Vivaldi: The Redhead

Today’s composer is arguably one of the most famous of all time. He is best known for two things: his Four Seasons concertos and his voluminous red hair. If you guessed Vivaldi, you’d be correct!

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi’s life began with a rocky start. He was born on March 4, 1678, in Venice, Italy. Records indicate that he was baptized at home, immediately after his birth; normally, baptisms are performed in a church, so his at-home baptism indicates his parents were worried for his life and wanted to baptize him before he died. It is not apparent how Vivaldi’s life was in danger, however; some theorize that he was born with an illness, or perhaps an earthquake had recently occurred. Nevertheless, baby Vivaldi survived.

Vivaldi’s musical beginnings were prompted by his father, who was a professional violinist. Vivaldi, too, learned how to play the violin, although his instrumental choice may have been influenced by more than just his father—Vivaldi had asthma, making it difficult to play wind instruments. This asthma affected other aspects of his life, too; he became ordained as a priest (famously, “Il Prete Rosso,” or “The Red Priest” for his hair color) at the age of 25 but had to stop giving mass one year later due to his health. With priesthood no longer a viable career, Vivaldi accepted a position as maestro di violin (literally, “violin master”) at the Devout Hospital of Mercy, an orphanage in Venice—little did he know, however, how this position would shape his life.

While boys left the orphanage at the age of 15 to get a job, girls who were musically inclined joined the prestigious orphanage choir and orchestra. This group of girls was known as the “Figlie di Choro.” It was Vivaldi’s job to compose music for this group—he wrote two concertos a month, compiling over 60 pieces for the orphanage during his lifetime. He even composed a concerto for one of his best students, Anna Maria dal Violin (“violin” was a placeholder for her last name, which nobody knew).

In 1717, Vivaldi left the orphanage to work as a composer for the governor’s court in Mantua, Italy. Here, he composed his famous Four Seasons, a collection of 12 concertos that embody the different seasons of the year. In Spring, for example, the music mimics the chirping of birds, and in Winter, you can hear people shivering from the cold. Check out this listening guide for a comprehensive list of all the symbolism present.

Vivaldi began to lose popularity near the end of his life. As described by his friend Charles de Brosses, Vivaldi’s pieces had “been heard for too long” and no longer earned him any money. Fortuitously, in 1728, Vivaldi met with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, who admired Vivaldi so much that he offered him a position in the court of the emperor in Vienna. Vivaldi accepted, moving to Vienna in 1740, but the emperor soon passed away, leaving Vivaldi with no connections—and thus no finances. Vivaldi passed away shortly after on July 28, 1741, at the age of 63; his cause of death has not been confirmed, but it was likely due to some sort of infection. His music was largely unrecognized until the 1920s, when his works were rediscovered. Today, Vivaldi has regained the fame he deserves; I highly recommend listening to some of his pieces!

P.S. – watch the video below to see my performance of Vivaldi’s Winter along with two other soloists!

*Featured image via The Economist