# Antonio Vivaldi



## Ciel_Rouge

*Darker side of Vivaldi*

I suppose the overplayed and over-sweetened renditions of the Four Seasons are to blame for the general view of Vivaldi as being cheerful etc.

Let me change your views a little bit:






I suppose this late piece is neither cheerful nor does it sound like the Four Seasons, does it? 

I also notice his late works are becoming darker and more dynamic. Also, I think the key to discovering Vivaldi as much underrated are good performances. Most of them will give you this cheerful, oversweetened feel. However, consider Giuseppe Carmignola:






Apart from Carmignola giving you the proper violin, I hugely admire Trevor Pinnock for his harpsichord as well as conducting (yes, he does this rare combination). Perhaps you would like to take a listen on his rendition of "La Notte" - again one of the darker pieces:






Since I made the discoveries mentioned above, I noticed that Vivaldi is unique in a way. He turned out to be a very keen observer of sound - not only music, but also the everyday sounds - flies flying by bottlenecks etc. as well as birds, frogs and other things. I have the impression that his music is the power of nature rising at his command - which has nothing to do with the oversweetened look forced on his reception by the mass culture...


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## Isola

Thanks for this, will check it out. Classical music is timeless, you can forever discover and explore.


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## Christi

*Viivaldi - Four Seasons*

What exactly is that ? That's our Cmas program this year . What is Baroque music for Cmas ?


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## marval

Hi Christi,

This is a little bit about Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

This is an excerpt of Spring, if you want to hear any classical music you can always go to you tube.






If you have any more questions please ask, there are many people here who can help.

Margaret


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## Christi

Has anyone here been to one of his programs ?


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## Krummhorn

Vivaldi, himself? Hardly ... he died in 1741


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## Christi

Krummhorn said:


> Vivaldi, himself?* Hardly ... he died in 1741


You know what I meant .


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## PostMinimalist

Hi Christi.
That's quite good news about your Christmas program. I trust you will take the trouble to go and hear these pieces of wonderful music.
I case you don't know 'The Four Seasons' in this instance is a set of four concertos for solo violin and string orchestra. That means that a soloist will stand infront of a small orchestra consisting of Violins, violas (like violiins but a bit bigger) celli (the plural of cello) and double basses, and play a difficult piece of music. The orchestra will play sometimes simple accompaniment and other times will play some thing that souds like the music that the soloist plays. 
Each concerto is made up of three seperate 'movements' and last about 12-15 minutes 
so it will take about an hour to play the whole 'cycle'. They were written over 300 years ago by a very famous Italian composer Called Antonio Vivaldi. He was a preist who taught music at an all girls school in Venice. He had masses of flowing red hair which earned him the nick-name 'The Red Preist". He wrote hundreds of concertos for various instruments, usually for girls under his supervision at the school. He found a very useful formula for his concertos consisting of 3 movements (fast-slow-fast) and was sometimes accused of not writing 400 different concertos but of writing 1 concerto 400 times.
Whatever you make of them, they are a delight to listen to and stil as lively as they were 300 years ago!
Happy listening Christi
FC


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## Christi

[QUOTE Each concerto is made up of three seperate 'movements' and last about 12-15 minutes so it will take about an hour to play the whole 'cycle'. They were written over 300 years ago by a very famous Italian composer Called Antonio Vivaldi. He was a preist who taught music at an all girls school in Venice. He had masses of flowing red hair which earned him the nick-name 'The Red Preist". He wrote hundreds of concertos for various instruments, usually for girls under his supervision at the school. He found a very useful formula for his concertos consisting of 3 movements (fast-slow-fast) and was sometimes accused of not writing 400 different concertos but of writing 1 concerto 400 times.[/QUOTE] What's a movement ?


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## PostMinimalist

In classical music works are often made up of several short pieces that are meant to be played one after the other with only a short pause in between. The audience generally doesn't clap in these pauses but waits till the end of the whole piece, reserving his appreciation for the end. These short sections are called Movements and are usually like complete pieces which can be played separately if the performer wants. A concerto usually has three movements and a dymphony generally has four. These are not rules and you can sometimes find exceptions like Mahler (German composer of the late romantic era he lived from 1860 till 1911) who wrote nine complete symphonies some of which have more than four movements and last for over an hour!
Did you get a chance to listen to The Four Seasons, or at least some of them?
What was your impression?
Was the soloist up to the task?
Were they playing on modern instruments?
Who was conducting?
Who was the soloist?
Did you find anything else out about Vivaldi?
Did you find pictures of Venice, Italy on the internet?
Christi, try answering these in a paragraph with out using copy and paste or 'quote' and we'll continue from here.
Cheers
FC


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## Christi

Did you get a chance to listen to The Four Seasons, or at least some of them? Yes What was your impression? Some were good Was the soloist up to the task? Were they playing on modern instruments? Who was conducting? Who was the soloist? Did you find anything else out about Vivaldi? No Did you find pictures of Venice, Italy on the internet?


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## marval

No Fergus, there are no goats on this forum.

Christi, to go or not is your decision, but you might miss something enjoyable, and if you want to learn about classical music the best way is to listen to it. And a live concert is the best way, at least afterwards you will know if you like it or not.


Margaret


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## Christi

marval said:


> No Fergus, there are no goats on this forum.Christi, to go or not is your decision, but you might miss something enjoyable, and if you want to learn about classical music the best way is to listen to it.* And a live concert is the best way, at least afterwards you will know if you like it or not.Margaret


I don't guess watching a taped rehearsl or " program " counts ???


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## marval

Hi Christi,

I don't think you would get the same feeling, but watching taped is better than not watching it at all. It is just seeing a concert live gives you something just listening or watching taped doesn't, it gives you atmosphere, and a feel of what the music is really about. But you must decide what you want to do.


Margaret


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## Sid James

I've just listened to two of Vivaldi's *Guitar Concertos* & they are great! I enjoy them much better than _The Four Seasons_, because they are not so hackneyed. The slow movements are serene & calm. I think that there is plenty of emotion in this type of music, you just have to listen a bit more perceptively & not simply treat it as background music, like the ads do. It's a pity he's been done to death in this way, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying some of his music, especially the works other than _The Four Seasons_...


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## Ciel_Rouge

Hi Andre, 

I guess it is not the whole Four Seasons that has been overplayed but the first movement of the Primavera and it was often played badly. Namely, the joy and energy contained in the piece was far too often transformed into "jolliness" with a high "artificial sweetener" content  In a good performance such as the one with Carmignola, you will find the true energy coming from nature and the almost "violent" aspect characteristic of Vivaldi's music played the right way ;-)


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## periodinstrumentfan

Ciel_Rouge said:


> In a good performance such as the one with Carmignola, you will find the true energy coming from nature and the almost "violent" aspect characteristic of Vivaldi's music played the right way ;-)


The sony re-release of Carmignola's 4 Seasons is my 1st ever CD of a Period-Instrument Band...

There's a very pastoral arrangement of the Seasons by Nicolas Chédeville ~


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## Nix

I thought it was kind of shameful that we didn't have a thread devoted to one of the must enduring Baroque composers. We get close with threads about individual pieces, but one only has a single reply, and the second is pretty ridiculous (I encourage bored members to seek it out). 

So what are your thoughts on the guy? I'm familiar with the Four Seasons, which I've played, as well as the a minor Violin Concerto and the Concerto for Oboe and Violin, and am underway to explore a couple more of the over 500 concertos. Overall I'd say well written music that can give me a headache if I'm not in the right mood (to much consonance for me!).


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## jurianbai

i try to collect all his violin concertos, but here's notable so far.

























love them all without suffering the "I think I have listen to it" syndrome, as feared by many.


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## tdc

I love Vivaldi. I too am shocked he didn't have a thread in this section prior to this...I actually was about to delve much deeper into Vivaldi, until getting sidetracked. So far I've mainly explored his Four Seasons, Guitar and Mandolin Concertos, and various choral works, all of which I very much enjoy. He is a top 5 baroque composer for me.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

I enjoy Vivaldi's music. Unfortunately, he seems to be the most "bashed" Baroque composer around, often criticised for writing "the same concerto a few hundred times". Needless to say, people who make those type of comments never really had any sense of music history. The Vivaldian three movement concerto format was one of the single most influential layouts in western classical music history, and the Vivaldian-Italian concerto idiom was entirely new and original in its day impressing listeners all over Europe, which was precisely he wrote so many. His listerners were dazzled by the very original and new sounds before them. Even Bach transcribed many, many pieces of Vivaldi three movement concertos for various instruments/solo. Like him or not, credit would be at least given to writing one of the most popular tunes in all repertoire, the _Four Seasons_ concerti.

The big winner for me are his operas in terms of discovery. Many are now recorded/performed.


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## presto

Though as much as I love Vivaldi, there are many equally fine if not better Baroque composers that don’t get the attention the Red Priest gets.
Maybe his popularity is owed to the fact his concertos are instantly appealing because they’re short and light weight.
............That should set the cat about the pigeons!


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## haydnfan

presto said:


> Maybe his popularity is owed to the fact his concertos are instantly appealing because they're short and light weight.


Oh except all baroque concertos are short and light, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE! Did you know that Vivaldi also wrote something like 50 operas? By the way his vocal and choral works are excellent as well as his chamber works.


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## kv466

I luckily have a gigantic collection of records that was given to me, mostly consisting of his concerti; for this, for that...it's pretty great coz I get to hear a new work almost any time i want...new to me, that is


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## mmsbls

I love his violin concertos and have no issues with viewing them as too similar. His Four Seasons is a remarkable work that never ceases to amaze and thrill me. It has always seemed vastly ahead of its time to me. No one has mentioned his cello concertos. I especially love the double concerto.


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## Vaneyes

Some similarities to Mozart's life. In favor, out of favor. Hard luck with sponsors. Infatuation with female voice/figure. Paupers grave burial.

Vivaldi works discovered in 1926. His popularity is re-boosted by a 1951 English festival, and continued to grow through LP, CD, DVD.

Two favorite recordings...


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## StlukesguildOhio

Though as much as I love Vivaldi, there are many equally fine if not better Baroque composers that don't get the attention the Red Priest gets.
Maybe his popularity is owed to the fact his concertos are instantly appealing because they're short and light weight.
............That should set the cat about the pigeons!

I have spent the last year and a half delving deep into the realm of the Baroque... fleshing out my collection so that it matches that of the Romantic era in terms of breadth and depth. I have discovered a number of marvelous and underrated composers... but honestly, anyone who dismisses Vivaldi as a lightweight simply hasn't listened to much of his finest work:


























And yes... this is the same piece as in the first video... but I love both versions.


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## StlukesguildOhio




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## presto

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Though as much as I love Vivaldi, there are many equally fine if not better Baroque composers that don't get the attention the Red Priest gets.
> Maybe his popularity is owed to the fact his concertos are instantly appealing because they're short and light weight.
> ............That should set the cat about the pigeons!
> 
> I have spent the last year and a half delving deep into the realm of the Baroque... fleshing out my collection so that it matches that of the Romantic era in terms of breadth and depth. I have discovered a number of marvelous and underrated composers... but honestly, anyone who dismisses Vivaldi as a lightweight simply hasn't listened to much of his finest work:


It's the concertos that are light weight the vocal works seem to be more substantial.
Take Tartini, his concertos are almost twice in length and far more musically developed as with most German concertos of Vivaldi's time.
Vivaldi's concertos are ok, but too short winded for my liking, you just start getting into a movement and then it's all over and the next one starts!


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## haydnfan

Van Eyes I just listened to cd 1 of that Biondi set of Op 3 concerti just two days ago! Marvelous playing. And there you mention my favorite Vivaldi fiddler... Carmignola.


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## neoshredder

presto said:


> It's the concertos that are light weight the vocal works seem to be more substantial.
> Take Tartini, his concertos are almost twice in length and far more musically developed as with most German concertos of Vivaldi's time.
> Vivaldi's concertos are ok, but too short winded for my liking, you just start getting into a movement and then it's all over and the next one starts!


I think it's a positive. Vivaldi always leaves you wanting more rather than going on for too long. It is very lively music. But I guess for those looking for complexity, Vivaldi is not the best choice. Vivaldi - Concertos by The English Concert and Trevor Pinnock is what I got.


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## GoneBaroque

Here are two delightful interpretations of some Vivaldi from the Cincinnati based ensemble "Apollo's Fire lead by Harpsichordist Jeanette Sorrell.


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## Tapkaara

Vivaldi. A composer I used to despise. The sound of the Four Season would drive me up a wall. But I discovered that my hatred came from the decades of misuse of his music in the commercial world. I learned to accept him at face value and I discovered how great he was.

His flute concerto La Notte is amazing.


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## StlukesguildOhio

Apollo's Fire is certainly a delightful orchestra specializing in the Baroque repertoire. Indeed, they are one of the best Baroque orchestras currently performing in the US. However... they most certainly are NOT based in Cincinnati. They are based in Cleveland:

http://www.apollosfire.org/index.html


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## presto

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Apollo's Fire is certainly a delightful orchestra specializing in the Baroque repertoire. Indeed, they are one of the best Baroque orchestras currently performing in the US. However... they most certainly are NOT based in Cincinnati. They are based in Cleveland:
> 
> http://www.apollosfire.org/index.html


Wow! They are good, very good indeed. 
I just searched them on youtube and fascinated to see they seem to be an all women band, they certainly have a flair for Vivaldi.


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## GoneBaroque

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Apollo's Fire is certainly a delightful orchestra specializing in the Baroque repertoire. Indeed, they are one of the best Baroque orchestras currently performing in the US. However... they most certainly are NOT based in Cincinnati. They are based in Cleveland:
> 
> http://www.apollosfire.org/index.html


StlukesguildOhio. I knew that. You are correct, of course. Don't know why I said Cincinnati. That is what I get for relying on my memory and not checking the facts. Please accept my apology for the incorrect information.


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## StlukesguildOhio

StlukesguildOhio. I knew that. You are correct, of course. Don't know why I said Cincinnati. That is what I get for relying on my memory and not checking the facts. Please accept my apology for the incorrect information.

I'll forgive you just this once, but be careful next time. Remember that we Ohioans have a real rivalry between Cleveland and Cincinnati. (And don't even get us started on that upstart "city", Columbus... let alone Pittsburgh.:lol


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## Sid James

I like his music, but tend to have long spells between them.

Last year I heard his _Gloria_ - the famous one, you know what I mean? - live, and it was very enjoyable. I like how he blended the voices with the chamber ensemble, and he bought the text to life in an interesting way.

Then this year I heard a number of his concertos on a bill of Baroque and Classical composers. The one for two cellos was quite memorable, it was quite expressive, the slow movement actually made me think a bit of Elgar's. My review of that concert HERE, which included another less travelled Vivaldi concerto, for two oboes.

Closer to now, I missed a few performances of the ubiquitous _Four Seasons_, I haven't heard it live yet, I do want to do that at some stage (I'd rather do that than hear it on disc, it's that kind of work for me). A bit of heresy here maybe, but I think I like Raymond Fol's arrangement of it for jazz band better than the original, with the amazing Johnny Griffin on tenor saxophone, it was originally made in the late 1960's but reissued 10 years ago on the Jazz in Paris series on Gitanes/Universal which I got a whole heap of.

Now, I'm enjoying more of his concertos, esp. those for mandolin and guitar. His music is very bright and atmospheric - Canaletto's images of Venice instantly come to my mind - but yes it can get quite repetitive if I listen to too much of his music. He was one of the first tone poets and minimalists, apart from being a big innovator in the solo concerto genre...


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## GoneBaroque

StlukesguildOhio said:


> StlukesguildOhio. I knew that. You are correct, of course. Don't know why I said Cincinnati. That is what I get for relying on my memory and not checking the facts. Please accept my apology for the incorrect information.
> 
> I'll forgive you just this once, but be careful next time. Remember that we Ohioans have a real rivalry between Cleveland and Cincinnati. (And don't even get us started on that upstart "city", Columbus... let alone Pittsburgh.:lol


How can a place named after an upstart who did not know where he was when he got there be a city? Lief Eriksonn, Henry Sinclair and possible the Chinese were here first.


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## StlukesguildOhio

The rivalry between Cleveland and Cincinnati (both major cities and major American cultural centers at the time) was the reason for the choice of Columbus as the state capital. Political maneuvering and annexing of adjacent cities has resulted in Columbus' growth until it is now the largest city in Ohio in terms of population... but the city still pales in terms of culture in contrast with its two older, and rougher sisters.


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## science

I'm about to go on a binge of Vivaldi recordings (in my mad attempt to identify which concerto was transcribed for harp on a poorly labeled CD I bought recently). I don't see many recommendations here! I hope this will be remedied shortly....


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## aaartnaz

my favorite composer by far going back ten years. what i've heard from him just stands out so much put aside to the traditional household names. so intense fast and loud. thank you for making this thread.


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## neoshredder

Vivaldi fans are always welcome to post more often.


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## LordBlackudder




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## nikola

OK.... 
Who can also enjoy in Vivaldi's music more than in Mozart's or Bach's music, raise your hand please because I don't want to be alone in this


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## neoshredder

I enjoy Vivaldi more than Mozart. But Bach is at another level.


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## nikola

At least something


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## Wandering

This might've been mentioned much too much as it goes but:

What do ya'll think of the Karl Jenkins 'do-ditty' that he'd hopefully made a fortune over in all those debeers 'diamonds are forever' commercials?


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## nikola

I think that Vivaldi is somehow underrated and I don't understand why. I've read that he was very inovative for his time and even some kind of inspiration to Bach. I can also say that his music seems somehow 'modern' to me even today. Something in it seems timeless. And actually, I can simply ENJOY in his music much more than in almost any other classical music. He has strong melody structures, yet still unpredictable and unique and even though music can seem sometimes formulaic, it's still most of the time brilliant and very exciting, unlike for example some of Mozart's work, especially his early stuff (early symphonies for example). 
I can say that best Mozat's work for sure is better than almost most of best Vivaldi's work, but overally, I really enjoy much more in Vivaldi's music. I can find some character and substance in those compositions. Most of the time listening to Mozart stuff I can only find some nice, but bland compositions that doesn't hit me. But, if we're talking about some great Mozart's piano concertos or 40th and 41st symphonies, for sure Mozart is probably much 'better'. It's just that I can enjoy in Vivaldi's overal work more. I even don't know why I'm comparing those two, but it just seems that Vivaldi doesn't get credit he deserves.


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## neoshredder

nikola said:


> I think that Vivaldi is somehow underrated and I don't understand why. I've read that he was very inovative for his time and even some kind of inspiration to Bach. I can also say that his music seems somehow 'modern' to me even today. Something in it seems timeless. And actually, I can simply ENJOY in his music much more than in almost any other classical music. He has strong melody structures, yet still unpredictable and unique and even though music can seem sometimes formulaic, it's still most of the time brilliant and very exciting, unlike for example some of Mozart's work, especially his early stuff (early symphonies for example).
> I can say that best Mozat's work for sure is better than almost most of best Vivaldi's work, but overally, I really enjoy much more in Vivaldi's music. I can find some character and substance in those compositions. Most of the time listening to Mozart stuff I can only find some nice, but bland compositions that doesn't hit me. But, if we're talking about some great Mozart's piano concertos or 40th and 41st symphonies, for sure Mozart is probably much 'better'. It's just that I can enjoy in Vivaldi's overal work more. I even don't know why I'm comparing those two, but it just seems that Vivaldi doesn't get credit he deserves.


Well said. In general, I prefer the Baroque Era over the Classical Era. That plays a part why I prefer listening to Vivaldi over Mozart.


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## Fukumura

Check out Vivaldi Oboe Concerto in a minor!


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## Fukumura

Also Vivaldi's Concerto Grosso in g minor is really epic..


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## clavichorder

Okay, this piece is really great, a flute concerto, "La Notte" in G minor:





The solo part has some very different interpretations in the different recordings I've heard. But the music always seems to shine through as utterly thrilling.


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## userfume

The problem with Vivaldi and many baroque composers is that so much of his music is the same - sometimes you get the impression that it was churned out without much thought. Especially after you have to play millions of his bassoon concertos.

However, I do really like his concerto for 4 violins in B Minor


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## Vaneyes

"The problem with Vivaldi and many baroque composers is that so much of his music is the same - sometimes you get the impression that it was churned out without much thought...."

You can't be serious.


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## userfume

Yes I can. I'm not talking about Bach. However, much of Vivaldi's work is similar. It is often pleasant, but not very interesting or creative


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## neoshredder

userfume said:


> Yes I can. I'm not talking about Bach. However, much of Vivaldi's work is similar. It is often pleasant, but not very interesting or creative


You can't be serious part 2.


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## userfume

I understand that many of you will disagree with me. And I am exaggerating - you would dislike Vivaldi a bit after playing bassoon concerto after concerto, with really annoying sequences


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## arpeggio

*Bassoon Concertos*



userfume said:


> I understand that many of you will disagree with me. And I am exaggerating - you would dislike Vivaldi a bit after playing bassoon concerto after concerto, with really annoying sequences


I am a bassoonist and I do it all the time. Well I listen to them. I can not play them. I have tried. But I do have a bassoon friend who agrees with you. He feels that Vivaldi composed the same bassoon concerto thirty-seven times. Actually I think he is jealous. He can't play them either.


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## tdc

userfume said:


> Yes I can. I'm not talking about Bach. However, much of Vivaldi's work is similar. It is often pleasant, but not very interesting or creative


Well, he was creative enough to invent a new musical style that became very successful and massively influential to the course of western art music from there forward.


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## Vaneyes

The Vivaldi effect?

http://www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/music-of-vivaldi-boosts-mental-vitality-53790/


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## Blake

This guy's got some cool panache.


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## AlexKid

This is my piano arrangement of "The Four Seasons" (Winter) by this great composer, i hope you guys like it


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## millionrainbows

I'm particular about Vivaldi. I found this disc: *Vivaldi: Violin Concertos; Giuliano Carmignola, period violin; Andrea Marcon conducts the Venice Baroque Orchestra on authentic instruments (ARCHIV) (rec. 2006).* Very good, and recorded very well, with much detail and dynamics. This player, and ensemble, really understands Vivaldi; I can just tell. What Vivaldi lacks in harmonic innovation, he more than makes up for in his sense of form and contrast. Dynamic changes, and sections of contrast, this is what really makes Vivaldi a master. Plus, he was a violinist, so that makes his string writing very good. Also, this is "Italians playing Italian music," so there you go.
I see that this disc was mentioned in the OP. I quite agree, it is very good.


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## hpowders

You wonder when Vivaldi found the time for priesting?


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## leafman

hpowders said:


> You wonder when Vivaldi found the time for priesting?


Apparently, he didn't do much of the latter.


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## Vaneyes

For those interested, a new Glossa Vivaldi recording with Biondi/Europa Galante.:tiphat:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Glossa/GCD923402


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## Vaneyes

millionrainbows said:


> I'm particular about Vivaldi. I found this disc: *Vivaldi: Violin Concertos; Giuliano Carmignola, period violin; Andrea Marcon conducts the Venice Baroque Orchestra on authentic instruments (ARCHIV) (rec. 2006).* Very good, and recorded very well, with much detail and dynamics. This player, and ensemble, really understands Vivaldi; I can just tell. What Vivaldi lacks in harmonic innovation, he more than makes up for in his sense of form and contrast. Dynamic changes, and sections of contrast, this is what really makes Vivaldi a master. Plus, he was a violinist, so that makes his string writing very good. Also, this is "Italians playing Italian music," so there you go.
> I see that this disc was mentioned in the OP. I quite agree, it is very good.


Splendid. This, too.:tiphat:


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## GioCar

For those who are unfamiliar with Vivaldi's sacred music, beside the well-known Gloria I'd recommend this outstanding double CD










Vespri per l'Assunzione di Maria Vergine
Concerto Italiano, Rinaldo Alessandrini

It consists of various vocal works (some instrumental as well) reassembled to approximate a complete vesper cycle as performed by the composer in his time.

A true revelation. Highly recommended.


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## Vaneyes

Reviews for a recent *Vivaldi* concert at Barbican, with Biondi/Europa Galante.

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_concert_review.php?id=12657

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/22/loracolo-messenia-review-winning-drama-vivaldi-opera


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## Baregrass

hpowders said:


> You wonder when Vivaldi found the time for priesting?


He was ordained a priest in 1703 and evidently said mass only for a short while afterwards. He suffered from _strettezza di petto_ which most of the researchers of his life have interpreted as a severe asthma.


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## Baregrass

Vaneyes said:


> Splendid. This, too.:tiphat:


I have it too. Great recording. Victoria Mullova is quite the violinist. I recently found out that when she defected from the USSR she was in Finland and had to leave her Strad behind to fool her KGB minders.


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## hpowders

He shouldn't have given up his day job, in my opinion.


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## Albert7

Sol Gabetta did three volumes of your music and man, did I really enjoy all of those last month. So thrilling.


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## Baregrass

Vaneyes said:


> For those interested, a new Glossa Vivaldi recording with Biondi/Europa Galante.:tiphat:
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Glossa/GCD923402


Thanks for the link. I plan on getting that one and I have this one on order. May get it tomorrow.


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## Baregrass

albertfallickwang said:


> Sol Gabetta did three volumes of your music and man, did I really enjoy all of those last month. So thrilling.


Are these the ones? Il Progetto Vivaldi 1, 2 and 3?


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## padraic

Love your bassoon concerti


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## Baregrass

​
Just got this in today. It came with a CD of the music, a well done DVD production and a booklet describing the life of Chiara of the Pieta and with notes about the music.


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## Heliogabo

*Fabio Biondi* and *Giuliano Carmignola*, with no doubt, the great Vivaldians of our time.

What do you think of them? Who do you like? Your favorite recordings?


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## Baregrass

Heliogabo said:


> *Fabio Biondi* and *Giuliano Carmignola*, with no doubt, the great Vivaldians of our time.
> 
> What do you think of them? Who do you like? Your favorite recordings?


They may be the best interpreters of Vivaldi in our time. It probably helps that both are Italian and Carmignola was raised and studied in the Veneto. Both seem to have the fire that lets them play Vivaldi maybe the way Vivaldi himself played although how do any of us know. A time machine would be of great help in that respect! We would get to hear Anna Maria play as taught by the Red Priest himself.


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## PJaye

Vaneyes said:


> For those interested, a new Glossa Vivaldi recording with Biondi/Europa Galante.:tiphat:
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Glossa/GCD923402


Vivaldi can make me feel like I'm looking at a faraway planet through a telescope, or setting out on some strange beautiful canal for the first time. Stuff for me that is beyond stylistic boundaries. I just wandered over to the link above, and I got some feeling like that again in the first bars of the first song in the listening tracks of the cd -Andante Molto, and in the Larghetto -especially when the violin enters. I didn't get to the rest yet. I love what he found in music. Its an exploration I always anticipate with wonder. I find that sometime repeated quote about sameness utterly baffling, but it just goes to show how different we all are in what we hear. That's one cd on my list for certain.


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## Pugg

Give me I Musici any time of day on Vivaldi


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## farris

I Enjoy the Antonio Vivaldi more than Bach. That is the another Level .


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## Johnnie Burgess

L'Arte dell'Arco plays Vivaldi very well. Love them for his oboe concertos.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

Pugg said:


> Give me I Musici any time of day on Vivaldi


In the innocence/ignorance of my youth, we used to think that "I Musici" were a British ensemble called "Eye Music-eye" (as in "I, Musici" or "I, Claudius"). Similarly, there was the seemingly appropriately named conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk, whose name we misread and mispronounced as "Jersey Make-ye-music".


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## Johnnie Burgess

I have enjoyed Op. 1 trio sonatas.


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## Pugg

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> In the innocence/ignorance of my youth, we used to think that "I Musici" were a British ensemble called "Eye Music-eye" (as in "I, Musici" or "I, Claudius"). Similarly, there was the seemingly appropriately named conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk, whose name we misread and mispronounced as "Jersey Make-ye-music".


Like potato and potato .


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## Johnnie Burgess

L'Arte dell'Arco is another group that does Vivaldi very well.


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## Pugg

*Remembering Mr. Vivali's Birthday.*

​
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (Venetië, *4 maart 167*8 - Wenen, 28 juli 1741)
Remembering Mr. Vivali's Birthday.


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## Baregrass

Vivaldi, one of the best! Thanks for posting this.


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## JosefinaHW

I think awareness of these exultant concerts should be mentioned on this site somewhere, so...

_The Four Seasons_, Daishin Kashimoto, Berlin Baroque Soloists, 12 Dec. 2013
(if searching YouTube, etc.: Berliner Barock Solisten) Also with much wonderful music by Corelli.

_Flute Concerto in G Minor_, Rv. 439, Emmanuel Pahud. Berlin Philharmonic, Andrea Marcon, 13 Oct. 2012

These are not free concerts. The following are clips.











Hopefully Vivaldi won't mind.... a clip of one of the versions of Corelli's _Christmas Concerto





_


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## Baregrass

Vivaldi's popularity continues and Corelli's Christmas Concert is one of my favorites.


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## flamencosketches

Never was too big on Vivaldi but Biondi/Europa Galante make his concerti sound really great. I decided to check him out on the praise of user Heliogabo on the previous page (which I now see was years ago, but still, good lookin out).

Referring specifically to the Concerti record with RV 133, 281, 286 etc... but he even makes the Four Seasons sound good :lol:


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## flamencosketches

This is a very beautiful work of sacred music. I'm not sure I realized that Vivaldi had it in him, but now I'm intrigued... thinking about how Bach used to copy out his scores, studying his music, and how he learned a good deal of what he knew from imitation of the older Italian. It's fascinating.

What are some of our other favorites among Vivaldi's vocal works? I'm quite curious about his operas, I know he was a prolific composer of them. Do any of them fit on a single disc? lol Any other great sacred vocal works?

I like what I've heard of his concerti, but this is just on another level. So much passion.


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## Baregrass

One of the best recordings of Vivaldi's sacred music I have heard is by the San Francisco Girls Chorus. It is "Music From The Venetian Ospedali". I bought mine on Amazon. Great stuff!


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## Tero

Didn't want to start a whole new thread, but just some notes on the Vivaldi Opus works:

Opus 1 of	12 sonatas for two violins and basso continuo
2	12 sonatas for violin and basso continuo
3	L'estro Armonico
4	La stravaganza 
5	Six sonatas, four violin sonatas and two sonatas for two violins and basso continuo
6	Six violin concertos
8	Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione 
9	La cetra (there is also a manuscript set of 12 of the same name, no Opus number)
10	Six flute concertos 
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Antonio_Vivaldi for dates of publication

I skipped a few, I may even have those. There was a period of few Opus works as the publisher in Amsterdams was sticking random works he got to fill up a six or 12 works. By Opus 8 Vivaldi was cooperating again.

There are in fact at least 50-100 violin concertos that sound quite similar, but not the claim of the "same concerto 500 times."

I listen to the Opus 1 and 2 at times, as modern recordings make some sound quite good. Do not get any old recordings on modern instruments.

Opus 3, fine. I play that. 
Opus 4, much less. Though some fine works, and good central movements. I like a few minor key pieces. if I did not have it ina box (T.Pinnock) I think I would not buy this again. Too much of the standard works and none outstanding. Picking one, #11 (RV204) is pleasant.
Opus 7: RV 188, RV 285a and RV 373 are good, to pick a few
Opus 8: famous "Seasons" plus a few more
Opus 9: a few good concertos. never play the whole set.
Opus 10: famous flute concertos. I like about half. I tend to make a mix play list alternating flute and violin pieces.
Opus 11: Il Favorito RV 277 sounds good. RV 460 for oboe is well known.
Opus 12: came in the same Brilliant set, it is OK

You do not need to listen to Vivaldi in this order, and many current discs are coming out compiled by patron (Pisendel) or other period list where it was performed. (the Naive Vivaldi edition has a set of 6 discs sold individually). A good part of the concertos for multiple instruments are packaged together and none of those were opus works.


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## philoctetes

faves:

Bassoon concertos with Azzolini

Concerti per Molti Strumentale with Zefiro (2 CDs)... also



















^^^^ This opera selection is rich with variety


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## Tero

That Azzolini effort ended strangely. He recorded 4 bassoon discs, and then only the one you have shown appeared. He did not complete the bassoon set. Another has both oboe and bassoon together.


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## Tero

Here is the entire Opus 6 I neglected to cover


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## danj

I use to think Vivaldi did La Folia best.

Then I stumbled onto Corelli's version.


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## Xisten267

Love Vivaldi. The minor mode concertos of his Op. 3 with Pinnock are my favorite orchestral pieces of the Baroque at moment, together only with a few other concertos by J.S.Bach himself. Handel's, Telemann's and Corelli's do not come even close to the Red Priest's IMO.


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## Guest

his melodies pioneered romance.


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## Marc

I love Vivaldi's music, especially the enticing combination of beautiful melodies and rhythm.
I think that is, in general, what I like in (late) baroque music anyway. And Vivaldi is a master in that.

Right now listening to six of his Violoncello sonatas, with Anner Bylsma et al... a great way to start the weekend.


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