Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli

Compare to posthumous engraving by James Cole (b 1715 d 1774)

Source: Bach Cantatas

Born on 17 Feb 1653 in Fusignano in the Duchy of Ferrara, Arcangelo Corelli continued the baroque in Italy at a time when mastery in baroque composition began its transition from Italy to northern Europe. Corelli played a major role in this, visiting patrons in both Germany and France though centered in Rome. Both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel later studied his work, his concerti grossi in particular. In the meantime Corelli's love of violin kept Italy in the business of baroque. Leaving behind about sixty sonatas, though his chamber works are surely notable, they are his twelve concerti grossi which made the concerto grosso to the latter baroque what the symphony would be to the classical period. The six opuses by which he is known correspond to published books of twelve works each. Though this totals only seventy-two works of which sixty are sonatas, the latter were reprinted numerously, indicating huge popularity.

Stacking herein is by Opus which is chronological by publishing dates but not necessarily composition. At least some if not all of Corelli's Opus 6 of concerti grossi was authored in the early eighties though not published until posthumously in 1714. Listed chronologically Op 6 would fall circa 1682 following his Op 1 when performances of it may have been heard by George Moffat [Fleming / Krček / Johan van Veen]. Corelli was preparing 'Op 6' for publication at the time of his death so his last works in 1712 may have revisions of earlier compositions. Progress below otherwise glances at each to whom Corelli dedicated his five volumes of sonatas and one of concerti grossi, embroidered with golden frames as they were among the wealthiest and most influential in Europe whether of nobility or the Roman Church.

Corelli came from a family that had been purchasing land since the early 16th century so, though not nobles, the clan was prosperous. He is thought to have studied in Faenza and Luga before turning up in Bologna in 1666 at age thirteen to pursue the violin. He became a student at the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna in 1670 at age seventeen. Bach Cantatas has him Paris at age nineteen, possibly to Germany from there before arriving in Rome in 1675. Though that he ever went to Germany at all wants enough evidence to call certain, travels to Germany on later dates are suggested. Patrons in Germany would help explain the dedications of his last two books to both an Electress and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.

Corelli enjoyed a stellar career composing and performing for some of Europe's highest-ranking personalities, such as Queen Kristina (b 1626 d 1689) of Sweden, foremost patroness of the arts exiled from Sweden at age 28 (1655). Christina had inherited the throne upon the death of her father in 1632. She had been an unpopular queen since the beginning of her reign in 1644 at age eighteen, coronation in 1650 at age 23, due to extravagance with royal assets. She gave away lands as like they were fantasies, doubling the number of nobles in Sweden from 300 to 600 in the ten years of her sway. She commissioned paintings, attended theatre and included philosopher, René Descartes, in curiosities intellectual in which she invested considerable industry to educate herself. Christina's abdication from her throne was attended by her conversion from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism in 1654 and her intention to never marry. Succeeded by her cousin, Charles Gustav, her arrival to Rome made her the darling of the Papacy. Taking up apartments at the Palazzo Farnese of the Duke of Parma in 1656, she there founded what would become the Pontificia Accademia degli Arcadi in 1690 the year after her death in 1689. Corelli dedicated his 1681 'Op 1' of twelve trio sonatas to Christina.

Kristina while Queen of Sweden 1632-1654/p>

Portrait by Sébastien Bourdon

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Opus 1   12 trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Giovanni Angelo Mutij in Rome 1681   Dedicated to Queen Christina

For 2 violins & violone or archlute w continuo (organ)

Musica Amphion / Pieter-Jan Belder

Corelli dedicated his 1685 'Op 2' of twelve trio sonatas to Cardinal Pamphili (b 1653 d 1730) for whom he had first performed in 1676 and would become employed again in 1687. Pamphili was a member of Christina's Academy of Arcadia and a major patron of the arts who himself wrote the libretti of numerous operas.

Cardinal Pamphili

Unknown

Source: Wikipedia

Opus 2   1-8 of 12 trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Giovanni Angelo Mutij in Rome 1685   Dedicated to Cardinal Pamphili

For 2 violins & violone w continuo

Musica Amphion / Pieter-Jan Belder

Corelli's 'Op 3' of 12 sonatas in 1689 was dedicated to Francesco II d'Este, Duke of Modena (b 1660 d 1694) whom he was visiting at the time. Francesco II was subject to Louis XIV, Sun King of France, but did pretty much as he liked. He was himself a violinist who had purchased the collected manuscripts of Alessandro Stradella upon the latter's untimely death in 1682, acquired from Stradella's underage son.

Francesco II d'Este / Duke of Modena

Unknown  Compare to 1690 engraving by Isabella Piccini

Source: Wikipedia

Opus 3   No.1 of 12 trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Giacomo Komarek in Rome 1689   Dedicated to Francesco II d'Este

For 2 violins & violone or archlute w continuo (organ)

Musica Amphion / Pieter-Jan Belder

Corelli's 'Op 4' of twelve trio sonatas in 1694 was dedicated to Cardinal Ottoboni (b 1667 d 1740) with whom he'd become employed in 1690 upon the Pamphili's relocation to Bologna. Like Pamphili, Ottoboni was a member of Christina's Academy of Arcadia, exceeded himself as a patron of the arts and wrote libretti for oratorios as well as texts for cantatas.

Cardinal Ottoboni

Francesco Trevisani c 1689

Source: Wikipedia

Opus 4   No.5 of 12 trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Giacomo Komarek in Rome 1694   Dedicated to Cardinal Ottoboni

For 2 violins & violone or continuo

Chatham Baroque et al at Synod Hall in Pittsburgh PA   5 October 2013

The twelve sonatas which make up Corelli's 'Op 5' of 1 January 1700 went to Sophia Charlotte, Electress of Brandenburg (b 1668 d 1705). Sophia was Queen consort of Prussia, married to Frederick I, and a patroness in architecture and music who herself played the harpsichord and corresponded with philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. See Elector of the Holy Roman Empire as was Frederick I. A king of Prussia at this time was the equivalent of a duke within the greater empire. The Holy Roman Empire had been protecting the interests of Roman Popes in northern Europe ever since Charlemagne in 800 AD, gradually shifting from regions French to Germanic in the next few centuries. Whether Catholic or Protestant, when it came to continental Europe there was Roman Catholic from Spain to Venice, and then there was France making certain it remained its own.

Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

Godfrey Kneller sometime 1690-1705

Source: Wikipedia

Opus 5   No.7 of 12 violin sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Gasparo Pietra Santa in Rome 1700   Dedicated to Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

For violin & violone or cimbalo (type of harpsichord)

Double bass: Francesco Tesei

Opus 5   Part 1 of No.12 of 12 violin sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Gasparo Pietra Santa in Rome 1700   Dedicated to Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

For violin & violone or cimbalo (type of harpsichord)

The Trio Sonnerie w Nigel North

Opus 5   Part 2 of No.12 of 12 violin sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Gasparo Pietra Santa in Rome 1700   Dedicated to Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

For violin & violone or cimbalo (type of harpsichord)

The Trio Sonnerie w Nigel North

Corelli's 'Op 6' of twelve concerti grossi was published posthumously in 1714 although at least some of it may have been heard in performance as early as 1682 by George Muffat [Fleming / Krček / Johan van Veen]. If Corelli was preparing 'Op 6' for publication at the time of his death then revisions were possibly his final works. This book was dedicated to Elector Palatine, Johann Wilhelm II (b 1658 d 1716), a powerful count of the Rhine region. Johann enjoyed incrementally increasing prosperity along the way of which he was a lavish patron of architecture and art, particularly Rubens. See Elector Palatine of the Holy Roman Empire.

Johann Wilhelm II / Elector Palatine

Jan Frans van Douven   c 1715

Compare to painting of Corelli by Jan Frans van Douven

Source: Wikipedia

Opus 6   12 concerti grossi by Arcangelo Corelli

Pub by Estienne Roger in Amsterdam 1714   Dedicated to Johann Wilhelm II

For 2 violins & cello w string orchestra & continuo

Europa Galante / Fabio Biondi

Corelli died in Rome on 8 January 1713 holding a considerable wealth of about 120,000 marks in an estate including collections of art and fine violins.