The German patrician von Uffenbach, during a visit to Venice in 1715, met with Vivaldi and ordered from him '10 concerti grossi'. Three days later, the composer reappeared with all of the requested music, assuring his patron that it had been expressly composed for him. Vivaldi was unquestionably a very quick composer, but he was also a barefaced and extremely capable promoter of his own talents. The collection of twelve concertos for strings, now preserved in Paris, also has all the earmarks of having been a rapidly and cleverly assembled series of previously composed works, with very little new music added. This same modus operandi would mark the genesis of op. 10 and many other collections by Vivaldi. But Vivaldi is an excellent composer, and like a great actor, he succeeds in taking on the appearance of a character by merely donning a hat or imitating a gesture.

Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 10, RV 121
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 11, RV 150
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 12, RV 159
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 2, RV 133
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 3, RV 119
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 4, RV 136
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 5, RV 114
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 6, RV 154
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 7, RV 160
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 8, RV 127
Vivaldi: Concerto for strings No. 9, RV 164
Vivaldi: Concerto in G minor RV157