Vivaldi was an Italian priest, composer and violin virtuoso. He was
called “Il Prete Rosso” (The Red Priest) for his red hair. His most
famous work is a set of four violin concertos called “Four Seasons”.
Vivaldi was born in Venice, his father worked as a barber, but was an
excellent musician. Antonio was taught the fundamentals of playing the
violin by his father and his first lessons in composition were given by
Giovanni Legrenzi. He was ordained a priest, but since childhood
suffered from a congenital narrowing of the larynx, which later
developed into severe asthma. With this disease, he couldn’t practice as
a priest.
In 1703, he became a master of violin in an orphanage, “Pio Ospedale
Della Pietà” in Venice. The girls there were led to do housework, and
also acquired musical education. The most talented ones became members
of the Ospedale choir and orchestra. Vivaldi wrote many concertos,
cantatas and sacred music precisely for violin. Vivaldi has been
extraordinarily prolific during these years. He published several
collections of his songs, composed a series of operas and much
instrumental and vocal music. After the success of violin concertos,
Vivaldi became a sought-after musician in Europe. Despite his frequent
travels, he faithfully fulfilled the contract with the orphanage, which
was for two new concerts per month. From 1723 to 1729 he wrote 140
concertos.
In the 18th century, the opera in Venice was the most popular form of
entertainment and it is no wonder that, being Venetian, Vivaldi made a significant appearance there. His operas’ popularity increased rapidly.
Since 1718, Vivaldi lived in Mantua, for three years, and composed
operas for the Court. After a short stop in Milan, he got invited to
Rome by Pope Benedict XIII., where he performed several operas and
concerts. In 1725, he returned to Venice, where in a single year
introduced four new operas.
In this time period, he composed his now perhaps the most popular
work “The Four Seasons”, four violin concertos depicting the seasons in
nature. The piece is probably inspired by the landscape surrounding
Mantua.
At his peak, Vivaldi received orders from aristocratic and royal
courts across Europe. However, after 1730, his fame began to fade, for
his style was deemed outdated. Like most composers of the time at the
end of his life, Vivaldi got into financial difficulties. He went to
Vienna, where he hoped for greater recognition, but his greatest
supporter Emperor Charles VI. soon died. This misfortune has left the
composer without a guardian and without funding. He sold his manuscripts
and died in 1741. For nearly 200 years was Vivaldi’s music forgotten,
until the 20th century made its rediscovery.
Vivaldi’s music was, in Bohemia, immensely popular during his
lifetime. Between years 1726 – 1736, six of his operas were played in the
aristocratic theater of Count Franz Anton Spork in Prague. Because
Vivaldi was a renowned composer at the time, he travelled to premieres
of his work. Therefore, it is possible, he had stayed in Prague for some
time. The operas were introduced by impresario of Špork’s theatre,
Denzio Antonio, who was also known in Italy as librettist and composer
and the leader of opera in Venice – a company where Vivaldi hired
singers.
Many unique records of his work are preserved in Czech archives. Some
were written directly at the request of Czech nobles. Vivaldi’s most
famous work, “Il Cimento Dell’armonia E Dell’inventione”, which contains
the famous concerts of The Four Seasons, is dedicated to Count Václav
of Morzin. Antonio Vivaldi himself directed Morzin’s band during
concerts in Italy.The Morzine Palace stands on the Malostranské Town
Square in Prague.
Vivaldi’s music radiates with a pleasure of composing and joy of life. Therein lies the popularity of Vivaldi’s music nowadays.
