Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist. Vivaldi is recognised as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe.
Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral works and over 40 operas. His best known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons.
Many of his compositions were written for the female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà , a home for abandoned children where Vivaldi worked from 1703 to 1715 and from 1723 to 1740. Vivaldi also had some success with stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna hoping for preferment. The Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and the composer died a pauper, without a steady source of income.
Though Vivaldi's music was well received during his lifetime, it later declined in popularity until its vigorous revival in the first half of the 20th century. Today, Vivaldi ranks among the most popular and widely recorded Baroque composers.
Compositions by Antonio Vivaldi appear on
Trio Polyphonica
Trio Polyphonica was active between 1980 and 1990 and performed a wide repertoire of music spanning more than 300 years. On this CD are trios by Vivaldi, CPE Bach, Haydn, JS Bach, and Francesco Zappa.
Composer
More Bizarre or baRock
"The hottest, hippest harpsichord in the world today" said one critic of the best selling Bizarre or baRock. Melbourne harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson has returned to the studio for the long awaited sequel.
Composer
Transcriptions Baroque
Recorded in the beautiful Trinity College Chapel in Melbourne, this organ/trumpet CD presents eight works that take you on a journey through the art of the concerto in the Baroque period.
Composer
Tuba Recital
One of the world's finest tuba players and the first to give a tuba recital in Australia, Ian King here presents a recital of works ranging from Bach and Vivaldi, to the remarkable Tuba Sonata of Paul Hindemith.
Composer
La Follia
"La Follia" variations by Corelli, Vitali, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, with stunning performances by German recorder virtuoso Susanne Ehrhardt accompanied by the acclaimed Australian harpsichordist Jacqueline Ogeil.
Composer
A Classic Case of Love
Love songs through the ages. A Classic Case of Love is a collection of intimate, embracing, exquisite and well-known melodies crossing many centuries expressing in all its variety the many flavours and colours of the experience of love.
Composer
Breath of Creation
Flutes of two worlds. Performing on shakuhachi, baroque flute and recorder, these two inspiring performers - renowned in their own fields - join forces to present a magical display of virtuosic delights and evocative sound-scapes.
Composer
Original Transcriptions for Piano
Piano transcriptions as you have never heard them before. This disc by Australian pianist-composer Cameron Roberts is a tour-de-force of piano virtuosity and originality.
Composer
Flight
This disc from Concordia Mandolin and Guitar Ensemble draws on the more virtuosic, lively and passionate items in the repertoire of the ensemble. The idea of flight is evoked in the choice of many of the pieces, notably "The flight of the bumble bee" and "The witches". All the other pieces in one way or another echo, with their energy and vitality, the rapture of flights of fancy.
