Anna Maria della Pietà

Anna Maria della Pietà (c.1696 – 10 August 1782), was an Italian violinist, composer and teacher based in the Venetian orphanage Ospedale della Pietà.

Anna Maria
Bornc.1696
Died10 August 1782
Venice
NationalityItalian
Alma materOspedale della Pietà

Biography

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Her exact date of birth is unknown because Anna Maria was an orphan at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. The orphanage was established to raise girls who would be useful to society. Babies would be dropped off through a secret opening barely large enough for them, first created in 1696. She was called Anna Maria, though later known as Anna Maria dal Violin and Anna Maria della Pietà. By the time she was eight her musical prowess had brought her to the attention of the heads of the school. She was taught the violin by the school music director Antonio Vivaldi.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

She in turn taught Chiara della Pietà and Santa della Pietà. Many of the concertos written by Antonio Vivaldi were written especially for her. Anna Maria remained at the orphanage her whole life. Her music brought tourists to hear the orchestra and her play. An anonymous poet wrote that when she played countless angels dare to hover near. In 1720, at the age of 24, she was dubbed "Maestra", by 1737 Anna Maria had attained the leadership posts of maestra di violino and maestra di coro. Anna Maria also played the cello, oboe, lute, mandolin, harpsichord, viola d'amore. Anna Maria composed music and performed publicly for more than 60 years. She died of a fever and cough in Venice on 10 August 1782.[1][2][3][6][5][7][4][8][9]

References and sources

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  1. ^ a b Walker, Karla (2015-03-28). "Vivaldi's lesser-known legacy: Female violin virtuosos of 18th century Venice". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  2. ^ a b "Vivaldi and the Ospedale della Pietà". Explore Classical Music. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  3. ^ a b Schweitzer, Vivien (2008-06-06). "Vivaldi Set Tongues Wagging With His Music and Muses". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  4. ^ a b Berdes, Jane L. (2004). "Della Pietà, Santa". Oxford Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.54018.
  5. ^ a b Talbot, Michael (2001). "Anna Maria". Oxford Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.52217. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.
  6. ^ a b Pullinger, Mark (2019-02-08). "Stormy passions: The Red Priest and his Muses". by Bachtrack for classical music, opera, ballet and dance event reviews. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  7. ^ a b Rosand, Ellen (2001). "Vivaldi's Stage". Journal of Musicology. 18 (1): 8–30. doi:10.1525/jm.2001.18.1.8. JSTOR 10.1525/jm.2001.18.1.8.
  8. ^ a b Tonelli, Vanessa M. (2013). Women and Music in the Venetian Ospedali (M.A. thesis). Michigan State University.
  9. ^ a b "Anna Maria della Pietà". Mundoclasico.com (in Spanish).