300 likes | 980 Views
antonio VIVALDI. Composer teacher virtuoso and Baroque extraordinaire. Created by Julia Voye Ferrin MUSC 1010. 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
E N D
antonio VIVALDI Composer teacher virtuoso and Baroque extraordinaire Created by Julia Voye Ferrin MUSC 1010
Born: Venice March 4, 1678Died: Vienna July 28, 1741 • Oldest of 9 children in poor family • Taught violin by his father • Trained as a priest • Nicknamed “Il PreteRosso” or The Red Priest • Chronic 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
1710Begins publishing music • “L’EstroArmonico” • Harmonic Inspiration • Very popular and influential • 1713 Opera debut “Ottone in Villa” • 1717 Begins travels • Appointed Chamber Kapellmeister for governor of Mantua
AnnaGIRAUD 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 Seasonsandthe popular years • 1925 – premiere 8th 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
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
SUMMERThird 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
WINTERFirst 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 quick, slow. Great timbre. Although in minor, sounds cheerful
WINTERSecond Movement • 0:00 Mood immediately different than 1st 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
WINTERThird 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/bqxvivaldi2.html> “Antonio Vivaldi and the Four Seasons.” ClassicalNotes.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.suite101.com/antonio-vivaldi-the-four-seasons-a19469>
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. Classical.net. Oct 2011 <http://classical.net/music/comp.lst/vivaldi.php> “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.” Angel Queen. 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. 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/bqxvivaldi2.html.