Antonio Vivaldi: The Finale, Part 3

     In our first post and second post we talked Vivaldi's start in music, which came from his father, and then his career move to teach at the Ospedale della Pieta (the Devout Hospital of Mercy). Where did he take himself towards the end of his life?        

  The Finale

          Vivaldi was loved and very much appreciated but was “beat out” of his music by other more modern composers. Longing for popularity he moved to Vienna, Austria. But instead of what he was looking for, he found himself in poverty because his patron Charles VI died, leaving Vivaldi with nothing to look forward to in Vienna. Sadly, Vivaldi died in poverty on July 28, 1741. Many people had buried him in a simple grave but did so without music in the procession.

          A short time after his death, musicians and scholars including Alfredo Casella, worked to make the Vivaldi revival week in 1939. It was a success and Vivaldi's music, from then on, was played by more and more people. One of his compositions, Gloria, was revived and became widely popular, usually played around Christmas. With over 500 pieces and millions of international fans, Vivaldi ended up having a good profession and life. He influenced and inspired many composers in his lifetime such as Johann SebastianBach. We will always remember the one and only Antonio Lucio Vivaldi as a great man. 


By guest student author: Isha, Suzuki Violin Book 2

Sources

http://www.biography.com/people/antonio-vivaldi-9519560#synopsis 
 http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxvivaldi.html

 The Baroque Period – an article