Publications of his works began appearing in 1705: trio sonatas, violin sonatas and concerto sets. He taught the violin there, organised services with music, composed and gave concerts. In the same year as his ordination, he was appointed to the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian convent for orphaned or illegitimate girls. His red hair earned him the nickname ‘il prete rosso’ (the red priest). He trained for the priesthood and was ordained in 1703. Vivaldi played the violin from an early age, probably taking lessons with his father. Vivaldi’s concertos became a model for his contemporaries, and the form was soon one of the most important in eighteenth century Europe. He introduced a range of new styles and techniques to string playing and consolidated one of its most important genres, the concerto. But his most important achievement was in his music for strings. He ignited transformations in music for the church, the opera house and the concert hall. Vivaldi’s influence on the development of Baroque music was immense.

Vivaldi most famous works