(c) Johannes Hloch Antonio Vivaldi, The Four Seasons at St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Vienna, Stephansdom — main
About the Event
In this performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons at St. Stephen's, listen to the gentle winds and violent thunderstorms, bird voices and the barking of a dog, the hunting and a farmer's dance that Vivalid draws on the scores! Vivaldi knew like no other how to create musical images that stimulate the imagination and captivate the audience.
Where would it be more fitting to perform Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' — a parable of living and dying — than in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral, where funeral services were also held after the composer's death in 1741? Vivaldi came to Vienna impoverished in 1740, hoping to enter the service of the emperor. He died only ten months later and was therefore buried in Vienna.
J. S. Bach's Violin Concerto in E major completes the programme, for which the composer took Vivaldi's concertos as his model. It therefore contains echoes of Vivaldi on the one hand, and Bach's unmistakable musical spirit with virtuoso solos on the other. The dialogue between the strings and the soloist creates an entertaining and airy concert experience that wonderfully rounds off Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
Practical Information
In categories 3 and 4 you do not have a view of the artists. Therefore, for an optimal concert experience, we recommend you to book a higher category.
Program
- Johann Sebastian Bach – Violinkonzert Nr. 2 in E‐Dur (BWV 1042)
- Antonio Vivaldi – Die vier Jahreszeiten (op. 8)
Artists
| Ensemble: | Harmonia Ensemble Wien |
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Stephansdom
The Stephansdom (St. Stephen´s Cathedral), constructed in the 12th century, is a Viennese landmark. The present-day building incorporates Romanesque and Gothic styles, and stands on the site of two earlier churches. 23 bells hang in the Stephansdom's towers - the most famous is called 'Pummerin', and is the second-biggest church bell in Europe. One highlight of the Stephansdom is its tiled roof, intricately ornamented in richly-colored mosaics that outline Vienna's coat of arms. Visitors can climb up the North or South Tower to take a closer look at the stunning roof and enjoy the view of the city. The cathedral's catacombs - the resting place of approximately 10000 souls - are another must-see. Classical music frequently adds to the magic of the Stephansdom, with those featuring the music of Vivaldi and Mozart attracting the largest crowds.
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi went down in history as a creator of the instrumental concert genre and the father of orchestral music. He was born in Venice on the 4th of March 1678. Vivaldi was a weak and sickly child suffering from asthma, however could not stop him from devoting himself completely to music. His father, Giovanni Batista a professional violinist, taught his elder son Antonio to play the violin. With his father young Antonio met the best musicians of Venice of that time and gave concerts in local churches. He also worked as a violin teacher and later as a music director at the orphanage Ospedalle della Pieta. Meanwhile he composed concertos, sacred works and vocal music and in 1713 he achieved great recognition with his sacred choral music. Vivaldi got captivated by the world of opera and worked both as opera composer and impresario at the Teatro San Angelo. In 1717 he obtained a prestigious position by the prince court in Manua as a director of secular music and worked there until around 1720. During that time he composed his world-renowned masterpiece The Four Seasons. In the 1730's his career dwindled as his music became unfashionable and the great composer died in poverty. It took the world two centuries to rediscover and reevaluate Vivaldi’s music, as it was buried into oblivion after his death. In the early 20th century many previously unknown works were found and immediately captured the hearts of the music lovers.
Address
Stephansdom, Stephansplatz 1 , Vienna, Austria — Google Maps
