partial Variations

“...The birds celebrate her return with festive song...” Flutes High Violin

“...murmuring streams...” Low strings

Ebb/flow motion

“...Thunderstorms... roar...” Thunder

Orchestra Lightening

Violinist Virtuoso displays

“...the birds take up their charming songs once more...”

Flutes High strings

Legacy.... Died penniless in 1741

Musically obsolete 1926

Monastery in Piedmont (region), Italy Revival

Most popular Baroque composer