The Styles of Vivaldi and Haydn

The composers Antonio Vivaldi and Joseph Haydn are good examples of the styles of Baroque and Classical styles of Western classical music, respectively. In instrument comparison, Vivaldi’s style put an emphasis on music with solo instruments leading them, while Haydn composed work using ensembles. Regardless, both made major contributions to the sounds of their periods and beyond.

Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678 and died in Vienna in 1741. His father was a professional violinist and helped Vivaldi learn composition at a young age. He did not play wind instruments due to chronic asthma but had great skill as a violinist. It showed in his violin concertos, a form developed during the Romanticism of the Baroque period that concentrated on solo or multiple violins accompanied by an orchestra. Violin concertos her wrote encompassed most of the more than 500 concertos he wrote during his career. His famous Four Seasons concertos are a great example of the fast allegro work in his compositions (Vivaldi).

Joseph Haydn was born in Rohau, Austria in 1732 and died in Vienna in 1809. He left home at the age of six to learn music from Johann Franc as part of a choir. He left Franc’s tutelage when his voice changed due to puberty and became a freelance musician and teacher. Haydn’s main difference from Baroque composers was his symphonies, of which he wrote to a number well past one hundred. He also brought fame via the string quartet or the ensemble of four string players. A good example of this is his String Quartet in D minor, Op.103, where there are not only two violins but also a viola and cello for a deeper sound to accompany the violins (Haydn).

Both Haydn and Vivaldi are heralded for the influence they made during their time. Haydn brought to prominence the burgeoning symphony and was important to the development of the sonata. Vivaldi’s work still resonates in contemporary times, as his concertos are used in modern media like television and film. Regardless, both composers, despite their differences, remain as two of the great masters of classical music.

Works Cited

Haydn, Joseph. 1803. String Quartet in D minor, Op.103. Buchberger String Quartet. 2009. Web. 11 Oct 2013. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA

Vivaldi, Antonio. The Four Seasons.1723. Web. 11 Oct 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY5SJuw9jd