antonio VIVALDI Created by Julia Voye Ferrin MUSC

antonio VIVALDI Created by Julia Voye Ferrin MUSC 1010 Composer teacher virtuoso and Baroque extraordinaire

BIOGRAPHY

Born: Venice March 4, 1678 Died: Vienna July 28, 1741 Oldest of 9 children in poor family Taught violin by his father Trained as a priest Nicknamed Chronic “Il Prete Rosso” or The Red Priest bronchial asthma Left the priesthood to write music

Ospedale della Pieta school Esteemed music school for daughters of noblemen First teacher, then resident composer Many concertos are technique exercises Employed by the school for 25 years

1710 Begins publishing music “L’Estro Armonico” Harmonic Inspiration Very popular and influential 1713 Opera debut “Ottone in Villa” 1717 Begins travels Appointed Chamber Kapellmeister for governor of Mantua

Anna GIRAUD • • Met in Mantua as a soprano in his opera She stayed with him for the rest of his life Maintained they were only friends Would later cause a scandal

The Four Seasons and the popular years 1925 – premiere 8 th Opus, including “la Quattro Stagione” or The Four Seasons Received wild acclaim and success Continue to travel and tour Europe until 1733 Very popular even amongst nobility “Spring” movement personal favorite of King Louis XIV of France

Turn of fortune and death • • • Mid 1730’s – decline in popularity and loss of finances Scandal about relationship with Anna Giraud causes further damage In desperation, try to get work in Vienna Died shortly after on July 28, 1741 probably from asthmatic bronchitis Modest burial

The Four Seasons Composition History

About the Music Premiered in 1725 in Amsterdam Pictorial One concerto for each season, accompanied by a poem Each concerto has three movements – fast, slow, fast

Poems Summer A goat herder running from a violent storm Winter People trying to survive the harsh winds and cold temperatures

Music for everyone Very popular because accessible to ordinary people, not just musical intellectuals Written music simple, encourages professionals to embellish Contains technical exercises for his pupils Vivaldi himself violin virtuoso

The violin in the spotlight Introduced the violin as a solo instrument Before considered only part of ensemble Solo violin has been classical favorite ever since

Vivaldi rediscovered Forgotten after death 1926 - Manuscripts rediscovered in Italian school archives Dr. Alberto Gentili put in charge Wealthy Italian donated papers to library World War II delays project Finally performed in London in 1951

The Four Seasons Listening Guide for Summer and Winter

SUMMER Third movement 0: 11 Series of quick descending scales – falling sheets of rain 0: 46 Incredible violin solo – other stings are silent to bring all focus to the talented soloist 2: 15 Final fortissimo arch from the strings, ending in unison like a declaration of authority

WINTER First movement 0: 00 Dissonant sounds in minor chord with staccatos – hostility of winter cold 0: 46 Solo violin and strings take turns. Solo ends in dissonant trill to fade into strings 1: 32 Quick scales by solo violin, perhaps exercise for pupils – shivering, chattering teeth 3: 08 Motif returns of slow, quick, slow. Great timbre. Although in minor, sounds cheerful

WINTER Second Movement 0: 00 Mood immediately different than 1 st movement – fluid, simple, pleasant 0: 32 Trill – throughout the movement, to decorate the simple melody 0: 54 Trill starts slow and speeds up, dissonance resolved on lower note 1: 40 Phrase is stated, then repeated with embellishments like trills 2: 01 Ends with long lazy trill

WINTER Third movement 0: 21 Inverted arches from violins, like swirling wind and snow 1: 36 Solo violin plays broken chords from highest to lowest, with chords ascending up the scale 2: 30 Solo and strings battle, one dominating each measure in forte, mimicking each other 3: 03 Last measures slow to highlight dissonance, then homophonic resolution of last chord

BIBLIOGRAPHY “Antonio Vivaldi. ” Baroque Music. Arton. Oct 2011 <http: //www. baroquemusic. org/bqxvivaldi. html> “Antonio Vivaldi and the Four Seasons. ” Baroque Music. Arton. Oct 2011 <http: //www. baroquemusic. org/bqxvivaldi 2. html> “Antonio Vivaldi and the Four Seasons. ” Classical. Notes. Net. Peter Gutman. Oct 2011 <http: //www. classicalnotes. net/classics/vivaldi. html> “Antonio Vivaldi – Baroque Composer. ” Essortment. Demand Media. Oct 2011 <http: //www. essortment. com/antonio-vivaldi-baroque-composer-35216. html> “Antonio Vivaldi – Biography. ” Last FM. Interactive CBS Music Group. Oct 2011 <http: //www. last. fm/music/Antonio+Vivaldi> “Antonio Vivaldi – The Red Priest. ” Tel Asiado Suite 101. Music Suite 101. Oct 2011 <http: //telasiado. suite 101. com/antonio-vivaldi-the-four-seasons-a 19469>

Bibliography cont. “Antonio Vivaldi (1678 -1741). ” Classical Archives. All Music Guide. Oct 2011 <http: //www. classicalarchives. com/composer/3521. html#tvf=tracks&tv=about > “Vivaldi. ” Classical. net. Oct 2011 <http: //classical. net/music/comp. lst/vivaldi. php> “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. ” Angel Queen. Oct 2011. <http: //angelqueen. org/articles/08_05_vivaldi_four_seasons. shtml> “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Notes, Historical Information, Sonnets. ” Classical Music – About. com. Oct 2011 <http: //classicalmusic. about. com/od/baroqueperiod/ss/fourseasons. htm> “Vivaldi – His Music ‘Rediscovered. ’” Baroque Music. Arton. Oct 2011 <http: //www. baroquemusic. org/bqxvivaldi 2. html.