Vivaldi: list of works, the most famous compositions and the history of their creation. Antonio Vivaldi

MAIN DATES IN THE LIFE AND WORK OF ANTONIO VIVALDI 1678, March 4 - in Venice, a seven-month-old boy was born in the family of the barber and violinist Giovan Battista Vivaldi, who received the name Antonio Lucio at baptism. 1679, July 18 - the birth of his sister Margherita. 1683, January 12 - the birth of his sister

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Father Giovanni Batista Vivaldi, violinist at St. Mark, taught his son to play the violin from childhood. Presumably the teacher of composition was Giovanni Legrenzi, as well as Arcangelo Coreli from Rome.

Vivaldi was tonsured a monk on September 18, 1693, and on the same date, but already in 1700, received the rank of deacon. Vivaldi was elevated to the priesthood on March 23, 1703. He celebrated his first mass in the Church of San Giovanni in Oleo. He was nicknamed the red priest because the shade of his hair was unusual for the Venetians. In 1703, on September 1, he was taken to the Pietta shelter as a violin maestro. From Countess Lucrezia Trevisan he received an order to serve 90 votive matins in the Church of San Giovanni in Oleo. Vivaldi received an award for teaching the viola d'amore in 1704 on August 17th. Having health problems, he was forced to refuse Lucrezia Trevisan's offer and stopped the service halfway through the votive matins. The year 1706 was remembered for the publication of the “Guide to Venice”, designed by the cartographer Coronelli, the publication of which spoke about the virtuoso violinist father and son Vivaldi, as well as the move from the old to newer spacious housing from Piazza Bragora in the neighboring parish of San Provolo.

He first came to Rome in 1723, and in 1724 for the second time, during which he attended the premiere of the opera Giustino, and also had an audience with Pope Benedict XIII. Opus VIII "Il Cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Invenzione" is published in Amsterdam in 1725. Four of the most famous concerts "The Four Seasons" were included in this cycle "The Art of Harmony and Invention", which already at that time made an indescribable impression on the listener with its passion and innovation.Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was then working at the French Embassy, valued Vivaldi's music very much and even played some works from this cycle himself on his flute.Very popular were the concerts “Night” (La notte), “The Goldfinch” (Il cardellino), for flute and orchestra, a concert for two mandolins RV532, which stood out with its imagery and harmony, which was very characteristic of his works.“Gloria”, “Magnificat”, “Stabat Mater”, “Dixit Dominus” - spiritual works belonging to the hand of Vivaldi.

In the period 1703-1725, he was a teacher and then an orchestra conductor, leading concerts, starting in 1713, and directing the choir and orchestra at the “della Pieta” (Venice), an orphanage that bore the title of the best musical educational institution for girls. Vivaldi again served as bandmaster in 1735, but this time not for long.

The so-called dramatized “Lombard” style of performance was established by Vivaldi as the most authoritative representative of the violin art of the 18th century in Italy. He created the genre of instrumental solo concert, and he had a significant influence on the development of virtuoso violin playing technique. Being a master of the concerto grosso (ensemble-orchestral concert), Vivaldi defined the form for it in the form of a cycle in 3 parts, while defining a virtuoso part for the soloist.

He gained fame as a composer who was able to create an opera in 3 acts in 5 days and make a lot of variations on one theme during his lifetime. In Europe he became famous as a virtuoso violinist. Goldoni, whom Vivaldi simply cherished, after the death of the latter, in his memoirs he spoke of him as a “mediocre” composer. The memory of Vivaldi was preserved for a long time through a series of transcriptions made by J. S. Bach from the works of his predecessor, and only the 20th century was marked by the release of all instrumental opuses in one collection. The classical symphony was formed through the stage of Vivaldi's instrumental concerts. F. Malipiero headed the Italian Institute in Siena, named after Vivaldi.

Vivaldi finally left Venice in May 1740. Arriving in Vienna at an unfortunate period for himself, the period of the death of Emperor Charles VI and the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession, Vivaldi found himself out of interest. On July 28, 1741, he died in Vienna, forgotten, poor and sick. The local doctor recorded death from internal inflammation. Vivaldi was buried for a small fee of 19 florins 45 kreuzers in a cemetery for the poor. Sisters Margarita and Zanetta only learned about Antonio's death a month later. On August 26, the bailiff made an inventory of his property in order to pay off his debts.

Because he was too keen on the opera stage, showing haste and illegibility, and often succumbed to criticism from his contemporaries, Vivaldi was nicknamed by his friends as Dirus (Furious) after he staged the opera Roland Furious. To date, the entire operatic wealth of the composer, estimated at 90 operas, has not yet been able to become the property of the opera stage of the world, and only in the 1990s Roland Furious was staged in San Francisco.

Vivaldi and his work greatly influenced musicians of various nations, especially the Germans, and not only their compatriot composers. The influence of Vivaldi’s work on J. S. Bach, who is one of the greatest German composers of the 18th century, is of great interest. In 1802, the first biography of Bach was published, in which its creator, Johann Nikolaus Forkel, emphasized the name of Vivaldi among all the masters influencing the young Bach. The study of Vivaldi's work is associated with the strengthening of themes characterized by instrumental virtuosity in the period 1717-1723, the so-called Köthen creative period. The influence was tracked not only in the mastery and modification of some techniques, everything was much more serious. Vivaldi's style was so warmly embraced by Bach that it became his personal language of music. Bach's closeness from the inside with Antonio's music is noticeable in various works, even in the “High” Mass in B minor. It is undeniable that the influence of Vivaldi's music on the German composer was very great. It is worth remembering the words of A. Casella, who spoke of Bach as the greatest admirer, who was almost the only one who at that time managed to appreciate the full genius of Vivaldi.

He created more than 40 operas, including “Roland the Imaginary Madman” (1714), “Nero Who Became Caesar” (1715), “The Coronation of Darius” (1716), “Deception Triumphant in Love” (1725), “ Farnace (1727), Cunegonde (1727), Olympiad (1734), Oracle in Messenia (1738), Theraspes (1739) - Theater Sant'Angelo in Venice. “Griselda” (1735), “Aristide” (1735) - San Samuele Theater in Venice. Oratorios - “Moses, God of Pharaoh” (1714), “Judith Triumphant” (1716), “Adoration of the Magi” (1722), etc.

Creator of 500 concertos, including: 44 for basso continuo and string orchestra, 352 for instrument accompanied by string orchestra or basso continuo (for cello - 26, for violin - 253, for transverse - 13, for bassoon - 38, for oboe - 12, for longitudinal flutes - 3, for mandolin - 1, for viol d'amore - 6), 49 concerti grossi, 32 for 3 or more instruments accompanied by a string orchestra or basso continuo, 38 for 2 instruments accompanied by a string orchestra or basso continuo (for violin - 25, for cello - 2, for horns - 2, for violin and cello - 3, for mandolins - 1).

4 violin concertos “The Seasons” are one of his most famous creations, an example of symphonic music. Vivaldi was one of the first to use horns, oboes, bassoons and other instruments as independent instruments rather than backup ones, so his contribution to the development of instrumentation was more than significant.

Italian composer, violinist, teacher, conductor, Catholic priest. During his lifetime, he received recognition in Europe as a composer and virtuoso violinist, and established a new, so-called “Lombard” style of performance. He is the author of 40 operas, oratorios, and more than 500 concerts. Most Popular Vivaldi received thanks to his violin and instrumental concerts. One of his most famous works is "Four Seasons", written for string orchestra.

Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678 in Venice, which was at that time the capital of the Venetian Republic. Antonio's ancestors came from Brescia, where his father was born - Giovanni Battista Vivaldi. Giovanni Battista (nicknamed "Red" for his fiery hair color) moved to Venice around 1670. There for some time he worked as a baker, and then mastered the profession of a barber. In his free time from earning his daily bread, Giovanni Battista played the violin. And he turned out to be such a gifted musician that in 1685 the famous Giovanni Legrenzi, conductor of the Cathedral of St. Mark, accepted him into his orchestra.

The first and most famous of the six children of Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio, Antonio Lucio, was born prematurely due to a sudden earthquake. The boy's parents saw the birth of a new life under such strange circumstances as a sign from above and decided that Antonio should become a priest.

When the future great composer was 15 years old, his tonsure (symbol of the crown of thorns) was shaved, and on March 23, 1703, twenty-five-year-old Antonio Vivaldi was ordained. However, he did not feel a sincere desire to be a priest and soon stopped celebrating mass. Although, as Carlo Goldoni testifies, Vivaldi read his prayer book every day throughout his life.

From his father, Antonio inherited not only his hair color (quite rare among Italians), but also a serious love of music, especially playing the violin. Giovanni Battista himself gave his son his first lessons and brought him to his place in the orchestra of the Cathedral of St. Brand. Antonio studied composition and learned to play the harpsichord and flute. In September 1703, Vivaldi began teaching music at the Ospedale della Pietà orphanage for girls.

The shelter “Ospedale della Pietà” (literally “hospital of compassion”) existed since 1348 and was always famous for the comprehensive (including musical) education that its pupils received.

Vivaldi was associated with this institution for almost his entire life. It must also be said that the composer’s teaching activity was not limited to work as a “maestro di violino” - that is, a violin teacher. Vivaldi gave private lessons to singers and taught them to play the viola. In addition, he conducted the orchestra at rehearsals and concerts when the chief conductor was not present. And he wrote music tirelessly.

In 1705, the Venetian publisher Giuseppe Sala published the first collection of sonatas for three instruments (two violins and bass) by Antonio Vivaldi. The next “portion” of Vivaldi’s violin sonatas was published four years later by Antonio Bortoli. Soon the works of the “red priest” (as Vivaldi Jr. was dubbed by the same Venetian jokers who had previously given the nickname “Red” to his father) acquired extraordinary popularity.

In just a few years, Antonio Vivaldi became the most famous violin composer in Europe. His fame and incredible success is evidenced by the following fact: in 1711-1729. released in Amsterdam twelve collections of instrumental music by Vivaldi, including L "estro armonico ("Harmonic Inspiration"), La stravaganza ("Fad") And II cimento dell"armonia e dell"invenzione ("An experience of harmony and fantasy") - a work that includes famous Le quattro stagioni ("Four Seasons" or simply "Seasons"). Subsequently, Vivaldi's works were published in London and Paris - the then publishing centers of Europe.

In 1713, in Vicenza, Vivaldi presented his first opera to the public. "Escape at the Villa". Over the next five years, he published five more operas, which conquered the largest Venetian theaters. Vivaldi was rapidly transforming from a completely modest “red-haired priest” into a brilliant secular composer.

At the beginning of 1718, he received an invitation to serve as conductor at the court in Mantua. The composer stayed here until 1720, that is, until the death of the wife of his employer, Prince Philip. And here, in Mantua, Vivaldi met an opera singer Anna Giraud. According to researchers, it is Vivaldi who owes much of the credit for the development of Anna Giraud as an opera singer, which is understandable, since Italian opera composers usually had a perfect command of the secrets of vocal technique. First she was his student, then the main performer in his operas and, finally, to everyone's outrage, she became his mistress. This behavior of the composer caused criticism from the clergy. This would later lead to dire consequences for Vivaldi. It is known that in 1738, Cardinal Archbishop Ruffo of Ferrara forbade Vivaldi to enter the city and celebrate Mass in connection with the composer’s fall from grace. At that time, this was considered an unheard of shame and meant for Vivaldi, who once played before the Pope, his complete discredit as a clergyman. Financial losses were no less significant.

After three years of service in Mantua, Vivaldi returned to Venice. Returning to Venice after three years of service in Mantua, Vivaldi devoted himself entirely to theatrical activities. He tried his hand both as an author and as an impresario.

In 1723-1724, Vivaldi reaped triumphant success during three carnival seasons in Rome, a performance in which was considered the most serious test for any composer. Vivaldi performed operas in Rome "Hercules on Thermodon"(1723), "Justin and Virtue, triumphant over love and hate"(1724).

Program concerts became the most popular among contemporaries, especially the famous "Seasons". The first four concertos for violin and string orchestra became famous under this name. They have been continuously performed in Paris since 1728 and were published as a separate edition. In total, 28 instrumental works by Vivaldi are known, endowed with program titles. However, only “Seasons” are programmatic in the true sense of the word. In the Amsterdam edition of 1725, each of the concerts is preceded by a poetic sonnet, the content of which determines the nature of musical development. Judging by the text of the dedication, the concerts of the cycle were known without sonnets long before publication, and their texts may have been composed to ready-made music. The author of the sonnets is not named in the dedication, and it is possible that he was Vivaldi himself. Before publishing the cycle, he thoroughly revised the score to make the programmatic intent of the music more clear.

In concert "Winter"- in the score "Hell"- the composer reaches the heights of artistic expression. Already in the first bars the feeling of piercing winter cold is masterfully conveyed. Then, with striking clarity, the impact of raindrops on the window, the slide on skates and the sudden fall of the skater, the cracking of the ice and, finally, the frantic struggle of the southern sirocco with the northern wind are reproduced.

Truly innovative in concept, the “Seasons” cycle was significantly ahead of its time, anticipating the searches in the field of program music of the romantic composers of the 19th century.

During the Carnival of 1734, spectators at the Teatro Sant'Angelo saw Vivaldi's new opera with a libretto "Olympics" Metastasio is one of the most famous works of the poet-playwright. Such a multifaceted plot in terms of dramatic collisions undoubtedly inspired the composer to create a highly artistic work. Such an authoritative expert on Vivaldi’s operatic work as A. Casella wrote that “Olympiad” stands out among other operas by the Italian composer for the incomparable beauty of the music.

Despite the composer approaching old age, his creative productivity remained amazing. It is performed in Verona "Tamerlane" And "Adelaide"(1735), and in Florence "Ginevra, Princess of Scots"(1736).

In 1740, Vivaldi finally abandoned work in "Ospedale della Pieta" and left for Vienna, to the court of Emperor Charles VI, his longtime and, importantly, powerful admirer.

But, alas, the rosy plans of the great composer were not destined to come true. Arriving in Vienna, he no longer found the monarch alive. In addition, by this time Vivaldi's popularity had begun to decline. The public's preferences changed, and baroque music quickly found itself on the periphery of fashion.

The sixty-three-year-old musician, who had never been in good health, was unable to recover from these blows of fate and fell ill with an unknown illness.

Vivaldi died on July 28, 1741 in Vienna from “internal inflammation” (as it was written in the funeral protocol), in the arms of his student and friend Anna Giraud. The funeral was modest: only a few bells sounded, and the procession consisted only of people hired to carry the coffin.

After his death, the musical heritage of Antonio Vivaldi lay in oblivion for almost 200 years, and only in the 20s of the 20th century, assemblages of the composer’s manuscripts were discovered by an Italian musicologist.

The exquisite luxury, splendor and whimsical aesthetics of the Baroque era were fully embodied in the work of the famous Venetian Antonio Vivaldi. He is called the “Italian Bach,” and for good reason: over the 63 years of his life, the musician wrote about 800 works, including operas, choral works, and more than 500 concerts for various instruments and orchestra. A talented innovative composer, virtuoso violinist, brilliant conductor and teacher, he left behind not only a rich creative heritage, but also so many mysteries that many of them have not been solved to this day. Even the exact place of his resting place is unknown to his descendants. But Vivaldi’s extraordinary music, whose magnetism has no power over time, has been preserved in its original form and today occupies an honorable place among the greatest treasures of world musical art.

Read a short biography of Antonio Vivaldi and many interesting facts about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Vivaldi

In 1678, in Venice, a son, Antonio, was born into the family of the barber Giovanni Batista Vivaldi. At the end of the 17th century, Venice was the recognized capital of entertainment, a holiday city, where all life passed to the sounds of music, and the house of the future composer was no exception in this sense. The head of the Vivaldi family was so skilled at playing the violin that he was invited to perform in the orchestra of St. Mark's Cathedral.

Antonio suffered from a physical illness from birth - a form of asthma. But of all six of Vivaldi’s children, he was most like his father - not only with his fiery red hair, rare for the inhabitants of Venice, but most importantly, with his ability to hear and feel music. Antonio Vivaldi's musical talent made itself felt from early childhood. He quickly mastered the game violin and at the age of 10 he often performed in the cathedral orchestra instead of his father. And at the age of 13, the boy first tried to compose his own music.

Vivaldi’s biography says that at the age of 15, Antonio’s life took a sharp turn - at the insistence of his parents, he chose a career as a clergyman and devoted the next 10 years of his life to the study of church sciences. However, he did not give up his music studies and by 1703 he not only received holy orders, but also became famous as a virtuoso violinist. He was nicknamed the “red priest” for his hair color, but Vivaldi did not perform church duties for long. Very quickly he refused to lead masses - according to one version, because his health did not allow it, according to another, again because of his passion for music.

Almost immediately after receiving the rank, Vivaldi began working in one of the schools in Venice, “Ospedale della Pieta” - that was the name of the orphanage house at the monastery. “Ospedale della Pietà” became a real cradle for Vivaldi’s work. In his status as a violin teacher and choirmaster, he acquired a unique opportunity to implement the most daring and diverse creative ideas. Due to his duty, he had to write a lot of music for school students, both spiritual and secular - cantatas, chorales, oratorios, vocal and symphonic compositions, concerts. The results of such vigorous and diverse activities quickly made themselves felt - among connoisseurs and connoisseurs of music, the school began to be considered the best in the city.

Vivaldi composed more than 450 concertos for the Pieta orchestra and often performed solo violin parts himself. Venice had never heard such a violin, which gave birth to sounds as if from the depths of the human soul.

Very quickly, the young composer’s popularity spread far beyond the borders of his hometown. Every distinguished guest coming to Venice considered it his duty to attend the performances of Antonio Vivaldi. In 1705 and 1709, the musician’s sonatas were published in separate collections.

But Antonio was already fascinated by another idea - to become an opera composer. At that time, opera was considered the most popular genre among audiences, and Vivaldi, with his characteristic determination and indomitable temperament, plunged into a new type of creativity for him. His operatic debut, Ottone at the Villa, staged in 1713, was a great success. Vivaldi begins to work at a crazy pace - he manages to create 3-4 operas per year. His fame as an opera composer grows, and Antonio receives an invitation from the Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, a keen connoisseur of the art of music, who holds the position of governor of Mantua, to become bandmaster at his court.

In 1721-22, Vivaldi worked in Milan and Rome, continuing to compose new operas.

In his declining years, the composer's affairs greatly deteriorated. He decided to return to Venice, hoping to find peace of mind in his hometown, which had applauded him for almost 40 years. But disappointment awaited him. The music he composed no longer aroused the former delight; the public had new idols. Even at his native conservatory, with which he was associated for 38 years of fruitful work, they made it clear to him that his services were not really needed.

According to Vivaldi’s biography, the composer, in 1740, in search of a way out of the situation, went to Vienna, to the court of Emperor Charles VI, his longtime and powerful admirer, in the hope that his talent would be in demand there. But fate prepared another blow for Vivaldi - before he could arrive in Vienna, Charles VI died. The composer did not survive his failed patron for long. He died on July 28, 1741 and was buried in Vienna in a poor grave.

Interesting Facts:

• After 1840, many handwritten versions of Vivaldi's works were lost and disappeared from people's memory for a long time. Some notes fell into the hands of his fellow composers, as well as close relatives.

• Vivaldi owes his “second birth” to the Italian musicologist Alberto Gentili, who was actively searching for the composer’s works. In the 20s of the 20th century, he heard a rumor about the sale of handwritten scores that were kept in the monastery college in San Martino. Among them, Gentili discovered 14 volumes of Vivaldi's works, which until now remained unknown to the public - 19 operas, more than 300 concerts, many sacred and secular vocalises.
• The search for Vivaldi's lost works continues to this day. In 2010, his Flute Concerto was found in Scotland. In 2012, the world learned about his unknown opera “Orlando Furioso”.
• The musician's famous contemporaries were admirers of Vivaldi's art. Among his listeners were King Frederick IV of Denmark and Pope Benedict.
• In a Venetian guide for foreigners dating from 1713, Vivaldi's father and son are mentioned as the most accomplished violinists among the musicians of Venice.

• The most popular image of the composer is considered to be a painting by the French portraitist François Morelon de la Cavaie. For the portrait, Antonio had to wear a white wig - the etiquette of those times did not allow men to appear in society without a wig.
• Vivaldi's "calling card" - a cycle of violin concertos "Seasons"- in the original version it is called “The Four Seasons” “Le quattro stagioni”.
• Only 40 of the 90 operas mentioned by the composer were able to confirm his authorship.
• The epigraphs to the concerts that make up the “Seasons” cycle are sonnets. Their author is unknown, but it is assumed that they also belong to Vivaldi.
• In 1939, Gloria was revived. It was performed in Siena as part of the “Vivaldi Week”, organized by the Italian Alfredo Casella.
• The Siena Institute is named after Vivaldi.
• The building of the former school “Ospedale della Pieta” currently houses a restaurant and hotel complex.
• Vivaldi and Mozart buried in a cemetery in Vienna, where some of the poorest members of the population were buried.

• “To the Music of Vivaldi” is the name of the song by the luminaries of the original song V. Berkovsky and S. Nikitin, based on the verses of A. Velichansky. Vivaldi's music in this song text is a symbol of the spiritual harmony of the lyrical hero.
• One of the open craters on the planet Mercury is named after the composer.
• “Vivaldi Orchestra” is the name of the group, which was founded in 1989 by violinist and conductor Svetlana Bezrodnaya. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that its members are exclusively women. This is a kind of “remake” of the orchestra of students organized by Vivaldi at the Ospedale della Pieta school at the beginning of the 18th century.
• In the famous film “Pretty Woman,” Vivaldi’s music, according to the directors’ plans, became one of the illustrations of the world of high society. The film features Vivaldi's “The Seasons” - three out of four concerts.

• Vivaldi has a catchphrase: “When one violin is enough, don’t use two.”
• Italian scientists made an amazing discovery about three years ago - they identified the so-called “Vivaldi effect”. They conducted an experiment, which revealed that periodic listening to “Seasons” strengthens memory in older people.
• Swiss figure skater Stephane Lambiel won a silver medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics skating to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons."

"The Red-haired Priest's Girlfriend"

There are many “blank spots” in the composer’s biography, and his personal life is no exception. His name is closely associated with only one woman - singer Anna Giraud. The musician met Anna during his work in Mantua. He returned to Venice with her. The famous Venetian playwright C. Goldoni mentions that Vivaldi introduced Anna Giraud to him, calling her his student. But evil tongues quickly dubbed the young singer “the girlfriend of the red-haired priest,” and not without reason. The composer clearly favored her, from the moment they met he wrote operas especially for her, and it was Vivaldi that Anna owed her fame as an opera singer. In addition, Anna, together with her sister Paolina, was part of his inner circle, accompanied the composer on all his trips, and this gave rise to a bunch of rumors about the fact that the composer led a lifestyle that was not appropriate for a clergyman.

There is no direct evidence of their romantic connection. Moreover, Vivaldi fiercely defended Anna's honor, explaining to everyone that due to health problems he needed help, and Anna and Paolina, who was a nurse, were only looking after him. In a letter to his patron Bentivoglio dated November 16, 1737, he explained that he and Anna were connected only by friendship and professional cooperation. The only hint that Anna was the composer’s muse and the lady of his heart is the magical music he wrote after meeting her. It was then that the “Seasons” cycle, which immortalized his name, appeared, the “Night” concerts, and the masterpiece of sacred music “Gloria”.

Whatever Anna was for Vivaldi, we must give her credit - she did not leave the composer in difficult times for him and was his devoted companion and friend until his last breath.

The role of Vivaldi in the development of world musical art

Vivaldi's influence on the development of musical art extends to a wide range of musical activities, which confirms the unique creative personality of the talented composer and virtuoso violinist.

• It was thanks to Vivaldi that a completely unique performance technique in terms of dramatic intensity was strengthened, which is called “Lombard”, when the duration of the first note was shortened and the next one became rhythmically supporting.
• The composer genius Vivaldi came up with the idea of ​​a new genre of solo instrumental concert.
• He brought the popular Italian genre of the concerto grosso - ensemble-orchestral concerto - to a new stage of development, for which he assigned a three-part form and, instead of a group of soloists, singled out a separate solo instrument, giving the orchestra the function of accompaniment.
• Vivaldi's contribution to the evolution of the art of orchestration was enormous - he was the first to introduce oboes, horns, bassoons and other instruments into the orchestral composition as independent instruments.
• Vivaldi's undoubted achievement is that he brought to life a special type of concerto - for orchestra and violin, and another version - for two and four violins. In total, his creative heritage includes about two dozen similar concerts, including the only concert in the world for two mandolins.

Vivaldi's works had a great influence on the most famous representative of the musical art of the Baroque era - Johann Sebastian Bach. He was seriously interested in and studied in detail the works of Vivaldi, actively applying the techniques of musical language and symbolism of his predecessor, making their meaning deeper. Some musicologists find undoubted echoes of the works of the Italian master of composition in Bach's famous Mass in B minor. Subsequently, Bach arranged 6 Vivaldi violin concertos for clavier, converted 2 more into organ concertos, and adapted one for 4 claviers. Ironically, these musical masterpieces were believed to have been composed by Bach for over 150 years.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Austrian composer and musician Fritz Kreisler, a recognized master of stylization, wrote a Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C major, to which he put the subtitle “In the Style of Vivaldi.” The enormous success accompanying this brilliant creation of Kreisler, by inertia, aroused interest in the works of Vivaldi, which had been thoroughly forgotten. Thus began the victorious return of the famous Venetian and his masterpieces to the musical Olympus. Today, Vivaldi's music is one of the most beloved by violinists around the world.

The great and famous about the work of Vivaldi

• Violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov poetically called “The Seasons” a “fresco of human life,” since man has to overcome the same path as nature - from birth to death.
• According to the Austrian scientist W. Collender, Vivaldi was several decades ahead of the development of European music in terms of the use of dynamics and purely technical techniques of playing the violin.
• Vivaldi's ability to write an endless number of variations on the same musical theme became the basis for the sarcastic remark of I. Stravinsky, who called Vivaldi “a bore, capable of composing the same concerto six hundred times in a row.”
• “Vivaldi is a celebration of instrumental music, a violin extravaganza. Hehe himself was a virtuoso violinist and knew better than others how to show the bestspectacular in the sound of the violin,” this is how modern violinist, winner of the early music competition in Bruges Dmitry Sinkovsky spoke about the work of the great maestro.

Films-biographies:

The personality of the composer has always attracted the attention of film directors, who, based on the biography of Vivaldi, made several films that tell about the life of the musician.

• Documentary "4" (2007)
• "Viva, Vivaldi" (France, 2000)
• "Vivaldi in Vienna" (1979)
• "Vivaldi, Prince of Venice" (France, 2006)
• "Vivaldi, the Red Priest" (UK, Italy, 2009)
• "Antonio Vivaldi" (USA, Belgium, 2016)

Vivaldi's music in films

The work of Antonio Vivaldi has become the quintessence of all the best features and outstanding successes of the Italian music school. But the fate of the maestro is a clear illustration of the fact that fame and oblivion in human life go hand in hand. Just 30 years after his death, Vivaldi is not even mentioned in passing in any official sources, unlike other Italian composers. And only at the beginning of the 20th century, Vivaldi’s music returned to us, touching souls with its sincerity and melody. Today it adorns the repertoires of the most famous orchestras. It took almost two centuries for the world to rediscover the music of the great Venetian and be able to appreciate its magnificence.

Video: watch a film about Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi(March 4, 1678, Venice - July 28, 1741, Vienna) - Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, conductor, Catholic priest. Vivaldi is considered one of the largest representatives of Italian violin art of the 18th century; during his lifetime he received wide recognition throughout Europe. Master of ensemble and orchestral concerto - Concerto Grosso, author of about 40 operas. Vivaldi is mainly known for his instrumental concertos, especially for the violin. His most famous work is the cycle of four violin concertos “The Four Seasons”.

early years

Antonio Vivaldi was born in the Republic of Venice on March 4, 1678. The child was born premature and was very weak. Later it became clear that the boy had asthma, he was tormented by attacks of suffocation, it was difficult for the child to walk, and climbing the stairs was equivalent to torture. But no physical disabilities affected Vivaldi’s amazing inner world. His imagination knew no barriers, and his life was full of colors, only it happened in the world of music. An important stage in Antonio's life began when his father, the barber Giovanni Batista, received an invitation to the chapel of the Cathedral of San Marco. At that time it was the largest orchestra in all of Italy. Four organs, an orchestra and a large choir provided a majestic sound. This so amazed the imagination of seven-year-old Antonio that he never missed rehearsals and eagerly listened to the music of outstanding masters. Such selfless self-immersion in art could not go unnoticed. Soon the famous violinist and teacher Giovanni Legrenzi became interested in the boy. In addition to musical knowledge, he instilled in Antonio a desire to experiment. In order to express his thoughts more accurately and clearly, Vivaldi began to create works and look for new forms. By the way, the composer’s works, created by him at the age of 13, have survived to this day. But at this age, young Antonio faced serious changes.

Red-haired priest

Given his son's poor health, Giovanni Batista decided that it would be better if Antonio became a priest. Vivaldi did not disobey his father. Over time, he received tonsure and the title of “goalkeeper” - he opened the gates of the temple. He later took several more degrees of ordination to become a priest and be eligible to celebrate mass. For several years, young Vivaldi studied church knowledge, although his heart constantly gravitated towards creativity. Fate had mercy on Antonio, and one day he got the opportunity to do what he loved. There were rumors that during one of the services the “red priest” (as he was nicknamed for his characteristic hair color) constantly went behind the altar in order to quickly record the melody that had visited his head. After such liberties, Vivaldi was removed from services, and music again became his main occupation.

A witty young man with expressive eyes and long hair, he masterfully played the violin and other instruments; he always showed compassion to those around him and was a welcome companion. Thanks to his ordination, he was able to become a teacher at one of the women's conservatories of the city-republic. The future seemed very promising to Antonio. Even disagreements with the clergy did not bother him. Vivaldi plunged into the world of creativity and became everyone's favorite in Venice.

He worked enthusiastically at the Pieta Conservatory. Conservatories were then called shelters at monasteries, which provided a good education, including music. Antonio was first officially named the director of the choir, and later became the conductor. Vivaldi also taught Pietà students to play various instruments, taught vocals and constantly wrote music. This conservatory was well known to Venetian music connoisseurs, and now, under the leadership of Antonio Vivaldi, it has become the best in the entire republic. Rich townspeople were in a hurry to send their daughters there.

Beginning of composing activity

In 1710, the musician gradually began to gain fame. In the "Guide to Venice" he is called a virtuoso violinist. Everyone who was lucky enough to hear the genius’s works live talks about him outside of Italy. Vivaldi was introduced to the Danish king Frederick IV, who subsequently dedicated twelve sonatas to the ruler.

After some time, Antonio decides to raise the bar by writing operas. In 1713 his works “Roland Pretending to be Mad” and “Ottone at the Villa” were published. They brought him fame and recognition; over the next five years, eight more operas were released. Italian composer Bendetto Marcello was one of the critics of Vivaldi's work. He published a pamphlet in which he ridiculed the musician's operas. Because of this, Antonio stopped working on major works for some time.

In 1717, the governor of Mantua invited the virtuoso to take the position of bandmaster at court. It was in this magnificent town that Vivaldi conceived the idea of ​​a series of concerts, originally called “The Four Seasons”. Little is known about this period of his life; in total, the composer was in Mantua for three years, then he returned to Venice.

While working in Mantua, Antonio met opera singer Anna Giraud. She had a sister, Paolina, and the girls accompanied the composer everywhere. Various rumors circulated around the city, but Vivaldi assured that they were just his students. Paolina and Anna lived in the same house with the musician, helping him in every possible way to fight asthma. Because of this, in 1738 Vivaldi was banned from entering Florence because he was accused of the Fall. But the composer denied these rumors until the very end. In 1723, Antonio came to Rome for the first time, where he staged the opera Hercules on Thermodon. His work impresses the residents of the city. Johann Quantz, a music theorist, reported that the Romans could not perceive other music for six months after listening to the opera.

Years of wandering

After a series of victories, Vivaldi decides to take a long vacation, traveling around Italy and Europe. There was a period of time when he was in the service of the governor of Mantua, Philip von Hesse-Homburg. While there, Antonio met the singer Anna Giraud, who later appeared as a soprano in his operas. Their relationship was quite close; Anna and her sister were often the composer’s companions on his trips.

While living in Rome in 1723-1724, the composer had the opportunity to present his music to the Pope, where he made a good impression on him.

In Amsterdam he continues to publish concerts. The crowning achievement of his creativity was a set of 8 concertos, published in 1725. The collection, entitled "Il cimento dell' armonia e dell' inventione", included internationally acclaimed concerts entitled "The Seasons". They were accompanied by short poems describing seasonal scenes, which Vivaldi tried to repeat in his music. Other works in this collection, such as the violin concertos “Storm at Sea” and “The Hunt,” were no less picturesque.

The next, last published, cycle of concerts “La Cetra” was published in 1727. This collection was dedicated to the Austrian Emperor Charles VI, whom Vivaldi met in Vienna in the early 20s. The Emperor, being an amateur composer, was impressed by Antonio's works.

This is confirmed in the report of their meeting in 1728: “The Emperor talked with Vivaldi for a long time about music; they say that in 15 days he talked more privately with him than he talked with his ministers in two years.”

Return to the homeland and period of decline

From the beginning of the 30s, the fame of Antonio Vivaldi went into a period of long decline. New composers and new styles of music captured the public's attention. His long absence from Venice took its toll, and he was no longer able to return to his previous activities in Pieta. During the carnival of 1734, spectators at the Teatro Sant'Angelo saw Vivaldi's new opera based on the libretto of Metastasio's Olympiad, one of the most famous works of the poet-playwright. Such a multifaceted plot in terms of dramatic collisions undoubtedly inspired the composer to create a highly artistic work. Such an authoritative expert on Vivaldi’s operatic work as A. Casella wrote that “Olympiad” stands out among other operas by the Italian composer for the incomparable beauty of the music.

Despite the composer approaching old age, his creative productivity remained amazing. His “Tamerlane” and “Adelaide” (1735) are performed in Verona, and “Ginevra, Princess of Scots” (1736) in Florence. However, the following year, in the midst of preparations for the Ferrara Carnival, Vivaldi suffered a severe blow of fate. On November 16, 1737, the Apostolic Nuncio in Venice forbade him, on behalf of Cardinal Ruffo, from entering Ferrara, which at that time belonged to the Papal States, and “this is because,” the composer wrote, “that, being a clergyman, I do not serve mass and take advantage of the singer’s favor.” Giraud." At that time, this ban was an unheard of shame and meant for Vivaldi, who once played before the Pope, his complete discredit as a clergyman. The material damage was no less significant.

Ch. de Brosse, who met Vivaldi in 1739, wrote from Venice: “To my great amazement, I found that he is not valued here as highly as he deserves - here, where everything depends on fashion, where too much listened to his stuff for a long time and where last year’s music doesn’t make any money anymore.”

At the end of 1740, Vivaldi parted forever with Pietà, which had owed him its musical fame for so many years. The last mention of his name in the documents of the conservatory is associated with his sale on August 29, 1740 of many concerts for one ducat apiece. Such a low cost is undoubtedly explained by the financial difficulties of Vivaldi, who was forced to prepare for a long journey. At the age of 62, he made a courageous decision to leave his ungrateful homeland forever and seek recognition in a foreign land.

Last years

In mid-May 1740, the composer left Venice and went to Emperor Charles VI. At that time, war began in Vienna, the emperor died shortly after Vivaldi’s arrival, and the heirs entered into a lively struggle. Because of this, Antonio had to leave the Austrian city, moving to Dresden. Most likely, it was there that the disease overtook him. The musician had practically no money, no loved ones, and his health problems were becoming more serious every day. He returned to Vienna. It was there that Vivaldi died on July 28, 1741. According to doctors, death occurred due to internal inflammation. He was buried in the pauper cemetery. A month later, sisters Margarita and Zanetta received notice of the composer’s death, and the bailiffs described all his property to pay off the debt.

Amazingly, the work of the talented musician was unfairly forgotten for almost 200 years. It was not until the 1920s that the Italian musicologist Gentili came across the composer's recordings. Nineteen operas, more than 300 violin concertos and other works were discovered in the manuscripts. Vivaldi's authorship is officially confirmed for only 40 operas, although it is known that he wrote more than 90 major works during his life.

The importance of Vivaldi in the history of music

A brilliant composer of the Baroque era, Vivaldi made an invaluable contribution to the development of musical art. His amazing insights were in many ways ahead of their time. Vivaldi experienced the painful contradictions of the time - those high ideals of humanism, the harmony of man and the world, and the harsh, sometimes gloomy reality that he had to face both as a person and as a musician.

The duality of man - one of the leitmotifs of the Baroque - was acutely experienced by Vivaldi - a sick man and a passionate creative personality, a priest - and a deeply secular artist, for whom the full-fledged sensual side of life was by no means closed, a day laborer at the conservatory and opera house, obliged to constantly compose - and a musician who looked into the soul of music. The samples he left, the pre-classical form of the violin concerto he created, the early symphony, program music - all this had a profound impact on Bach and Handel, Tartini, Geminiani, Locatelli and many other composers and violinists. Haydn used, for example, the theme of his cello concerto in his concerto for that instrument, not to mention the Four Seasons.

Vivaldi gave impetus to new musical and artistic concepts, a new level of musical instrumental thinking. With his creativity, he showed that music has enormous possibilities for expression, for constructing an ideal model of the world and man. His rich melodic and harmonic gift, an innovative musical language, where the violin was the main means of expression, allowed him to embody in sounds the most reverent movements of the soul, the most ardent and subtle human thoughts about the world and about himself.

Famous works

Antonio Vivaldi is a prolific composer. He is the author of 90 operas, including Roland the Furious, Nero Who Became Caesar, The Coronation of Darius, Deception Triumphant in Love, Pharnaces, Cunegonde, Olympiad, Griselda, "Aristides", "Tamerlane", "Oracle in Messenia", "Theraspes". Oratorios – “Moses, God of Pharaoh”, “Judith Triumphant”, “Adoration of the Magi” and others.

Some interesting facts

• Vivaldi was born seven months old, very weak, but as red-haired as his father, whom even in the orchestra of St. The brand's name was Rosso, that is, “red”.
• Antonio's first and main teacher was Giovanni Battista, who by that time had already become a famous virtuoso.
• In a 1713 guide to visitors to Venice, Giovanni Vivaldi and his priest son Antonio are mentioned as the city's best violinists.
• Vivaldi was the first to introduce the type of concerto for violin and orchestra, as well as for two and four violins. He created about twenty such concerts, including the only concert for two mandolins in the history of music.
• Johann Sebastian Bach was interested in his works, especially the violin concertos, of which he created transcriptions for other instruments. He arranged six Vivaldi concertos for piano or organ and orchestra. These works were considered Bach's works for more than a century and a half.

Video

Sources

http://diletant.media/articles/28123145/ http://blagaya.ru/skripka/history-books/isi/vivaldi2/ http://propianino.ru/antonio-vivaldi