The Baroque in Italy: Between 1600 and 1750 the courts and churches employed composers who they regarded a little higher than servants. These composers were expected to write and perform music for any desired occasions. Some of the composers broke a new musical ground by creating an entirely new style of music known today as the Baroque Music. The instrumental concerto became the most popular form of music. Antonio Vivaldi is considered to be one of the best composers of concertos for the violin as he was also a virtuoso violin player. 

According to the legend, at that time in Italy, when a very good composer’s music was introduced to you for the first time, you could make a bird sing if you played that music to the best of your ability. If you tried really hard, you might even hear a whole choir of birds tuning to the beat of your playing. Although it is only a fairy tale, it made a lot of students practice their music a whole lot more than they would otherwise.

“Mr. Vivaldi’s Magical Mystery” is a story based on this idea. Antonio Vivaldi is the composer of almost all of the music we are about to hear. Once in a while we will hear the String Orchestra. It consists mostly of string instruments such as violins, violas and cellos. Very often the Harpsichord is used with the orchestra. It also belongs to the family of string instruments. It comes with a keyboard and a set of picks. Another string instrument occasionally added to the orchestra is the Acoustic Guitar. It is usually strummed or finger picked. The acoustic guitar comes with a fretted neck and a hollow body shaped like a pear. Sometimes an extra instrument that does not belong to the string family is added to the orchestra. It can be a trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, flute, or piccolo.

The last two questions of this test address your music listening recognition skills. 
Please, read questions #22 and #23 first. In order to answer question #22 correctly, you need to keep a separate count for every appearance of the String Orchestra. The same procedure is needed to recognize the music of a single instrument (question #23.) That can be any kind of instrument such as a single guitar, a single flute, or a single violin. There will be many different sounds. Some of them will come and go very quickly, others will stay on for a longer time. It is also a good idea to keep track of the sound effects. This will help you to separate the instrumental music from the sounds of nature. Please, find a free space on your SCANTRON form and check mark whenever you hear any new music. Remember to always listen for these three categories:

* String Orchestra
* Single Instrument
* Sound Effects

Vivaldi Magical Mystery - Story

Vivaldi Magical Mystery - Part 2

Vivaldi Magical Mystery - Part 1

“How Well Did You Read?” 
To be used with the Composer Monthly Newsletter Vol. III # 1
Q. Listen to the story and music of Antonio Vivaldi and jolt down 5 interesting facts from his life. Include at least 2 facts from the time of his childhood.
1. Who borrowed some of Antonio Vivaldi’s melodies to write their music? 
2. Which city is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Italy?
3. What were Antonio Vivaldi’s three different jobs?
4. What was St. Mark’s Cathedral known for?
5. What school was Antonio Vivaldi sent to?
6. What was Antonio Vivaldi’s illness?
7. Up to what year was Antonio Vivaldi’s music hardly known?
8. * Who re-discovered Vivaldi’s music and made it popular again?
9. What did Antonio Vivaldi’s father do to make him interested in music? 
10. How fast are the three different movements of a typical Concerto?
11. Which of Vivaldi’s compositions brings to mind the sounds of nature? 
2.* Name at least two other Italian composers of the Baroque music.
(* = Not found in the newsletter. Please research elsewhere.)

Word Detective
1. A beautiful Italian city built around water [V____]
2. Antonio Vivaldi’s nickname [R__P__]
3. Vivaldi was not allowed to enter this city [F____]
4. Vivaldi found a new publishing house in this city [A____]
5. This was the next city Vivaldi wanted to visit [P____]

Music Education