The cello's ability to change register or articulation allows it to pass instantaneously from one mood to another, a quality Vivaldi exploited in his compositions.
Composition History
None of Vivaldi's almost 30 cello concertos were published during his lifetime, making chronological ordering difficult.
Composer Biography
Antonio Vivaldi, while known as a violin virtuoso, also mastered other instruments like the viola d'amore and viola da gamba, and possibly the flute and recorder.
Composition History
Even when not employed at the Ospedale della Pietà, Vivaldi supplied the institution with new compositions, acquiring almost 150 new works from him between 1723 and 1729.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Vivaldi's cello concertos, like his bassoon concertos, are considered 'deep' not only in register but also in substance and feeling, reflecting his 'moody' compositional style.
Historical Context
Vivaldi taught violin and directed the orchestra at the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian institution for foundlings, for much of the period between 1703 and 1740.
