Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio (Lucio) Vivaldi was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque period.

It is assumed that his father, who was a musician himself, was responsible for Vivaldi's musical education. However, he began his professional career as a priest, which earned him the nickname Il prete rosso (the red-haired priest).

From 1703, Vivaldi worked intermittently as a violin teacher and composer at the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage for girls in Venice, until shortly before his death. Initially, he also worked there as a priest, but relinquished this role after three years. He wrote numerous chamber music works and concertos for his pupils at the Pietà. The famous Four Seasons are particularly well-known and often performed today. Vivaldi also composed sacred and secular vocal music and was an opera composer and director.

Of over 800 works known today, only 135 were published during Vivaldi's lifetime. After his death, Vivaldi's compositions were initially largely forgotten. Many of his works were rediscovered and published, particularly in the 20th century. Among them is the Gloria in D RV 589, the very first sheet music edition published by Carus-Verlag.