Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), the red-haired Venetian priest known as "the Red Priest", was one of the most inventive composers of the Baroque era. He wrote around 500 concertos, but none more beloved than The Four Seasons — four violin concertos that paint birdsong, storms, ice and harvest with astonishing vividness. A virtuoso violinist and teacher, Vivaldi influenced Bach himself. Performed live, the drama and colour of his music feel as fresh as the day they were written.