Antonio Vivaldi https://www.biography.com/musician/antonio-vivaldi
Young life
born Venice Italy 1678
His father was a professional violinist who taut him to play at a young age
also learnt from other great composers in Venice
when he got relay good at violin he was going to learn a woodwind instrument but he got a chronic shortness of breath
at age 15 studied to become a local priest
ordained 1703
nicknamed "il Prete Rosso," or "the Red Priest."
couldn't lead Mass because of health problems
had to abandon priest hood
Musical career
age 25-named master of violin at Ospedale della Pietà (Devout Hospital of Mercy) in Venice
composed most compositions in the course of three dacades
institution where orphans received instruction -- the boys in trades and the girls in music. best musicians joined orchestra and latter performed Vivaldi's compositions
Under Vivaldi's leadership, the orchestra gained international attention. In 1716, he was promoted to music director.
did choral music and concerti
started righting opera by 1715
50 scores remain nowadays
two most successful scores La constanza trionfante and Farnace
performed multiple times in his lifetime
wrote four seasons paired the pieces with sonnets that he may have written himself
sponserd by royalty
wrote song for King Louis XV wedding
publicly named a night by emperor Charles VI
later life
music taken over by more modern stuff
moved to Austria possibly hoping to find a position in the imperial court located there
Charles VI died leaving him sponsor less
died in poverty
funeral cheap and no music
after death
music brought back in 20th centuary
Alfredo Casella organized the Vivaldi Week revival in 1939
Alfredo Casella was a composer and pianoist
music performed widely since world war II
song Gloria often played at christmas
fun facts
He worked for many years at a girls’ school. So a lot of his music was actually written for school girls to play
Bach was a big fan
wrote bright and cheerful music