The famous composer and musician of the first half of the XNUMXth century was remembered by the public for his concert “The Four Seasons”. The creative biography of Antonio Vivaldi was filled with memorable moments that indicate that he was a strong and versatile personality.
Childhood and youth Antonio Vivaldi
The famous maestro was born on March 4, 1678 in Venice. The head of the family was a barber. In addition, he studied music. The mother devoted herself to the upbringing of the children. His father owned the violin, so he studied music with his son from early childhood.
Interestingly, this is what - Antonio was born prematurely. The midwife who delivered the baby advised the woman to baptize the baby right away. The chances of the child surviving were slim.
According to the legend, the newborn child appeared before the due date due to the fact that an earthquake began in the city. Mom made a vow that she would definitely give her son to the clergy if he survived. A miracle happened. The boy recovered, although he had never been in good health.
Later it turned out that Vivaldi suffers from asthma. It was difficult for him to move around, not to mention physical exertion. The boy wanted to learn how to play wind instruments, but classes were contraindicated for him. As a result of this, Vivaldi picked up a violin, which he did not let go of until the end of his days. Already in adolescence, the young talent took the place of his father in St. Mark's Chapel.
From the age of 13 he had an independent life. He began to earn his living. Vivaldi got a job as a goalkeeper. He opened and closed the gates of the temple. He then went on to more prestigious positions in the temple. The teenager served Mass only once. He was allowed to study music, as his physical health left much to be desired.
This time was marked by the fact that the priests could freely combine the service of the Lord with the writing of compositions and concerts of a religious nature. In the XVIII century, the Venetian Republic was almost the main cultural capital of the world. It was here that the works that set the tone for classical music around the world were created.
The creative path of the composer Antonio Vivaldi
Already at the age of 20, Vivaldi was an authoritative musician and composer of brilliant works. His authority was so great that at the age of 25 he took a position as a teacher in the Ospedale della Pietà. In the XNUMXth century, conservatories were orphanages where orphans studied and lived.
Schools for girls specialized in teaching the humanities. There they paid much attention to the study of musical notation and singing. The boys were prepared for the fact that after graduation they would work as merchants, so they were taught the exact sciences.
Antonio taught his wards to play the violin. In addition, the maestro wrote concertos for the choir and compositions for church holidays. He personally taught the girls vocals. Soon he took the place of director of the conservatory. The composer deserved this position. He gave his all to teaching. Over the years of active work, Vivaldi composed more than 60 concertos.
In the same period of time, the maestro became popular far beyond the borders of his native state. He performed in France in 1706, and a few years later the Danish king Frederick IV listened to the musician's oratorio. The sovereign was pleasantly impressed by the maestro's performance. Vivaldi dedicated 12 delightful sonatas to Frederick.
In 1712, Vivaldi met the equally popular composer Gottfried Stölzel. He moved to Mantua in 1717. The maestro accepted an invitation from the honorary prince Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was a great admirer of his work.
New inspiration
The composer broadened his horizons and began to take an interest in secular opera. Soon he presented to the public the opera Otto in the Villa, which praised the maestro not only in the circle of composers. His work began to be actively interested in elite circles. He was noticed by impresario and patrons. And soon he received an order from the owner of the San Angelo Theater to create a new opera.
Biographers say that the composer wrote 90 operas, but only 40 have survived to this day. Some of the works were not signed by the maestro, so there are some doubts that he is the author of the compositions.
After the presentation of a number of operas, Vivaldi found a resounding success. Unfortunately, he did not bathe in the rays of glory for long. He was not replaced by new idols. The maestro's compositions simply went out of fashion.
In 1721 he visited the territory of Milan. There he presented the drama "Sylvia". A year later, the maestro presented to the public another oratorio on a biblical theme. From 1722 to 1725 he lived in Rome. The composer performed before the Pope. At that time, not every composer was awarded such an honor. In his memoirs, Vivaldi warmly recalled this time.
The peak of Antonio Vivaldi's popularity
In 1723-1724. he wrote the most popular concertos for which he was recognized all over the world. We are talking about the composition "Four Seasons". The maestro devoted compositions to winter, spring, summer and autumn. It was these concerts that were the peak of the maestro's work. The revolutionary nature of the works lies in the fact that the listener by ear clearly catches in the compositions the reflection of the processes and phenomena that are inherent in a particular season.
Vivaldi toured extensively. Soon he visited the palace of Charles VI. The ruler adored the composer's music, so he really wanted to get to know him personally. Surprisingly, there were friendly concerts between the king and Vivaldi. From now on, the maestro often visited the palace of Charles.
Vivaldi's popularity in Venice was rapidly declining, which cannot be said about Europe. On the territory of European countries, interest in the work of the maestro began to rise. He was a welcome guest in all palaces.
He spent the last years of his life in poverty. Vivaldi was forced to sell his brilliant works for a penny. In Venice, he was remembered on rare occasions. At home, no one was interested in his work, so he moved to Vienna, under the wing of his patron Charles VI.
Details of privacy
Vivaldi was a clergyman. The musician took a vow of celibacy, which he kept throughout his life. Despite this, he could not resist the female beauty and charm. While still teaching at the conservatory, he was seen in a relationship with Anna Giraud and her sister Paolina.
He was Anna's teacher and mentor. The girl attracted the attention of the maestro not only with her beauty, but also with her strong vocal abilities and natural acting skills. The maestro wrote the best vocal parts for her. The couple spent a lot of time together. Vivaldi even visited Anna in her homeland.
Anna's sister, Paolina, saw in Vivaldi almost God. She served him. And during her lifetime she became his nurse. Since the composer's health was weak, he needed support from time to time. She helped him cope with physical weakness. The higher clergy could not forgive Vivaldi for having relations with two representatives of the fairer sex at once. He was forbidden to perform in church churches.
Interesting facts about maestro Antonio Vivaldi
- In most of the portraits, Vivaldi was captured in a white wig. The maestro had red hair.
- Biographers cannot name the exact date when the composer composed the first work. Most likely, this event happened when Vivaldi was 13 years old.
- The musician was convicted of embezzling 30 gold ducats. The composer had to purchase a harpsichord for the conservatory and received 60 ducats for the purchase. He bought a musical instrument for a smaller amount, and appropriated the rest of the funds.
- Vivaldi had a wonderful voice. He not only played music, but also sang.
- He introduced the type of concerto for violin and orchestra, as well as for two and four violins.
The last years of Antonio Vivaldi's life
The honored maestro died in complete poverty on the territory of Vienna. He passed away on July 28, 1741. All the property that he had acquired was seized for debts. The composer's body was buried in a cemetery where the poor rest.
