Vivaldi: Voice of the Baroque

by H.C. Robbins Landon

Book Overview

Vivaldi boasted that he could compose a concerto faster than a scribe could copy one. Despite his prolificacy, The Four Seasons, and the majority of his already published work had fallen into obscurity by the time of his death in poverty in 1741. Most of his music-concertos, sonatas, operas, and sacral music-has been published only recently.

Very little has been written on Vivaldi for the nonspecialist, especially in English. Landon...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226468429
• ISBN13: 9780226468426
• Release Date: August 1996
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Lively and informative

Landon's lively biography is by far the most entertaining and readable of the scholarly works on Vivaldi. Filled with colorful anecdotal stories about Vivaldi's fascinating, and in some ways enigmatic life, this book is fun to read as well as informative. There are also excellent translations of many of Vivaldi's letters and an extremely helpful list of appendices, including a schedule of Vivaldi's opera productions. Perhaps best of all are the many sparkling descriptions of Vivaldi's music. Except for the operas, which are not covered in much depth, Landon brings to life the full spectrum of Vivaldi's brilliant and prolific musical output. Landon's book is a joy to read, rich with absorbing details about Vivaldi's life and music, and should be on the bookshelf of every serious Vivaldi enthusiast. Sarah Bruce Kelly Author of THE RED PRIEST'S ANNINA

A splendid palimpsest of Vivaldi's life

Antonio Vivaldi's life is hardly well documented: certainly not as well as Mozart's or Beethoven's. Even Bach's biographical details, scarcely thorough, are significantly greater than the "Red Priest's". Vivaldi's music and reputation nearly disappeared following his death, along with a substantial number of his manuscripts and the day-to-day details of his sui generis career. His resurrection as a composer and the dogged efforts of musicologists have provided at least the rough outlines of a biography. H. C. Robbins Landon, whom some consider Joseph Haydn's alter ego, has written an excellent biography of Vivaldi, managing to provide the details of his life in only 170 pages (including illustrations). Hardly a voluminous tome, there just isn't much day-to-day knowledge available, and what is known must often be teased out of official documents that are still coming to light. What Robbins Landon reveals about Vivaldi, especially in his few surviving letters to the nobility or the inevitable dedications to his various noble patrons, is painful. Cringing obsequiousness, fawning servility, even an occasional whining sycophancy when things go wrong and Vivaldi pleads to a patron for assistance, are all prominently displayed. This was coin of the realm for the era: the artist as flotsam in a hierarchical world. It is painful to witness, nevertheless. What is also revealed is a certain wolfishness on Vivaldi's part. His strange and lengthy menage with the attractive and moderately talented Giraud sisters, slightly unusual for a Priest. His peculiar working habits and relationships with other artists. His somewhat craven demeanor throughout his compositional career, finally inducing him to abandon Italy for Vienna at the end. This portrait of Vivaldi seems more enigmatic and his biography more of a palimpsest than the usual life story. Given the data, Robbins Landon does a superb job of at least revealing Vivaldi's milieu, picturing beautiful Venice during that era and outlining the splendid music this peculiar man created. For it is ultimately the music, and only the music, that contains the blood and heart and sinew of this marvelous composer. Mike Birman

Viva Vivaldi!

There are not many biographies about Vivaldi because, unfortunately, only a scetch of his life is known. This biography is probably the best contemporary book on him. It is not only a good synopsis of his life but it also has very good insights on his life and music. Landon's insights are especially good when he comments on specific works of Vivaldi. Vivaldi is rightly known as a master concerto composor. However, his voluminous output also included other genre, notably many beautiful operas and sacred works. Landon does a fine job in his book of commenting on these works also and proposing that, epsecially the sacred works, need to be better appreciated and popularized. As a Vivaldi buff (and there are very few of us) I highly recommend this book.

A Baroque favourite!!

If you love baroque music and are a fan of Vivaldi you will enjoy this book! H.C. Robbins Landon has really shown alot of research in this book and gives you details about Vivaldi's work and place in society. When I read the book I was amazed at the documents and letters written by Vivaldi. The illustrations provided in this text gave me a clearer insight as to how things were like in 18th century Italy.Also when I was read this book I now have more respect for Vivaldi's work. The amount of work he did when he was alive was amazing.(Basically, he was a workaholic!). I am glad that his works have not been neglected and are now preserved. Bravo Landon for showing us that there is more to Vivaldi than just the 4 seasons!

A superb Vivaldi's biography

A superbly written and thoroughly researched book. I found the language superb.