Antonio Vivaldi: The Champion of the Underdogs (Key Stage 2)
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
(Baroque Lap-book Project )
Who Was Vivaldi?
Have you ever wondered who a composer really was?
The answer is they were people, just like you and me. They practised hard, sometimes found it tricky.
But they never gave up.
Antonio was once a young boy picking up the violin for the first time. When he was young he was also rather unwell. He had a tightening in his chest, that you and I may call Asthma.
As he became an adult, he did not ‘become’ a composer, he became a priest. He was known as the Red Priest because of his red or ginger hair.
His Asthma meant he had to stop saying Mass as it affected him a lot when he spoke. It also affected him when he walked, he wrote letters that tell us he used to travel by carriage a lot (think taxi) or by Gondola (a taxi on water). He also mentioned that they were expensive.
He needed money, but could not be a priest in church. Instead of giving up he took a different position at Ospedale della Pietà in the town where he lived.
Can you imagine where that was?
I mentioned before he needed to take a water taxi; this means he lived and worked in Venice.
Ospedale della Pietà means Hospital of Piety. The word Piety means ‘to have a deep, reverent belief in God’, it was a convent, orphanage and music school in Venice for abandoned girls who had nothing.
Society had rejected these children, but Vivaldi saw their immense potential. He didn't patronise them; he treated them like serious musicians. He coached and drilled them to play the violin so brilliantly that people travelled from all over Europe just to hear this powerhouse orchestra.
When you listen to his famous piece Spring, you aren't just hearing birds chirping; you are hearing the triumphant sound of young people who refused to let the world count them out.
Develop Guild: Listening Questions
Can you spot the "bird calls" in the music? What do you think the violins are doing to sound like birds?
Listen to how the volume changes. When do you hear the "Forte" (loud) sections and when does it become "Piano" (quiet)?
Imagine you are painting a picture of Spring while listening. What colors would you use for the music and why?
Program Music
Vivaldi was excellent at telling a story in music. If you listen to Spring you can hear the birds singing and the energy of spring. In the rest of the set of pieces you feel the heat of Summer, the calm of Autumn and the cold of Winter.
You can listen to them all, and the poems that inspired the music on this link
Terraced Dynamics
Terraced dynamics are abrupt shifts in musical volume (from quiet to loud, or loud to quiet) without any gradual transition. It is like walking upstairs with one step being loud, then the next step being quiet. The Italian word for quiet is Piano, often shown by a ‘p’ in the music. The word for loud is Forte shown by an F in the music. This was an ‘Era Superpower’ of famous composers from the Baroque period (like Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi) because their keyboard instruments (like the harpsichord) could only play loud or quiet, not in-between.
Explore Guild: Baroque Lap Book Project
An Apprentice Guide to the Baroque
For the Baroque Lap Book project you are starting with an un-decorated version of the main theme.
When you can play the piece first you can add the chords to fill out the bass part. This is like adding some more cellos and violas.
Next you can add the Terraced Dynamics that Vivaldi would have used in the Program Music he was creating (composing).
Finally it is your turn to write a piece on your favourite season. Use the map provided and choose the best key for the sound you are looking for.
Download the Vivaldi Section Workbook
You will need the following information for your lap book.
Baroque Era Superpower Accordion
Terraced Dynamics: The music jumps between loud (forte) and quiet (piano).
The Baroque Violin: An early violin that has a softer, sweeter sound.
Four Flap Composer Info Hub
Vivaldi
Flap : Born in 1678 and died in 1741.
A priest who played and taught the violin.
Cover Image
Download The Lap Book Requirements
Explore Guild: Comprehension Questions
Why was Antonio Vivaldi known as the "Red Priest"?
a) Because he liked wearing red clothes.
b) Because of his red or ginger hair.
c) Because he played a red violin.
Where did Vivaldi work when he was no longer able to say Mass?
a) The Ospedale della Pietà (an orphanage).
b) A music school in London.
c) A royal palace.
What are "Terraced Dynamics" in music?
a) Playing the music faster and faster.
b) Abrupt shifts between loud (forte) and quiet (piano) volume.
c) Only playing loud music all the time.
Glossary
Composer: A person who writes music.
Baroque Period: A time in history (roughly 1600-1750) known for fancy and elaborate art and music.
Gondola: A long, narrow boat used in Venice, Italy.
Orchestra: A large group of musicians who play instruments together.
Terraced Dynamics: Abrupt changes in volume (loud to quiet or quiet to loud) without a gradual transition.
Violin: A string instrument played with a bow.
