The Pietà governors were so pleased with his efforts that they gave him a special payment of 50 ducats for "an entire mass, a vespers, an oratorio, and over 30 motets and other labors." During this decade, Vivaldi also entered the turbulent world of Italian opera. The departure of the composer Gasparini, due to illness in 1713, gave Vivaldi the opportunity to write sacred music. In his writings, Quantz's proscribed formula for the concerto corresponds exactly to the typical Vivaldi practice. Quantz, who first heard Vivaldi's concertos in 1714, gave him credit for having reformed the concerto along with Albinoni. This was particularly true in Germany, where Bach transcribed several of them for keyboard, an indication of Vivaldi's importance in the development of the Italian side of Bach's own cosmopolitan style. 3, comprising 12 concertos arranged for varying groups of violins, and which was to become the most influential musical publication of its time. In this year, Estienne Roger, the Amsterdam publisher, brought out Vivaldi's "L'estro harmonico," Op. In 1711, he was voted back into his former post where he stayed for the next five years until being elevated to the position of "maestro di concerti." At this point Vivaldi was also beginning to write concertos that were widely circulated in manuscript. 2, a set of violin sonatas, was dedicated in 1709 to Frederick IV of Denmark, who had attended a service under Vivaldi's direction at the Pietà in 1708. His Op.1, a set of trio sonatas, was published in 1705. Vivaldi, meanwhile, tried to win more attention as a composer. During his lifetime in fact, it was not necessary to appoint any other outside violin teachers. Ironically, in 1709 Vivaldi's contract was not renewed, probably in the name of economy, because the level of the older girls he had trained made his own services unnecessary for the time being. The charm of seeing and hearing a chorus and orchestra comprised solely of musically gifted young women was widely reputed in Venice and abroad, and therefore the musical training and repertoire had to be maintained at a consistently high level. Services at the Pietà more resembled concerts than religious occasions, and they were important events on the social calender for Venetian nobility and visitors. In September 1703, Vivaldi obtained his first official post as the "maestro di violino" for the Pio Ospedale della Pietà, one of four institutions in Venice devoted to the care of orphans and specializing in the musical training of the girls who showed aptitude. Although we don't know specifically of his harpsichord playing until much later, it is probable that he was also proficient on that instrument by this time as well. At least once during this period - in 1696 - he is known to have been engaged as an additional violinist at St. None of the other children became musicians, although Antonio's brother, Francesco, had an entrepreneurial spirit and was a paving contractor and publisher in addition to being a wigmaker.įrom 1693 to 1703, Vivaldi received training as a priest. He undoubtedly was close to Antonio, with whom he lived in three different apartments in Venice between 17, the year of his death (only five years before Antonio). Mark's, Giovanni was engaged under the name Rossi, which suggests that red hair was a family trait. Mark's Chapel in Venice, Vivaldi became known for his vanity, temper, and obsession with money - as well as for his intensely energized music that prefigures classical forms, romantic virtuosity, and 19th century program music.Īntonio was the eldest of the children born to Giovanni Vivaldi - a barber before he became a violinist - and Camillo Calichio, a tailor's daughter. Born in 1678 to one of the leading violinists of the famous St. Antonio Vivaldi's nickname, "il prete rosso" (the red priest), tells us much about his character and music.
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