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.
Antonio Vivaldi wrote at least three Gloria
compositions, settings of the hymn Gloria in excelsis
Deo, with words probably dating back to the 4th
century, and an integral part of the mass ordinary. Two
of them have survived: RV 588 and RV 589. A third, RV
590, is mentioned only in the Kreuzherren catalogue and
presumed lost. The RV 589 Gloria is a familiar and
popular piece among sacred works by Vivaldi. It was
probably written at about the same time as the RV 588,
possibly in 1715.
As with other choral pieces the composer, Vivaldi,
wrote many introduzioni (introductory motets) that were
to be performed before the Gloria itself. Four
introduzioni exist for these Glorias: Cur Sagittas (RV
637), Jubilate, o amoeni cori (RV 639) (the last
movement of which is compositionally tied with the
first movement of RV 588), Longe Mala, Umbrae, Terrores
(RV 640), and Ostro Picta (RV 642).
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_(Vivaldi)).
Although originally written for Chorus (SSATB), 2
oboes, Trumpet, Strings & Continuo, I created this
Interpretation of the "Gratias agimus tibi" from the
"Gloria" in D Major (RV 588 Mvt. 4) for Winds (Flute,
Oboe, French Horn & Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins,
Viola & Cello).
PARTITION