Donemus Webwinkel — Caldara, Antonio

Together with George Friderick Handel and Alessandro Scarlatti, one of the most prolific composers in the baroque period is Antonio Caldara (1670-1736).Caldara was born in Venice in 1670 as a son of a cello player. He entered the choir of St. Mark’s (San Marco) in Venice in 1681. There he studied music with his chorus master Legrenzi. He learned to play a cello as well. From 1693 his first compositions were published: Trio Sonatas.

In 1699 Caldara was contracted by the Duke Ferdinando Carlo di Gonzaga-Nevers of Mantua, were he became Maestro di Cappella. There he composed several operas too. In the years following 1705 - when his oratorio Il Martirio di Santa Caterina appeared - he travelled a lot through Italy and abroad. In 1708 he got a contract in Barcelona for the court of Archduke Carlos IV. Here a series of
operas were composed. He worked as Maestro di Cappella in Rome, Milano, Vienna, where he worked with Johann Joseph Fux until his death in 1736.
Caldara composed about 100 operas, 43 oratorios, several cantatas, masses, madrigals and canons. Though he had an enormous production, his music is never repetitive and boring, always versatile and inspired.

Cees Wagemakers, 2015