By the middle of the 17th century, Venice no longer reigned as the naval superpower of the Mediterranean. But with a population of about 150,000, it was still the most elegant and refined city in Europe. Born there in 1676 was one of the greatest composers of all time, Antonio Vivaldi. Ordained as a Catholic priest in 1703, he had red hair like his father, which earned him the nickname “il Prete Rosso” or “the Red Priest”. From 1703 to 1740 he served as violin master and composer at the Pio Ospedale della Pietà, a prestigious orphanage and conservatory for girls, and he transformed it into one of Europe’s premier musical establishments where talented young women became renowned performers under his tutelage.
Vivaldi wrote almost 500 concertos and many sacred works and chamber pieces. His greatest contribution to the history of music was developing the solo concerto form, which he standardized into a three-movement structure (fast-slow-fast), perfecting the technique of contrasting a solo instrument against the full orchestra, featuring not only violins but also cellos, flutes, oboes, and bassoons. Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons) is his most celebrated work. Composed around 1720, it consists of four violin concertos in which each one depicts its respective season through innovative musical techniques: the chirping birds in spring, the thunderstorms in summer, the harvest celebrations of autumn, and the bitter cold of winter. Vivaldi even provided accompanying sonnets describing the scenes his music portrays. He also composed nearly fifty operas, tremendously popular during his lifetime, as well as sacred works, including the magnificent Gloria and numerous psalm settings.
Throughout his life Vivaldi suffered from a chronic respiratory condition commonly described as “strettezza di petto” (tightness of the chest). This ailment, likely asthma or a similar breathing disorder, significantly impacted his daily activities and career. These symptoms often prevented him from performing certain duties expected of him as an ordained priest—he was rarely able to celebrate Mass because of his breathing difficulties and would sometimes have to leave the altar abruptly when symptoms flared.
Despite this handicap, he developed remarkable coping strategies that may have enhanced his musical abilities. His knowledge of breath control likely enhanced his remarkable proficiency in composing for wind instruments and his innovative approach to musical phrasing. His health remained fragile throughout his life, and he was known to carry medications with him. His condition may have contributed to his relatively early death at the age of sixty-three in 1741.
Vivaldi’s medical struggles demonstrate how physical limitations can sometimes redirect creative energy. His music fell into obscurity after his death, but witnessed a remarkable revival of interest beginning with the rediscovery of many manuscripts, even as late as the discoveries of the flute concerto Il Gran Mogol in 2010 and the opera Orlando Furioso in 2013. Today, Vivaldi is recognized not merely as a prolific composer but as a revolutionary innovator whose contributions to concerto form, programmatic music, and violin technique established the foundations that continue to influence classical music today.