Ordained as a priest, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi became one of Europe s most popular composers during the early part of the eighteenth century. He wrote hundreds of concertos, dozens of operas, and many sacred works before his music fell out of fashion during the latter part of his life. He died in obscurity and his work suffered a similar fate for almost two centuries. His music was rescued from oblivion in the 1930s. His most famous work, The Four Seasons, has since become one of the best-selling classical compositions of all time.

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an acclaimed Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, impresario, and Catholic priest during the Baroque musical era. Born in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic, Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers. In his time, his influence was felt across Europe, inspiring countless imitators and admirers. He was instrumental in shaping the instrumental music of Johann Sebastian Bach as well as the French concerto tradition (including Michel Corrette, Jean-Joseph de Mondonville, Louis-Nicholas Clérambault). Vivaldi composed numerous instrumental concertos for violin and other instruments, sacred choral works, and over fifty operas. His most famous piece remains The Four Seasons, a sequence of violin concertos. Many of his works were written for the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children, and its all-female music ensemble. Vivaldi served as a Catholic priest in two stints, from 1703-1715 and 1723-1740. In Venice, Mantua, and Vienna, Vivaldi enjoyed some success staging his operas in lavish productions. After meeting Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna in hopes of gaining imperial patronage. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later.

Since 1978, the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi's death, there has been an explosion of serious writing about his music, life and times. Much of this has taken the form of articles published in academic journals or conference proceedings, some of which are not easy to obtain. The twenty-two articles selected by Michael Talbot for this volume form a representative selection of the best writing on Vivaldi from the last 30 years, featuring such major figures in Vivaldi research as Reinhard Strohm, Paul Everett, Gastone Vio and Federico Maria Sardelli. Aspects covered include biography, Venetian cultural history, manuscript studies, genre studies and musical analysis. The intention is to serve as a 'first port of call' for those wishing to learn more about Vivaldi or to refresh their existing knowledge. An introduction by Michael Talbot reviews the state of Vivaldi scholarship past and present and comments on the significance of the articles.

Discusses the life and times of eighteenth-century Italian composer and violinist, Antonio Vivaldi.

The Vivaldi Compendium represents the latest in Vivaldi research, drawing on the author's close involvement with Vivaldi and Venetian music over four decades.

A picture book biography, told as if by Vivaldi himself, shows the famous musician's energetic personality and steadfast dedication to music.

Eminent musicologist H. C. Robbins Landon rediscovers the composer through an accessible and musically informed biography. Presenting documentation about Vivaldi discovered after the Baroque revival in the 1930s, Robbins Landon explores a fascinating life: Vivaldi was a Catholic priest who gave up celebrating Mass almost as soon as he was ordained; we was a lifelong invalid, but could travel all over Europe when it suited him; he was a dazzling violin virtuoso but died a pauper. Robbins Landon masterfully integrates musical analysis and biography, using each to illuminate the other and to unravel the riddle of Vivaldi's identity and extraordinary gift. This book includes illustrations of eighteenth-century Venice and several newly translated letters.

Antonio Vivaldi - The Red Priest of Baroque Music is the biography of Antonio Vivaldi. He was a Venetian priest and Baroque music composer, as well as a famous virtuoso violinist; he was born and raised in the Republic of Venice. The Four Seasons, a series of four violin concertos, is his best known work and a highly popular Baroque music piece. Vivaldi is considered one of the composers who brought Baroque music to evolve into a classical style. At the height of his career, Vivaldi received commissions from European nobles and royalty. Vivaldi's life, like those of many composers of the time, ended in financial difficulties. Antonio Vivaldi - The Red Priest of Baroque Music is highly recommended for those interested in reading more about this priest and talented musician.