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Antonio Vivaldi, the Italian composer most recognized for his mastery in Baroque music was a famous violinist as well as a priest. He influenced many of his successors, notably Johann Sebastian Bach. His expansive musical variety of textures and vivid effects contributed to the Classical style of Baroque known to many. His music was appreciated by all social classes as it was not directed solely to aristocratic intelligent individuals.

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born in the city of Venice, Italy on March 4, 1678. His father Giovanni Battista was a professional viol Continued...

inist who taught him how to play the instrument when he was young. When he was 15, he began studying to become a priest and was eventually ordained ten years later at the age of 25. He was nicknamed “Il Prete Rosso” (“The Red Priest”) in significance to the color of his hair. Three years later he withdrew from the priesthood and became a violin instructor at an orphanage for girls. There he composed most of his concertos, cantatas, and sacred music. While working at the school, he would also travel to promote his music. In 1713, he became the leader of the musical activity of the institute and was then promoted to maestro de’ concerti in 1716. He began to travel frequently in 1718 and was paid to compose two concertos a month by the Pietà, eventually writing 140 concertos between 1723 and 1729. One of his most renowned works Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons) was written in 1723. During his lifetime, he composed 500 concertos, 46 operas, 73 sonatas, as well as several chamber and sacred music masterpieces.

Vivaldi’s compositions soon became outdated due to changing musical tastes, leading him to live the remainder of his life in poverty. Rumors of a sexual relationship with one of his vocal students caused him to relocate in Vienna to escape the accusations. There, Antonio sold many of his manuscripts in order to keep himself alive. He passed away on July 28, 1741 and was buried in an unmarked grave. Most of his works remained unknown until they were resurrected in the beginning of the 20th century by Alfredo Casella who compiled his compositions in the notable Vivaldi Week in 1939. In 1947, Antonio Fanna and Gian Francesco Malipiero founded the Instituto Italiano Antonio Vivaldi, a school dedicated to the composer’s music.