Various Composers - Italian Concerti Grossi

Information

• Arcangelo Corelli - Concertos Nos. 1–7
• Pietro Antonio Locatelli - Concerti grossi, Op. 1
• Alessandro Scarlatti - Concerti grossi, sinfonias Nos. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 & 12
• Francesco Geminiani - Concerti grossi, Op. 2

Musica Amphion

Ensemble Violini Capricciosi

Capella Tiberina

L'Archicembalo

Compilation: 2026

Label: Brilliant Classics

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Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) was an influential Italian violinist and composer who played a pivotal role in shaping Baroque violin technique and establishing the concerto grosso as a major musical form. Educated in Faenza, Lugo, and Bologna, he became a member of the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna before settling in Rome, where he built a distinguished career as a performer, conductor, and composer. Corelli held prominent posts at San Luigi dei Francesi and served influential patrons including Queen Christina of Sweden and Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. His published works, notably Opp. 1–5 and the posthumous Op. 6 Concerti Grossi, profoundly influenced European instrumental music.

Pietro Locatelli (1695–1764) was an Italian violinist and composer renowned for advancing violin virtuosity and expanding the instrument’s technical possibilities. Born in Bergamo in the Republic of Venice and later active in Amsterdam, he became one of the earliest exponents of highly elaborate, technically demanding performance for its own artistic sake. His most celebrated work, L’Arte del violino, comprises twelve violin concerti accompanied by twenty-four optional capriccios for solo violin, which significantly influenced the development of advanced violin technique. Locatelli’s innovations helped lay the groundwork for later virtuoso traditions in European instrumental music.

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725) was a leading Italian composer of operas and sacred music whose work shaped the development of late Baroque style. After early success in Rome under the patronage of Queen Christina of Sweden, he became maestro di cappella at the Neapolitan court, composing extensively for both stage and church. He later served Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni in Rome and held additional prestigious appointments. Scarlatti wrote more than 115 operas, numerous serenades, masses, and over 600 chamber cantatas. He established the three-part Italian overture, a precursor to the classical symphony, and was renowned for his expressive chromatic harmony and innovative orchestration.

Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, and influential writer on musical performance. A pupil of Arcangelo Corelli, he gained prominence in England as a brilliant performer and composer. His Opus 1 violin sonatas (1716), noted for their technical demands, were widely praised and compared to Corelli’s works. Geminiani also achieved lasting success with his concerti grossi, particularly Opp. 2 and 3, which remained in the English repertory for decades. His theoretical treatise The Art of Playing on the Violin (1751) significantly shaped Baroque performance practice and continues to serve as a valuable historical resource.