Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) was an Italian
composer and violinist, considered among the greatest
exponents of Baroque music. A priest, although unable
to celebrate mass for health reasons, he was called
"the Red Priest" due to the color of his hair. He was
one of the most virtuosic violinists of his time and
one of the greatest composers of Baroque music.
Considered the most important, influential and original
Italian musician of his era, Vivaldi contributed
significantly to the developm...(+)
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) was an Italian
composer and violinist, considered among the greatest
exponents of Baroque music. A priest, although unable
to celebrate mass for health reasons, he was called
"the Red Priest" due to the color of his hair. He was
one of the most virtuosic violinists of his time and
one of the greatest composers of Baroque music.
Considered the most important, influential and original
Italian musician of his era, Vivaldi contributed
significantly to the development of the concerto,
especially solo (a genre initiated by Giuseppe
Torelli), and of violin technique and orchestration.
Furthermore, he did not neglect opera in music and his
vast compositional work also includes numerous
concerts, sonatas and pieces of sacred music.
His works influenced numerous composers of his time
including the greatest Baroque genius Johann Sebastian
Bach, but also Pisendel, Heinichen, Zelenka,
Boismortier, Corrette, De Fesch, Quantz. His best-known
compositions are the four violin concertos known as The
Four Seasons, a famous example of subject music. As
with many Baroque composers, his name and music fell
into oblivion after his death. Only thanks to the
research of some 20th century musicologists, such as
Arnold Schering, Marc Pincherle, Alberto Gentili,
Alfredo Casella and Gian Francesco Malipiero, his name
and his works became famous again, becoming one of the
best known and most performed composers.
The Credo in E Minor (RV 591) is the only extant
setting of the Nicene Creed by Antonio Vivaldi. Another
setting exists (RV 592) but is of dubious authenticity.
RV 591 has four movements. In a style similar to his
psalm setting of In exitu Israel (RV 604), the first
movement adorns the chorus' simple rhythms of crotchets
and minims with the orchestra playing semiquavers and
quavers. The second movement is a brief choral episode
in the stile antico, borrowing thematic material from
the composer's Magnificat. The fourth movement is based
on a semiquaver-quaver motif similar to the first
movement, and closes with a fugue. Note that the first
(and final) movements open with a motif which bears
similarity to a brief passage found in the first
movement of the Gloria (RV 588).
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credo_(Vivaldi)).
Although originally written for Chorus (SATB), Strings
and Continuo, I created this Interpretation of "Credo
in unum Deum" from "Credo" (RV 591 Mvt. 1) for Winds
(Flute, Oboe, French Horn & Bassoon) and Strings (2
Violins, Viola & Cello).