Most of the land is feeling autumnal now, even here in southern Oklahoma we see some Fall colour emerging. Antonio Vivaldi's "Autumn" from his "Four Seasons" suite fills the bill for today, but first, a little about the composer.
Excerpt from a Guardian piece by Susan Orlando, in 2008:
SAINT or SINNER
Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678, the son of a professional violinist. His musical training was with his father but by 1693 he was taking steps to enter the priesthood as well. The year of his ordination, 1703, he was also engaged as music teacher by a home for foundlings, La Pietà , and it is here that the conjecture begins.
From 1703 to 1735, Vivaldi alternately, and at times simultaneously, played the role of music master and composer to the young girls living at La Pietà . Imagining Vivaldi in such a scene of temptation, in a role of both authority and intimacy among these vulnerable young women, has seduced writers and film-makers into fantasising about the erotic potential of the scenario. It is easy to imagine a libidinous red-haired priest exploiting the privileges of the cloth, in an institution that even 17th- and 18th-century visitors described with thinly veiled salaciousness. For the record, we know he had red hair, wore a habit and suffered from asthma, for which he was excused from having to recite mass. As to illicit affairs, we have nothing to go on.
A better documented trail leads to Vivaldi's muse, Anna Giro. In 1724, this promising young singer and her elder half-sister, acting as chaperone, moved in with Vivaldi. Anna first sang in one of Vivaldi's operas in 1726 and appeared in nearly all his operas after that. She was closely affiliated with him until the end of his life. Again, the titillating image of a "loose" priest comes up. In truth, this arrangement may not have been so shocking in an age in which priests traditionally maintained a life-long, live-in "perpetua" - a woman who dedicated her time to the priest as cook, house cleaner and general companion. But Anna held a special place in Vivaldi's heart; in opera after opera he wrote roles specifically for her, moulding the music to her particular vocal strengths and weaknesses. No other singer received such consistent attention and privilege from the composer. In 1738 Vivaldi was refused entrance to the city of Ferrara where his opera Farnace was to be performed. The city's new cardinal was making a moral point - his disapproval of a priest involved in the frivolities of the operatic world and living under the same roof as a female singer. But Vivaldi consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Vivaldi's natal chart is available at Astrodatabank HERE.
I note that his Sun was in Pisces, with Mercury, Mars and Neptune in Aquarius, Moon in Leo and Virgo rising. Those personal planets in Aquarius along with Neptune, ruler of his Sun might indicate a person not particularly bound by his era's customs, yet Virgo rising would indicate a certain meticulousness in his nature. It's a toss up, I think, whether he was really "saint or sinner". It matters little now, anyway - he did leave us some beautiful music.
Posted to YouTube by Melania Anghel, she added:
"Autumn" - "The Four Seasons" ANTONIO VIVALDI. On my channel you may also find "Spring", "Summer" and "Winter" similar videos by the same performing artists. This concert is played by John Harrison with the Wichita State University Chamber Players, music from Free Music. Archive .
ANTONIO VIVALDI "The Four Seasons" - This music was written earlier in 1727, came out in Amsterdam, Holland, "The ordeal of harmony and invention". "AUTUMN" Concerto N.3 in F Major Op.8, RV 293 is divided into three movements: cheerful, adagio, cheerful. Beautiful sound effects of the nature changing from warm to cold; I illustrated with colored red and yellow pictures in slide-show.
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