He was baptized immediately after his birth at his home by the midwife, the reason for which has led to speculation. He was son of Giovanni Battista Vivaldi and Camilla Calicchio, as recorded in the register of San Giovanni in Bragora. The church where Vivaldi was given the supplemental baptismal rites, San Giovanni in Bragora, Sestiere di Castello, VeniceĪntonio Lucio Vivaldi was born on 4 March 1678 in Venice, then the capital of the Republic of Venice. His music remains widely popular in the present day and is regularly played all over the world.Įarly life Birth and background Many of Vivaldi's compositions, once thought lost, have been rediscovered – in one case as recently as 2006. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later.Īfter almost two centuries of decline, Vivaldi's musical reputation underwent a revival in the early 20th century, with much scholarly research devoted to his work. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support. Vivaldi also had some success with expensive stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna.

Vivaldi began studying for the priesthood at the age of 15 and was ordained at 25, but was given dispensation to no longer say public Masses due to a health problem. Many of his compositions were written for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children.

His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as the Four Seasons. Vivaldi composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other musical instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than fifty operas. He consolidated the emerging concerto form into a widely accepted and followed idiom, which was paramount in the development of Johann Sebastian Bach's instrumental music. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Frideric Handel, Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers and his influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was a Venetian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music.

Vivaldi concerto for two violins