Antonio Vivaldi:
A Baroque Idol
The ANNOTICO Report
Antonio Vivaldi, born way back in 1678
to Antonio Vivaldi, violin virtuoso and concerto
master, studied for the priesthood, and later released from his vows, composed
50 Baroque Operas, that while exemplary, were very "ornamental" much
like the Baroque architecture, fell out of favor as audiences sought lighter,
less ornamented sounds.
Concertos, is another story. Everyone is familiar with Vivaldi's magnum opus, the 1725 concerto cycle known as The
Four Seasons. Still a popular musical form today, the concerto pits a solo
instrument (or small group of players) against a larger orchestra. Vivaldi's concerti, with their intense rhythmic energy,
lyrical themes, and fast-slow-fast plan for the three movements, became the
gold standard of the era.
Thanks to Ralph Annina of Italian
Americans of Wisconsin --itam_wi@yahoogroups.com
I'll see your American Idol, and raise you a rocking violin.
Here's one of my favorite Baroque Idols: violin virtuoso and concerto
master Antonio Vivaldi, born way back in 1678. You've
probably heard his famous music whether you realize it or not.
Budding Artist
Before he was a famous composer, Antonio Vivaldi
was just a boy learning the family trade. His father, Giovanni, was a violinist
in St. Mark's Basilica orchestra in
Like most serious musicians of his day, young Vivaldi
faced a choice between working in the courts of kings or in the cloisters of
the church. The nobles paid handsomely but often practiced creative despotism,
while the church's repertoire needs were rather confining.
Vivaldi chose the church. He was ordained a
priest in 1703 and made an instructor at the Ospe
If It Ain't Baroque
. .
When Vivaldi's full-time employment at
the Pietа ended in 1709, he was free to pursue
new, secular musical forms, including opera. He traveled extensively to musical
meccas like
In art and music, the Baroque period was a time of high drama and
complex ornamentation. Where Renaissance artists focused on the wonders of the
human form and mind, Baroque folk depicted humans in motion, interacting with
each other and the world. Baroque music used contrasts--between instrumental
and vocal parts, loud and soft, soloists and larger ensembles--to create drama
and evoke emotion.
Vivaldi composed some 50 Baroque operas, many
of which were acclaimed as exemplary, but few of them are performed today. Musical
tastes have changed radically, and we're not just talking Vivaldi
vs. Britney. The librettos, or scripts, of Baroque operas seem stilted even to
today's opera buffs.
Concerto Master
Now concertos, that's another story. You're almost certainly
familiar with Vivaldi's magnum opus, the 1725
concerto cycle known as The Four Seasons. Still a popular musical form
today, the concerto pits a solo instrument (or small group of players) against
a larger orchestra.
Vivaldi's concerti, with their intense rhythmic
energy, lyrical themes, and fast-slow-fast plan for the three movements, became
the gold standard of the era. Baroque heavy-hitter Johann Sebastian Bach even
honed his composing skills by transcribing 10 of Vivaldi's
concerti for keyboard instruments.
By the time the concerto form reached its height in the late 18th
century, Vivaldi's fast-slow-fast plan had become de
rigueur. His trademark use of the "ritornello" form had lasting
impact, too. Concerto composers everywhere worked to showcase the virtuoso's
talents by alternating an orchestra's statement of a straightforward melodic
refrain with the virtuoso's departure from it.
A Man for All Seasons?
Unfortunately, though he was popular and well paid at the zenith
of his career in the 1720s, Vivaldi's music quickly
fell out of fashion in the 1730s, as audiences sought lighter, less ornamented
sounds. He died in poverty in 1741. His manuscripts were purchased by a private
collector and remained hidden until they were rediscovered and claimed by an
Italian museum in the 1920s.
Since then, classical connoisseurs have periodically taken renewed
interest in all things Baroque, and with each revival, Vivaldi's
stock has risen, with musicians and listeners alike.
Want to
learn more?
Listen
to the start of "Spring,"
from Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons
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