Cactus Samuel Harris
1November 2016
Antonio Vivaldi: Master of Seasons
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born March 1st, 1678 in the city of Venice, Italy, to mother Camilla Callicchio, and father Giovanni Battista Vivaldi, a violinist in the employ of Saint Mark’s Church. In addition to musical training from the elder Vivaldi, it was also rumored (but not proven) that the young Vivaldi received instruction from Giovanni Legrenzi, a composer. Antonio was destined for the priesthood at an early age, after preparation he was ordained in March, 1703. (Antonio Vivaldi was red headed, earning him the nickname later in life as the “red priest”) That autumn, he received and appointment to Ospitale della Pieta, an orphanage in Venice where he taught violin, and later conducted the orchestra. With Vivaldi directing the orchestra, the concerts brought international recognition. Other than numerous trips to other cities on the peninsula, and in Europe, Vivaldi spent most his career at the Pieta. Before his death on the 26th of July, 1741 in Vienna, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi collaborated on and/or solely composed 48 operas; …show more content…
Antonio Vivaldi’s most famous works include “Gloria” a sacred work, the well-known “The Four Seasons” consisting of four sonatas of three movements each, and two more sonatas “The Storm at Sea” and “The Hunt”. Probably the work that is best known is Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” a stunning work of program music that is part of a larger work “Il Cemento dell’armonia e dell’inventione”. The “Four Seasons’ has been recorded more than 1000 times since 1939. One of the most interesting facts about this work is that there are verbal instructions of considerable detail included in the music. In addition, there are sonnets that describe what is coming in each concerto, as well as words and phrases scattered throughout the text written above the music. Birds welcome the Spring in Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "Spring" (La primavera) Allegro (in E