Vivaldi once boasted that he could compose an entire concerto faster than a copyist could transcribe it, indicating his emphasis on speed in composition.
Compositional Technique
This album features 'programme music' by Vivaldi, including the concertos 'La tempesta di mare' (The Storm at Sea) and 'La notte' (Night), which recall elements of 'The Four Seasons'.
Composition History
For six years, Vivaldi wrote two solo concertos a month for the Ospedale della Pietà, designed to be performed by an elite group of soloists with a small orchestra.
Composition History
Vivaldi wrote most of the concertos on this album for girls of about the same age as soloist Lucie Horsch, who were living at the Ospedale della Pietà.
Compositional Technique
Vivaldi's concertos often feature challenging passages with arpeggios and other virtuosic elements that demand high speed and continuous playing from soloists.
Interpretation
The Amsterdam Vivaldi Players use modern string instruments but are fitted with gut strings, and the pitch is set at 440 Hertz, reflecting Vivaldi's Venice.
Composer Biography
Antonio Vivaldi, an ordained priest, worked at the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian orphanage, as a music teacher, composer, and later as maestro di cappella.
