Composer of the Month: Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (Baroque Period)

"There are no words; it is only music there."

— Antonio Lucio Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) was an Italian violinist and one of greatest composers of the Baroque period. His influence was widespread across Europe and left a decisive mark on the form of the concerto and the overall style of late Baroque instrumental music.

Born in Venice, it is believed Vivaldi suffered from asthma which made him unable to play wind instruments. He had five siblings, and his father was a professional violinist, who became Vivaldi's main violin teacher.

He made his first public appearance playing as a violinist in 1696 alongside his father. He became an excellent violinist and was appointed violin master in 1703 at an orphanage called Pio Ospedale della Pieta. That same year, Vivaldi was ordained as a Catholic priest at the age of 25. Because he had distinctive reddish hair, he was sometimes called “The Red Priest".

Vivaldi's earliest compositions were from his first years at Pio Ospedale della Pieta. He composed trio sonatas (played by two violins, a cello, and harpsichord), violin concertos, and violin sonatas. He also had great success with sacred vocal music which launched him into the composition of operas. Opera was the most popular musical entertainment in the early 1700s, so this was very profitable for Vivaldi.

Around 1718-1720, Vivaldi composed his Four Seasons violin concerto which is considered one of his most famous compositions. It gave musical expression to the seasons of the year.

At the height of his career, Vivaldi received commissions from European nobility and royalty, but like many composers of his time, he faced financial difficulties in his later years and struggled with patronage and steady income. He died at the age of 63 of “internal infection". 

Click here to listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons violin concerto, which is one of his most well-known compositions.