Vivaldi is best known now for his concertos
and sonatas, but he was also an active composer of opera and sacred
vocal music.
Method of identification of works:
Works based on published sources
are idenftied by opus number and work number. Most do not have other
titles.
Overview of sources used:
Our encodings of Vivaldi are based on
new editions from early prints and manuscript sources. Prints are
identified by opus number. The numbering of works published in England
was occasionally changed from the original prints published in Italy
and Holland. We have adhered to the Italian/Dutch numbering system.
Reference catalogue:
Vivaldi's instrumental works are catalogued in Vol. 1
of Peter Ryom, Répertoire des Oeuvres d'Antonio Vivaldi
(Copenhagen: Engstrøm & S dring A.S., 1986). The designation for
this catalogue is RV (=Ryom Verzeichnis).
Work titles/numbers:
In general opus and work numbers are straightforward
in this repertory. Many of Vivaldi's works are known in variant
versions. The Ryom catalogue usually assigns separate numbers to these.
Thus the violin version of the concerto Op. 8, No. 9 is 236, while the
oboe version is RV 454.
Movement titles/numbers:
Apart from the "Four Seasons" (Op. 8, Nos. 1-4),
in which many movements have both tempo indications and program titles,
most of the description of movement titles and numbers in Vivaldi's
works is straightforward.
