Vivaldi: An Almost Forgotten Genius

Vivaldi: An Almost Forgotten Genius In the 20th century several scholars of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach noticed a composer who kept popping up in their findings. It seemed as if this composer left an impeccable impression on Bach. Who is this guy? Thus the great search for Vivaldi begun. For centuries Vivaldi was forgotten, smothered by the fast growing Baroque artist and the dramatic change of the world’s taste in music. Regardless of that fact, Vivaldi’s name broke out of the grave and was rediscovered and properly remembered as he should have always been. Vivaldi was a genius composer, whose work showed incredible imagination and emotion. Little is actually known about Vivaldi. Much, however, is guessed. Even what he looks like is guessed. The only know picture we have of Vivaldi that he actually posed for is a caricature (reliable huh?). The official portrait of Vivaldi is a stereotyped painting (Koolbergen). It is known that he was born premature March 4, 1678. Since he was born premature he was very ill, because he was ill he was not baptized until two months after his birth. There are two theories on how he became a priest. The first, his father was an excellent violinist who was a Cathedral musician. Naturally Vivaldi was introduced to clerical orders and in all reality it was not uncommon to mix clergy with music (Kolneder). The second theory, when he was younger there was a terrible earthquake, in terror Vivaldi’s mother promised that if all of them lived that her first son would become a priest (Koolbergen). Each theory contributed to other theories about his later life and career. Since we do not know much about Vivaldi’s childhood, we are not sure on how he studied as a child and became the great violinist he is remembered as. It is thought that he was probably a pupil of his father. Some also believe that he studied with Corelli and Somis, though there is absolutely no evidence support whether or not these thoughts are true (Kolneder). On March 23, 1703, Vivaldi was ordained (Talbot). A little over a year of his ordination he decided to stop celebrating mass because of asthmatic bronchitis, in other words he quit being a priest because of asthma. Though it sound like a bad excuse, it was actually quite serious. According to Vivaldi, it caused him to leave in the middle of saying mass at least three times within the year. Though it is believed among some that Vivaldi simulated sickness in order to sneak out and write a musical idea. (Koolbergen). After leaving mass he was hired to work at the Ospadale della Pietà. At the Ospadale della Pietà Vivaldi taught violin. The Ospadale della Pietà was a Venetian version of charity (basically and orphanage). There, music and charity went hand and hand. Orphans, Foundlings and illegitimate children were taken to these places. Unfortunately this applied only to girls. The most gifted girls in normal education would also be given the chance to learn music. They called them figlie di choro (Koolbergen). There is long history of the ospedali ranging back to 1346, many traveled to this place bringing amazing stories. One traveler claimed that the girls had the most beautiful songs in the world (Kolneder). Interestingly enough the ospedali was one of the rare places where girls would sing the lower ranges of music as well as higher ranges. This is where Vivaldi received 30 ducats (about 60 dollars) per term to be Maestro di Violino. For a short period of time, between 1709 and 1711 Vivaldi quit everything. He did not teach; he did not celebrate mass. This is a dark period in the history of Vivaldi, nothing is known about this time because there are absolutely no documents suggesting anything towards that time. It is assumed that he spent that time composing because right after that he published twelve concertos (Harmonic Inspiration). When Vivaldi came out of “hiding” he was given a pay raise and filled an empty position. His reputation began to spread not only through is hometown but through Europe. Though Vivaldi was slowly turning to theatre. In 1713 Vivaldi took a month of leave to stage is first opera Ottone in Villa in Vivenza. His Second opera in 1714 was Orlando finto piazza, which was in fact an extremely successful series of no less than eight operas within five years. Vivaldi’s style was a fresh and interesting addition to this new era, he introduced new rhythm techniques, forms, and ways of doing melodies and harmonies rarely heard before. Vivaldi introduced a new way of playing violin which was referred to as Violino in Trombe (violin in the manner of a trumpet). This introduces a new kind of rhythmic sound which involved a more detached bowing technique which became a characteristic of Baroque music (Kolneder). By making the sound of a violin stronger and more like a trumpet, the violin started to become a symbol of the Baroque era, because the trumpet was the symbol for the Venetian Doge. Syncopation was one of Vivaldi’s main way of producing rhythmic effects. He often used Syncompation to work up to tension. Much like in his concertos The Four Seasons. His use of syncopation often leads up to a release that is absolutely liberating and beautiful. Vivaldi also introduce the Lombardic, the slurring of the strong beat of a bar to reinforce the accentuation, style to Rome. Though he was not the inventor, it was a piece of his style that was always there. Vivaldi’s melodies are built up of motifs. These motifs follow a pattern that either grow in tension toward the strong beat or away from the accent. Several of these motifs combine to form a sequence. Several sequence make a movement and so forth. His brilliance in his melodies gives way to the interest flow of Vivaldi’s music. It puts you in a sort of dancing dream. Though Vivaldi is not only a genius when it comes to melodies but when it comes to harmonies too. Vivaldi was known to be “bilingual”, meaning that he had the old way of making music around modes and the new way of making music around major and minor. Vivaldi was able to juggle this knowledge and sometimes combine them. This is seen very much in his sacred music. Vivaldi contributed greatly to the first indications of tempo in music. He showed tempo for each place in his music with words like, Allegro, Largo, and Andante; but he polished them with added levels within each already basically established level. For example, there were at least eighteen gradations and indications under Allegro like, poco, poco poco, non molto and so on. Vivaldi obviously gave a lot of attention to tempo and its function, which is defiantly showed in his later corrections. When it came to articulation, Vivaldi’s articulation was taken completely from his violin playing. The different ways that he stroked and different things relating to the violin went into all of his notation. For example he wrote a connecting slur which is the same as when the bow of the violin (Kolneder). Vivaldi is most famous for his concertos, which he wrote about 500 of. There were two types of concertos: concerto grosso and concerto solo. Concerto grosso was where a group of soloist would do the solo with an ensemble doing the accompaniment. Concerto solo was where one soloist who do the solo while and ensemble did the accompaniment. This of course became a dominant style in the Baroque era, all thanks to Vivaldi. His single most we known piece is The Four Seasons-Spring (movement 1-Allegro). This song has been featured in many movies making it well known outside of the music world. He is also famous for his collection of 12 concertos Harmonic Expression, which continues to be a great example of Baroque music (Kapilow). Vivaldi was an amazing composer, who deserves to be seen. He unfortunately died poor in 1741. This tragedy was due to housing two women and his poor health and his declining fame. Though his past career made him a lot of money, it wasn’t enough. He was buried in a small cemetery, most didn’t even know he was buried in. His name was then long forgotten, covered up by the fast pace of music of that time, until he was finally awoken.

Works Cited
Kapilow, Rob. "Chapter 1- Antonio Vivaldi." What Makes It Great?: Short Masterpieces, Great Composers. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. 5-25. Print.
Kolneder, Walter. Antonio Vivaldi; His Life and Work. Berkeley: University of California, 1970. Print.
Koolbergen, Jerone. Vivaldi: 1678-1741. London: Tiger Bks. Int 'l., 1995. Print.
Talbot, Michael. "Antonio Vivaldi." The New Grove Italian Baroque Masters: Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, Cavalli, Corelli, A. Scarlatti, Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti. New York: W.W. Norton, 1984. 271-323. Print.

Cited: Kapilow, Rob. "Chapter 1- Antonio Vivaldi." What Makes It Great?: Short Masterpieces, Great Composers. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. 5-25. Print. Kolneder, Walter. Antonio Vivaldi; His Life and Work. Berkeley: University of California, 1970. Print. Koolbergen, Jerone. Vivaldi: 1678-1741. London: Tiger Bks. Int 'l., 1995. Print. Talbot, Michael. "Antonio Vivaldi." The New Grove Italian Baroque Masters: Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, Cavalli, Corelli, A. Scarlatti, Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti. New York: W.W. Norton, 1984. 271-323. Print.