Arcangelo Corelli
b Fusignano, 1653; d Rome, 1713 |
Corelli was a very innovative figure, and a stunning violinist.
He also the first composer to owe his reputation (mostly) to music publishing,
and the first to produce classic instrumental works which were
admired and studied long after their idiom became outmoded. |
Trio sonata Op1 |
7 |
Giovanni Battista Draghi
b ?Rimini, c1640; bur. London, 1708 |
He is perhaps the musician that Sir Bernard Gascoigne, the English Resident
in Venice, sent to London in 1664; he proved to be 'learned, and Civill;
Civility being no vere ordinarye quality of a Musicien, but Preyde'. On 12
February 1667 Pepys heard him sing from memory an act of an Italian opera; Draghi had
originally come to England to join an Italian opera troupe. Draghi was particularly
admired as a keyboard player. John Evelyn heard him on 25 July 1684 and thought
'few if any in Europe' exceeded him. |
Sonata |
9 |
Henry Purcell
b ?Westminster, London,1659; d Westminster, London, 1695
|
He was one of the most important 17th-century composers and
one of the greatest of all English composers. Purcell followed in his
father's footsteps and became a musicians in the Royal household. One of his
most endearing and well-loved works heard often today, is the small-scale
opera which he wrote for a girls school, called 'Dido and Aenaes' |
Sonata in 3 parts |
7 |
Nicola Matteis
b Naples; d Colkirk, Norfolk, after 1713 |
Italian violinist, guitarist and composer. He was resident in England;
it seems that he arrived there in about 1670. According to Roger North
'his circumstances were low, and it was say’d that he travelled thro’
Germany on foot with his violin under a full coat at his back'.
He must have been living virtually unnoticed in London for some years
by the time John Evelyn first heard him play at a private music
meeting in November 1674. Evelyn’s reaction was one of amazement. |
sonata for solo violin |
5 |
Giuseppe Tartini
b Pirano, Istria [now Piran, Istra, Slovenia],1692; d Padua,1770 |
Tartini was one of the great virtuoso violinists of his age, and attracted
students from all over Europe. He was also however, a notable composer and theorist,
and discovered the phenomenen called the 'Tartini tone' which is a sympathetic
vibration of the strings when thirds are played perfectly in tune on the violin.
Tartini's musical style tends to the pre-classical, and his works remained in the
violinists repertory well into the 19th century. |
Devil's trill sonata. |
10 |
Antonio Vivaldi
b Venice,1678; d Vienna, 1741 |
Italian composer. The most original and influential Italian composer
of his generation, he laid the foundations for the mature Baroque concerto.
His contributions to musical style, violin technique and the practice of
orchestration were substantial, and with his ever-popular set of 4 violin concerti
'The Four Seasons', he was a pioneer of orchestral programme music.
|
Trio sonata 'La Folia' |
6 |
