Vivaldi worked at Venice's Ospedale della Pietà, a premier orphanage where girls were taught music at the highest level.
Historical Context
By Vivaldi's birth, Venice had declined as an economic, military, and political power but remained a major cultural and tourist destination.
Instruments
When Vivaldi began composing cello concertos, innovations in string-making allowed for smaller, more manageable cellos and a more virtuoso playing style, akin to violinists.
Performer Biography
Guy Fishman, the cellist on this recording, plays a rare cello made in Rome in 1704 by David Tecchler.
Compositional Technique
Vivaldi perfected the ritornello form in his concertos, a musical layout where the ensemble presents ideas it returns to, and the soloist enters between these episodes.
Composer Biography
Antonio Vivaldi, a native of Venice, sought fame and fortune far from Italy but repeatedly returned to his home city.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Vivaldi claimed he could compose a concerto faster than it could be copied, as depicted in a caricature by Pierleone Ghezzi from 1723.
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