Vivaldi: Essential Works for Beginners 

The second movement of the Lute Concerto in D Major, RV 93 is pretty famous for people picking up on Vivaldi.

Thanks. In such a list the 6 flute concertos opus 10 would be absolutely essential for me, specially nr.2 "La Notte".

My favorite Four Seasons is Pinnock’s first recording for CRD, and it was through that set (on the US Musical Heritage Society LPs), that I discovered the REST of the story, ie. The rest of Op. 8. Delightful music and every bit as tuneful as the first four. Also, as I’m a bassoon aficionado, I love his concertos for that instrument.

Excellent commentary. I have always had a soft spot for Vivaldi and recently purchased the Brilliant Classics set of complete Vivaldi in 66 CDs. Of course as you mention it's not really complete so I have more work to do, but what a joy this box is. Naturally, there may be many finer recordings of individual pieces, for example, I have several of the Four Seasons, and oddly one of my favorites is the recording of Gil Shaham with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, hardly a period instrument approach but nonetheless a thrill. A recent discovery is his oratorio Juditha Triumphans, which I heard performed live just last year, a marvelous piece.

Enjoyed the talk, Dave. Yes, it's unfortunate that some people in musical academia consider Vivaldi superficial, etc. I had a music professor who once said in class "If you like Vivaldi, you're probably shallow" 🙄 Sometime, I would love to hear you talk about the music of another Venetian, Giovanni Gabrieli. I think it would be interesting especially the transition from high Renaissance music to the early Baroque music, and how he used his music to create great spatial effects due to St Mark's in Venice, and in general I personally just love the rich brass combined with the vocal in Gabrieli's music. 🙂 Thanks again for all the videos you put out. Best regards

Yay A Vivaldi video. Can’t believe his music wasn’t discovered until WWI. After his death he still was pretty known. Haydn when he was a very young kid is believed to have attended and sang at Vivaldis funeral. He died in Vienna and was buried at St Stephen’s Cathedral and as we know Haydn was in the choir. Mozart discovered and played his music when he visited Italy and even Thomas Jefferson who was a violinist himself played Vivaldi a lot but after that Vivaldi’s music was long forgotten and it’s sad because Vivaldi was very influential and beautiful but now he is one of the most iconic composers of all time.

Thanks Dave, Great summary - I know the Opus 8 and the Gloria and will check out the others. In Venice, where they play their native son endlessly (fair enough) in restaurants etc., it's always The 4 Seasons. "But there's so much more" I think. They should listen to you!

Back when I was a college student, I discovered Vivaldi not through the Seasons but an lp on Nonesuch with concertos for guitar and strings in C and D Major, plus concerto for 2 horns. I knew hard-core rock fans who had this record and no other classical. I still keep the disc. I may be wrong, but I think the guitar ctos were used in "The Paper Chase." OTH, I love much Baroque opera, especially every Handel, but I've never cottoned to Vivaldi's operatic output. The ones I've heard seem mechanical and without depth. Professional craft work but not a lot more.

Harnoncourt's The Four Seasons with Concentus Musicus Wien was a revelation to shake the taint of elevator treatments (and William Orbit's). I was glad to discover this recently thanks to you and ClassicsToday. It's one instance where a different approach served the work well and has me going back and listening to other recordings with fresh ears. I can't think of a better example of where my mind changed about a composer, or where damage was undone. I'm looking forward to following up on your suggestions and those in the comments.

As I work my way through Herreweghe's dee-lightful 17 CD set, I find really useful (in terms of the repetitiveness question) your likening Bach's 200 cantatas with Vivaldi's 500 concertos. That said, I waver interminably trying to decide whether Pinnock's 7 CD set is enough Vivaldi concertos or do I embrace Scimone's 16 CD set, which I like on the whole for its idiomatic warmth. I mean, so many of V's slow movements seem little more than a succession of not very interesting arpeggiated chords. Keep on listening?

I listened to this video this morning and have had a fun afternoon listening to the concertos for different instruments. I know there are thousands of recordings of the Four Seasons and have watched Dave's video about the recording history of the Four Seasons which closes with his favorite recording. Seems harder to find recordings of the full Op. 8 and I didn't find any on ClassicsToday. Does anyone have a recording recommendation for the full Op. 8 ?