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Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Photo by François Morellon la Cave. .

Top 10 interesting facts about Antonio Lucio Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born on the 4th of March 1678 in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic.

He was an Italian virtuoso violinist, teacher, Baroque composer, impresario, and Roman Catholic priest nicknamed the Red Priest.

He is considered one of the greatest baroque composers and influenced many other great composers.

He himself was influenced by the dominant composition performed by Corelli in Italy at the time. His most famous piece was Le Quattro stagioni also called the Four Seasons of 1723 depicts moods and scenes from each of the four seasons.

His reputation underwent a revival after almost two centuries of decline and many of his compositions, once thought lost, have been rediscovered.

His music remains widely popular in the present day and is regularly played all over the world.

Here are 10 interesting facts about Antonio Lucio Vivaldi:

1. Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers

Baroque music originated around 1600-1750 in Western Europe. It is a style of western classical music that followed the Renaissance music era and was followed in turn by the classical era.

The baroque period began the creation of common practice tonality which is an approach to writing music writing in a particular key.

This type of harmony has been continued and used extensively in western classical and popular music.

Vivaldi was an Italian composer and violinist who left a decisive mark on the form of the concerto. His work affected the style of late Baroque instrumental music.

2. Vivaldi had worked as a Catholic priest

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Photo by Unidentified painter.

Antonio began studying to become a priest at the age of fifteen in 1693. He was ordained at the age of 25 in 1703 and nicknamed The Red Priest.

A year after his ordination, he was given a dispensation from celebrating Mass most likely because of his ill health.

  He later appeared to have withdrawn from liturgical duties because he said mass as a priest a few times he still remained a member of the priesthood.

It has been speculated his withdrawal was also due to his habit of composing while performing Mass.

He still remained committed to his vocation suggested by the entry in the Vienna death records that read Antonio Vivaldi, Secular Priest.

3. His work was paramount for the development of Johann Sebastian Bach’s instrumental music

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Photo by James Caldwall.

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period known for his orchestral music. 

Bach has been regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music since the 19th century.

His work was greatly influenced by Antonio’s baroque music that had spread widely across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers.

Antonio Vivaldi’s music also led to the development of the French concerto and influenced other composers like Michel Corrette, Louis-Nicholas Clérambault, and Jean-Joseph de Mondonville.

4. His immediate baptism after birth created speculations

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Photo by Takkk at Hungarian Wikipedia.

Antonio was born in Venice which was the then capital of the Venetian Republic. He was the son of Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio. 

He was baptized immediately after his birth at his home by the midwife. This was unlike the norm and it created speculations.

It is believed it was done due either to his poor health or to an earthquake that supposedly struck the city that day.  Arguably this traumatized Vivaldi’s Mother resulting in her dedicating him to priesthood. 

Although there was no record of an earthquake the day Vivaldi was born the rumor may have originated from an earthquake that had struck Venice on April 17, 1688.

5. He was a violin teacher

Antonio was an Italian composer and violinist who left a decisive mark on the form of the French concerto.

His astounding work in the style of late Baroque instrumental music gained him great publicity and fame.

Vivaldi’s music was innovative and brightened the formal and rhythmic structure of the concerto.

His music had exceptional contrasts and innovative melodies and themes. He had learned from his father the art of playing the violin and went ahead to a great teacher himself inspiring great minds.

6. His father was a barber

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. Photo by Unknown author.

Antonio’s father was Giovanni Battista and was his first teacher. Giovanni was initially a barber before becoming a professional violinist. 

He used to tour Venice playing the violin and tutoring his young son. He was one of the founders of the Sovvegno dei musicisti di Santa Cecilia which was an association of musicians.

Vivaldi’s father is presumed to have composed works himself for Sovvegno di Santa Cecilia. In 1689, an opera titled La Fedeltà sfortunata was composed by Giovanni Battista Rossi which was the name Vivaldi’s father used.

7. Charles VI gave Vivaldi the title of knight

Charles VI was the Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death. He admired Antonio’s music and met him while he was visiting Trieste to oversee the construction of a new port in 1728. 

Vivaldi composed Opus 9, La cetra, and dedicated it to Emperor Charles VI. The Emperor gave Vivaldi the title of knight, a gold medal, and an invitation to Vienna.

This awarded Vivaldi a steady income source and royal protection. Vivaldi in turn gave Charles a manuscript copy of La cetra, a set of concerti different from the set of the same title published as Opus 9.

8. One of his believed teachers was Giovanni Legrenzi

Antonio’s father was not the only teacher who taught him the art of composing. Giovanni Legrenzi was an Italian composer of opera, organist, and vocal and instrumental music of the Baroque era.

He was the president of Sovvegno dei musicisti di Santa Cecilia, an association of musicians in which his father Antonios Father was a part.

Legrenzi was one of the most prominent composers in Venice highly influential in the development of late Baroque idioms across northern Italy in the late 17th century.

It is believed that Legrenzi gave the young Antonio his first lessons in composition.

9. He died in poverty

Antonio had worked in operas in Europe gaining fame and fortune. Charles VI had awarded him a Knighthood that offered royal protection and a steady income. 

Sadly, shortly after Vivaldi had arrived in Vienna Charles VI died and his steady source of income and protection ceased. Vivaldi became poor soon afterward and died on the 28th of July 1741 at age 63.

The cause of his death was an internal infection at his house. He was the tenant of a Viennese saddlemaker widow and his funeral took place at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

  He was buried in a simple grave in a burial ground that was owned by the public hospital fund. Antonio was buried next to the Karlskirche, a baroque church in an area.

10. Films were created to depict his life and works

Antonio Vivaldi was a great composer and violinist. His work greatly influenced French concerto and late baroque instrumental music.

He has been honored by having a radio play about his life and works created in 2005 by ABC Radio.

The play was later adapted for the stage and was performed at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts.

During the same year the movie Vivaldi, a Prince in Venice was completed by director Jean-Louis Guillermou.

In 2009 the movie Vivaldi, the Red Priest was released loosely based on Antonio’s life as both priest and composer