Although Vivaldi's posthumous fame rests on instrumental works like 'The Four Seasons', composing for the human voice was equally important to him, and he claimed involvement in over 90 operatic productions.
Composer Biography
Antonio Vivaldi, a native Venetian, began his career as an orchestral violinist and was trained for the priesthood before becoming 'maestro di violino' at the Ospedale della Pietà in 1703.
Composition History
Vivaldi's Opus 3, titled 'L'Estro armonico', was published in 1711 by the renowned Amsterdam publisher Estienne Roger, who helped make Vivaldi's name known throughout Europe.
Compositional Technique
Vivaldi's Opus 3 concertos showcase both the older four- or five-movement concerto grosso form and the early examples of the three-movement baroque concerto form (fast-slow-fast) that became standard.
Performer Biography
The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1945 by Karl Münchinger, has held a prominent position in the international orchestral world for over 65 years.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The title 'L'Estro armonico' for Vivaldi's Opus 3 can mean 'harmonic inspiration' or 'harmonic horsefly', poetically suggesting that the bite of the insect transforms into artistic inspiration.
Compositional Technique
Vivaldi's concertos combine virtuosity derived from instrumental possibilities with a vocal element transferred to instruments, termed 'sonabile' and 'cantabile' by his countryman Giuseppe Tartini.
You might also enjoy...
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Violin Concertos RV. 522, 565, 516
