'Winter' in Venice

Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678, he is recognised as one of the greatest Baroque composers with one of his works being a series of violin concertos - The Four Seasons.

The reputation of baroque Venice as a musical centre was due largely to its four conservatories of music. The conservatories were origionally established as charitable orphanages for illegitimate or orphaned girls whose parents could not support them. The girls were brought up at the State's expense and trained exclusively in music.

Although they were often referred to as "orphanages", these Ospedali were in fact homes for the female offspring of noblemen and their numerous dalliances with their mistresses. They were thus well endowed by the "anonymous" fathers, their furnishings were opulent, the young ladies were well looked after, and the musical standards were among the highest in Venice. By the early 1700s their musical excellence was unrivalled throughout Europe. Vivaldi spent a great deal of his working life employed by the Ospedale della Pieta, which was regarded as the best of the four ospedali.

• Baroque Period: Approximately 1600 - 1750 saw the loosening of the Church’s political control of Europe which meant that non-religious music could now flourish, in particular instrumental music.

• Ospedale della Pieta: The conservatory where Vivaldi taught music can be visited just a few minutes walk from Piazza San Marco on the Riva degli Schiavoni beside the Metropole Hotel.

• The Venetian Centre for Baroque Music: This website has a great deal of information and lists some of the many Baroque concerts happening in Venice during the year.

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