Antonio Vivaldi
1678-1741 Created By: Maya Pollack
Early Childhood
Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice, Italy on March 4, 1678. Throughout his childhood, his father, Giovanni Battista Vivaldi, taught him to play violin, as he was a violinist. When he was thriving as a violinist, he struggled with "the tightening of the chest," asthma, but that did not stop him from pursing his career. At the age of 15, Vivaldi started studying to become a priest. He became a priest, and was known as "il Prete Rosso" or "the Red Priest." His career as a priest did not last for long.
Map of Italy
Antonio Vivaldi was born and raised in Venice, Italy. He was a part of a large family with four brothers and four sisters. The period of time that he lived in was known as the "Baroque Period." The Baroque style was very influential throughout his time composing music. Many of his concerts were constructed based on the techniques of the Baroque style.
[Classical Music - Royalty Free] The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Spring Mvt 1 Allegro
The Four Seasons-Spring
During Vivaldi's career, he made violin concerto, the Four Seasons. Within this Four Seasons, there was Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Winter. Along with this music he wrote sonnets, which are fourteen line poems, to describe each of the seasons. These poems were very tricky to write with the specific number of beats in each line and a rhythm scheme. All of the Four Seasons, including Spring were inspired by the artist, Marco Ricci. This video above is of one of the Four Seasons, Spring.
Vivaldi's Known Music
The Four Seasons: Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Winter
The Operas:
Argippo
Bajazet
La Constanza Trionfante
Farnace
He also composed cantatas, which were choral compositions:
Gloria e Imeneo
- L'eestro Armonico
- La Starvaganza
- Le Quattro Stagione
- La Cetra
Vivaldi's Legacy
Antonio Vivaldi was a violinist who will never be forgotten. He composed many operas, cantatas, and violin concertos. These were fantastic pieces that are still very famous today. He worked at Ospedale della Pieta, where he taught and composed music for poor and orphaned girls for 40 years. His most famous piece, The Four Seasons, was made up of Summer, Winter, Spring, and Autumn. Each of these pieces are different and unique in their own ways.
Citations
- "Antonio Vivaldi." Monkeyshines (On Music and Great Musicians). 1996: 52. SIRS
Discoverer. Web. 22 Sep. 2015.
- Antonio Vivaldi Biography. Priest, Educator, Composer (1678–1741). Biography.com
Editors. The Biography.com website. A&E Television Networks. Web. 22
Sep. 2015.
- Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). Fine Art. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web.
29 Apr 2016.
<http://quest.eb.com/search/134_1739890/1/134_1739890/
cite>
- "[Classical Music - Royalty Free] The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Spring Mvt 2
Largo." youtube.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2016.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHCF9gG_jSo>.
- Italy, Venice, Map of Bologna in 1600, engraving from Theatrum Civitatum et
Admirandorum Italiae by Jean Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1663.
Photopgraphy.Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 2 May 2016.
- Antonio Vivaldi - Themes.. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web.
4 May 2016.
<http://quest.eb.com/search/113_918955/1/113_918955/
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