Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678, he learned to play his father’s violin, which he played in the orchestra of the Basilica of San Marco in Venice. Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composer, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe.He soon became a music teacher for the orphans of the Ospedale della Pietà. He was a priest, but he consecrated his life to music. Thanks to his success he worked as a choirmaster for the governor of Mantua and played in Rome for the Pope.
In 1740 he left Venice for Vienna in search of Emperor Charles VI. Vivaldi was forgotten for centuries and rediscovered only in the twentieth century. Of his works we remember “L’estro armonico, la Stravaganza and Il Cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione”.
Vivaldi is the inventor of the “solo concert”. The musical compositions of Vivaldi are: 500 concertos, 90 sonatas, 46 operas and a large body of sacred choral works and chamber music. His famous set of 4 violin concertos, The Four Seasons, (1723) is considered to be an outstanding example of program music. Each concerto depicts a scene for each season and is accompanied by a written description. In his works the violin stands out. Vivaldi’s music expresses feelings thanks to a “nervous”, lyrical writing. Vivaldi’s music was innovative. He brightened the formal and rhythmic structure of the concerto. Bach was deeply influenced by Vivaldi’s concertos and arias.
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