Antonio Vivaldi was a virtuoso violinist, a virtuoso composer – at least in terms of quantity – and a virtuoso teacher, as clearly evidenced by the level of competence attained by his pupils. A Venetian all his life, travelling but always returning, Vivaldi epitomizes Italian Baroque Music like no other composer.
The difficulty of his breathing increased, less air came in with every breath, tightness filled his chest and lungs - this had to end. Antonio Vivaldi, known as “The Red Priest,” due to his hair color, attempted to give mass, but his bronchial asthma restricted him from doing his job well (Heller). He lost his ability to preach when the pain proved too much. So he returned to his first love: music. Antonio Vivaldi’s father, a barber-turned-professional-violinist in Venice, taught him to play the violin at a very young age. At ten years old, Vivaldi became his father’s substitute at St. Mark’s Orchestra (Getzinger). Thus, at an early age, he showed extraordinary promise. Years later, that promise came to fruition as he revolutionized Baroque music. Because Antonio Vivaldi’s compositions added warmth and a rhythmically textured sound to a rather ornamental Baroque style, his musical approach appealed to listeners and changed how everyone viewed concertos. His revolutionary style influenced other musicians and European society from his first composition in 1690 to his death in 1741. More than two centuries later, his music, best represented by The Four Seasons, continues to have an impact. When Vivaldi lost his ability to preach, he found a new but familiar voice through the violin and became the Baroque period’s most influential composer, changing the way Europeans, and even other composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, approached music. Because he showcased his playing
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Vivaldi Style
Antonio Vivaldi Baroque Period
- The Baroque Music Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose purpose is to give greater exposure to the wealth of unknown music by Antonio Vivaldi and other 17th and 18th century composers, music that is part of our extraordinary Western musical heritage.
- Biography Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) was one of the most productive composers of the Baroque era. His vast output included substantial quantities of chamber and vocal music, some 46 operas and a remarkable 500 concertos.