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Anna Maria couldn't remember much of her childhood before the age of eight, when she took musical lessons with her best friends. Her life was very difficult-she was an orphan, abandoned as a baby at the Ospedale della Pieta, branded and named, as were all of the girls residing there. Her fate was better than most, as unwanted girl babies were usually left to drown in the Grand Canal in Venice. As she grew older, she worked at the orphanage and continued with her lessons. But one day a new teacher arrived-his name was Antonio Vivaldi, and he made his violin sing. Anna Maria heard colors emerge from his instrument and did her best to emulate him. She also stole some parchment, ink and a quill to capture, in musical notes, some of the colors that she saw and heard in her head. When this was discovered she was punished-women in the 1700's were not composers. But Vivaldi recognized her talent and encouraged it, to the point where they began to compose together, and he used her ideas in his compositions. She auditioned and was accepted into the figlie de coro, the musical group of orphans who were the greatest musicians in Venice, as their youngest member. Her virtuosity was applauded and she soon became the first violinist but she wanted more-specifically for Vivaldi to acknowledge that she composed the music for which he was becoming famous. But, of course, that would never happen...or would it?
I have always enjoyed listening to Vivaldi's music, especially The Four Seasons. This novel gave me second thoughts, painting him as a limited composer who mined female talent and took advantage of their limitations to feather his undeserved sterling reputation. In the author's notes, I found that, although her life wasn't well documented, Anna Maria did exist, was a musical phenomenon, and might have helped or inspired Vivaldi to write The Four Seasons. This is the tale of a musician who cannot settle for anything less than everything she can get...and she is to be cheered on for that.
Reviewed by Donna Ballard
Publication date - August 20, 2024
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