by Ian Loft

Created on: January 12, 2008

Born in Venice in 1678, Antonio Vivaldi is recognised as one of the classical masters in Renaissance Europe with a legacy to the world in opera and composition. Vivaldi was a composer, teacher and virtuoso on violin and his legacy is treasure beyond value thanks to his fine works.

Coming from a poor family background Vivaldi began training for the priesthood as the only means of obtaining a free education. Within a year of being ordained Vavaldi left the priesthood and began using his musical gift in composition as well as performance. Between 1709 and 1711 Vivaldo worked in opera writing as a composer and by 1711 the twelve concertos written were first published in Amsterdam under the title l'Estro armonico, which translated means "Harmonic Inspiration'.

Vivaldi staged his first opera in 1713 after which he returned to his position writing operas for the Teatro San't Angelo. By 1716 Vivaldi completed another of his great works entitled "Juditha Trimphans devicta Holofernis barbaric" which was in fact a musical description of the battles and final victory of Christians over the Turks.

From 1709 to 1737 Vivaldi published 13 separate compositions called Opus for flute, violin, oboe and bass. During this period of composition he also wrote 22 operas and literally hundreds of concerto (a piece of music written for an instrument that is accompanied by an orchestra) for different instruments as well as scores of works for the church.

Few composers equal the talent and legacy of Antonio Vivaldi, without whom the world today would not have many of the standard against which we can measure musical perfection. It was undoubtedly Vivaldi's ecclesiastical background that influenced much of his composition however it is clear that most instruments found in a symphony orchestra owe much of their character to the concertos of Vivaldi a true classical master who left this world in July 1741.

Learn more about this author, Ian Loft.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.