Once Vivaldi’s controversial date of birth had been established with certainty—he was born in Venice on March 4, 1678—historians progressively reconstituted his eventful career. It quickly appeared that it was closely linked to that of his father, Giovanni Battista, a well-known violinist who was mentioned as sonador on Antonio’s baptism certificate. The elder Vivaldi, nicknamed Rossi (Red), because of the unique color of his hair, seems to have planned and organized his brilliant son’s career, and, throughout his entire life, was his promoter, assistant, guide and companion. A founding member, with Antonio Lotti, of the Sovvegno de’ musicisti di Santa Cecilia, a guild of Venetian musicians, Giovanni Battista was also a violinist in the orchestra of the San Marco Basilica and in the orchestra of the prestigious Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo. His entire career, from the possible composition in 1688 of an opera entitled La fedeltà sfortunata to his being named as maestro d’ istrumenti at the Ospedale dei mendicati, seems to have been one long trial run for his son’s career. Antonio’s entry into musical life was marked by four major stages, all of which were dominated by his father.

The first stage involved his acquisition of a brilliant reputation across Europe for his instrumental music. This began shortly after firstly the Venetian publisher Sala, then the prestigious Dutch publisher Roger, printed two opuses of violin sonatas and two revolutionary collections of violin concertos, Estro armonico in 1711, followed by La Stravaganza in 1714. Vivaldi’s innovative works, which sublimated and surpassed the innovations of Torelli and Albinoni, ensured him phenomenal success that led to the immediate publication of these two opuses in London and Paris. Vivaldi’s reputation also traveled to Germany, where Bach discovered him, admired him, transcribed his concertos and took great inspiration from his instrumental compositions.