Venice at the beginning of the eighteenth century was a colorful, glamorous center of artistic activity. Although declining in political power and suffering from a poor economy, it still attracted many travelers, especially musicians. People sang on the streets and on the lagoons. Gondoliers sang their own brand of popular song. Music was heard around every street comer. Opera theaters were everywhere: Venice never had less than six which altogether played 34 weeks in the year and boasted at least ten new operas a year. Venice hosted more festivals than anywhere else, all full of musical activity The center of religious life, St. Marks chapel, was filled with the music of the greatest Italian composers, and the city was known as a major center of music printing, particularly that of religious music.

It was into this musical Mecca of the early eighteenth century that Antonio Vivaldi was born. His father, Giovanni Battista, was a violinist and employed at St. Marks chapel under the name of 'Rossi'. This name perhaps suggests the obvious and pronounced red hair so characteristic of the family and which would later earn Antonio the nickname, 'il prete rosso' (the red priest). Antonio was baptized on the day of his birth, when a great earthquake shook the city, because the midwife feared for his life.. Soon after, Antonio began showing signs of what he would refer to as 'strettezza di petto’ or asthma and angina pectoris. This condition remained with him throughout his life but never stopped him from travel or living a full and industrious life.

Vivaldi began his studies of the violin at an early age and soon after mastered the harpsichord as well. Yet his interests in music were but a part of his charismatic personality. Drawn to religion, Vivaldi entered the priesthood, trained by the Fathers of St. Geniniano. This venture lasted only briefly, for soon after his ordination in 1703 he ceased to say Mass for good. Yet Vivaldi remained at least outwardly pious. The inscription 'Laus Deo' appears frequently in his manuscripts.

In 1703 Vivaldi obtained his first official post as maestro di violino at the Pio Ospeadale della Pieta, one of four Venetian institutions devoted to the care of orphaned, abandoned and indigent girls and specialized in the musical training of those who showed promise. Services at the Pieta were a focal point in the social calendar of the Venetian nobility and visiting dignitaries. Therefore it was essential to have competent and well rehearsed young singers and players. A traveler, Charles de Brosses, wrote of the Pieta:

"They are reared at public expense and trained solely to excel in music. And so they sing like angels, and play the violin, flute, organ and violoncello, bassoon....Each concert is given by about forty girls. I assure you there is nothing so charming as to see young pretty girls in white robes with a bouquet of pomegranate flowers in her hair, leading the orchestra and beating time with all the precision imaginable."

Vivaldi wrote only 25 sonatas for Violin and continuo which, like all sonatas for the Baroque, follow a standard four movement model. While most sonatas followed the standard Slow-Fast-Slow-Fast or Fast-Slow-Fast-Slow organization, Vivaldi follows a slightly different arrangement. The First movement and Second movements are marked Allegro, the Third movement Adagio and the Final Fourth movement is marked Allegro.