Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian violinist, conductor, teacher, and composer born on March 4, 1678 (7 years before J.S. Bach was born). He was nicknamed the Red Priest because he was ordained while in his early twenties (though he almost never served as such) and he had reddish hair. He wrote over 500 concerti (approximately 350 of these are for solo instrument and strings, and of these about 230 are for violin; the others are for bassoon, cello, oboe, flute, viola d'amore, recorder, lute, and mandolin. Approximately 40 concerti are for two instruments and strings, and approximately 30 are for three or more instruments and strings), 46 operas, 73 sonatas, lots of chamber music, and lots of sacred music. His most famous work is The Four Seasons, written in 1723 and premiered in Paris on February 7, 1728. Vivaldi died (in Vienna) on July 28, 1741, at age 63.  It has been said that he made much money but squandered it and died a pauper. (Bach would live another nine years.)