|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to the artissimo.gr
pages of Classical Music Composers ! |
|
|
English Language : Classical Music : Composers : Preclassical Era (1600 - 1750) Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) |
|
|
NATIONALITY Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) : Antonio Vivaldi was Italian. IN GENERAL Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) : Vivaldi is a basic figure of the preclassic era, while the most significant kind of composition where he excelled was the concert. Vivaldi can be considered as the creator of the concept of the concert as we know it today, by having composed at least 450 concerts for several instruments, while his "usual suspect" was, of course, the violin. Vivaldi had been a well-known virtuoso of the violin in his epoch and some of his compositions can be considered masterly exercises of great artistic taste. Vivaldi was quite famous in his era and he also made frequent travels in Europe. STYLE Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) : In that period of his, the orchestras were generally using the form of "concerto grosso" (early small symphonic orchestra roughly as we know it today but with its accent on the strings) as well as the concept of "basso continuo" (usually it was the cembalo which played the harmonic web by following the well-founded harmony as dictated by the composer). Vivaldi tended basically to the homophonic style that he also used at his works with great success. Vivaldi's concerts are written to be performed by virtuoso soloists and he uses the solo instrument and the orchestra as "competitors", with a dramatic dimension new for that period. Moreover, Vivaldi was one of the first composers who explored the form of concert in such a depth. WORKS Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) : Vivaldi's output is of large extent : 40 operas, 3 oratorios, 50 religious compositions, 50 secular cantatas and serenades, 100 sonatas as well as 500 concerts and symphonies for which Vivaldi is famous even in our days.
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Image taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org |
|
|
|
