Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcangelo_Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arcangelo Corelli (/krli/;[1] 17 February 1653 8 January

1713) was an Italian violinist and composer of the Baroque era.
His music was key in the development of the modern genres of
sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of the
violin, and as the first coalescing of modern tonality and
functional harmony.[2]
Contents
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3
4
5
6
Biography
Works
Discography
Notes and references
Sources
External links
Arcangelo Corelli as painted in

1697 by the Irish painter Hugh
Howard.
Biography
Baptismal records indicate that Corelli was born on 17 February 1653 in the small Romagna town
of Fusignano, then in the diocese of Ferrara.,[3] Papal States. His family were land-owners who had
lived in Fusignano since 1506 (a Corelli moved to the area from Rome in the fifteenth century).
Although apparently prosperous, they were almost certainly not of the nobility, as several fanciful
accounts of the composer's genealogy subsequently claimed.[n 1] Corelli's father, from whom he
took the name Arcangelo, died five weeks before the composer's birth. Consequently, he was raised
by his mother, Santa (ne Ruffini, or Raffini), alongside four elder siblings.[4]
The wealth of anecdotes and legends attached to Corelli contrast sharply with the paucity of
reliable contemporary evidence documenting events in his life. This gap is especially pronounced
for his formative years, including his musical education, even though traditional accounts of a
highly idealized childhood have long been debunked.[n 2][5] According to the poet Giovanni Mario
Crescimbeni, who presumably knew the composer well, Corelli initially studied music under a
priest in the nearby town of Faenza, and then in Lugo, before moving in 1666 to Bologna.
A major centre of musical culture of the time, Bologna had a flourishing school of violinists
associated with Ercole Gaibara and his pupils, Giovanni Benvenuti and Leonardo Brugnoli. Reports
by later sources link Corelli's musical studies with several master violinists, including Benvenuti,
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Brugnoli, Bartolomeo Laurenti and Giovanni Battista Bassani. Although historically plausible,
these accounts remain largely unconfirmed, as does the claim that the papal contralto Matteo
Simonelli first taught him composition.[6][n 3] A remark Corelli later made to a patron suggests that
his musical education focused mainly on the violin.[4][n 4]
Chronicles of the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna indicate that Corelli was accepted as a
member by 1670, at the exceptionally young age of seventeen. The credibility of this attribution has
been disputed.[8] Although the nickname Il Bolognese appears on the title-pages of Corelli's first
three published sets of works (Opus 1 to 3), the duration of his stay in Bologna remains unclear.[6]
Anecdotes of trips outside Italy to France, Germany and Spain lack any contemporary evidence.
For example, the anecdote that Corelli's continental fame stemmed from a trip to Paris at the age of
nineteen, where he was chased away by an envious Jean-Baptiste Lully, seems to have originated
with Jean-Jacques Rousseau.[9] It was also claimed that Corelli spent time in Germany in the
service of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (supposedly in 1681), as well as in the house
of his friend and fellow violinist-composer Cristiano Farinelli (between 1680 and 1685).
Although it is unclear quite when Corelli arrived in Rome, he was
certainly active there by 1675, when "Arcangelo Bolognese" (as he
was referred to) was engaged to play as one of the supporting violinists
in lenten oratorios at the church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, as well
as in the French national celebrations held each year on 25 August at
San Luigi dei Francesi and during the ordination of a member of the
powerful Chigi family at Santi Domenico e Sisto. In August 1676, he
was already playing second violin to the renowned Carlo Mannelli at
San Luigi dei Francesi. Although Rome did not have any permanent
orchestra providing stable employment for instrumentalists, Corelli
rapidly made a name for himself, playing in a variety of ensembles
sponsored by wealthy patrons, such as Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili,
for whom he played in Lenten oratorios at San Marcello from 1676 to
1679.[6][10]
Arcangelo Corelli
Portrait by Jan Frans van
Douven
In 1687 Corelli led the festival performances of music for Queen Christina of Sweden. He was also
a favorite of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, grandnephew of another Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, who in
1689 became Pope Alexander VIII. From 1689 to 1690 he was in Modena. The Duke of Modena
was generous to him. In 1708 he returned to Rome, living in the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni. His
visit to Naples, at the invitation of the king, took place in the same year.
The style of execution introduced by Corelli and preserved by his pupils, such as Francesco
Geminiani, Pietro Locatelli, Pietro Castrucci, Francesco Gasparini, and others, was of vital
importance for the development of violin playing. It has been said that the paths of all of the
famous violinist-composers of 18th-century Italy led to Arcangelo Corelli, who was their "iconic
point of reference".[11]
However, Corelli used only a limited portion of his instrument's capabilities. This may be seen from
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his writings. The parts for violin very rarely proceed above D on the
highest string, sometimes reaching the E in fourth position on the
highest string. The story has been told and retold that Corelli refused to
play a passage that extended to A in altissimo in the overture to
Handel's oratorio The Triumph of Time and Truth (premiered in Rome,
1708), and felt seriously offended when the composer (32 years his
junior) played the note.
Arcangelo Corelli
Nevertheless, his compositions for the instrument mark an epoch in the

history of chamber music. His influence was not confined to his own
country. Johann Sebastian Bach studied the works of Corelli and based
an organ fugue (BWV 579) on Corelli's Opus 3 of 1689. Handel's
Opus 6 Concerti Grossi take Corelli's own older Opus 6 Concerti as
models, rather than the later three-movement Venetian concerto of
Antonio Vivaldi favoured by Bach.
Musical society in Rome also owed much to Corelli. He was received in the highest circles of the
aristocracy, and for a long time presided at the celebrated Monday concerts in the palace of
Cardinal Ottoboni. Corelli died in Rome in possession of a fortune of 120,000 marks and a valuable
collection of works of art and fine violins,[12] the only luxury in which he had indulged. He left
both to his benefactor and friend, who generously made over the money to Corelli's relatives.
Corelli is buried in the Pantheon at Rome.
His concerti grossi have often been popular in Western culture. For example, a portion of the
Christmas Concerto, Op. 6 No. 8, is in the soundtrack of the film Master and Commander: The Far
Side of the World, and Corelli's Op. 6 No. 2 also provided the theme for Sir Michael Tippett's
Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli.
Works
Corelli composed 48 trio sonatas, 12 violin and
continuo sonatas,[13] and 12 concerti grossi.
Six sets of twelve compositions, published between
1888 and 1891 by Chrysander, are authentically
ascribed to Corelli, together with a few other works.
Opus 1: 12 sonate da chiesa (trio sonatas for 2
violins and continuo) (Rome 1681)
Opus 2: 12 sonate da camera (trio sonatas for 2
Opus 3: 12 sonate da chiesa (trio sonatas for 2
Opus 4: 12 sonate da camera (trio sonatas for 2
Christmas Concerto, movements

12
Performed by the Advent
Chamber Orchestra
Christmas Concerto, movements
46

Chamber Orchestra
Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 4 - 1.
Adagio - Allegro
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Opus 5: 12 Suonati a violino e violone o
cimbalo (6 sonate da chiesa and 6 sonate da
camera for violin and continuo) (Rome 1700)
The last sonata is a set of variations on La
Folia.
Opus 6: 12 concerti grossi (8 concerti da chiesa
and 4 concerti da camera for concertino of 2
violins and cello, string ripieno, and continuo)
(Amsterdam 1714)
op. post.: Sinfonia in D minor, WoO 1
op. post.: Sonata a Quattro, WoO 2 (Rogers,
Amsterdam, 1699)[14]
op. post.: Sonata a Quattro, WoO 3 (Rogers,
Amsterdam, 1699 incomplete/dubious)
op. post.: Sonata a Quattro for Trumpet, 2
Violins & B.C, WoO 4
op. post.: 6 Sonate a tre, WoO 510
(Amsterdam 1714)

Chamber Orchestra
Trio Sonata Op. 2 #11, 1st
movement
Trio Sonata Op. 2 #11, 2nd

movement
Trio Sonata Op. 2 #11, 3rd

movement
Problems playing these files? See media

help.
Discography
Complete works:
Corelli Complete Edition. Brilliant Classics 94112, 2010.
Concerti Grossi:
Arcangelo Corelli, 12 Concerti Grossi Opus 6. Academy of St Martin in the Fields,
Neville Mariner. Decca, 1995.
Arcangelo Corelli, 12 Concerti Grossi Opus 6. The English Concert, Trevor Pinnock,
Simon Standage, Micaela Comberti, Jaap ter Linden. Archiv, 1999.
Arcangelo Corelli, Concerti Grossi Opus 6. The Avison Ensemble. Linn Records, 2012.
Other works:
Arcangelo Corelli, Violin Sonatas Opus 5. The Avison Ensemble. Linn Records, 2013.
Arcangelo Corelli, Chamber Sonatas Opus 2 and 4. The Avison Ensemble. Linn
Records, 2013.
Arcangelo Corelli, Church Sonatas Opus 1 and 3. The Avison Ensemble. Linn Records,
2014.
Arcangelo Corelli (attrib), The "Assisi" Sonatas. Ensemble Aurora, Enrico Gatti. Glossa
Music, 2014.
Notes and references

Notes
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1. Some family trees even attempted to trace Corelli's ancestors back to Noah. Contemporary documents in
the Piancastelli collection in Forl provide valuable background information about the genealogy and
character of the Corelli family. Maps indicate that the Corellis owned a conspicuous quantity of
agricultural land around Fusignano. Despite their religious piety, the Corellis appear to have been
embroiled in a conflict with the Calcagnini family, the established feudal rulers of Fusignano; in 1632,
the papal executioner beheaded and quartered a certain Rodolfo Corelli after a failed uprising in which
his family house was torn down.[4]
2. Most famously, Abbot Cesare Felice Laurenti's late eighteenth century "History of Fusignano" had
Corelli born into a family of noble descent. As a young child, he is said to have been so transfixed by the
violin playing of his local priest that he begged for lessons, which were conceded by another priest in
the neighbouring town of San Savino, where the boy walked every day, come rain or shine. While
sheltering from the sun along the road, so the story goes, his magnificent violin playing would leave the
locals entranced. Having rapidly surpassed his teacher, Corelli is said to have defied the wishes of his
father (who in this account is still alive) in order to study in Faenza, where the young genius is casually
discovered by Cardinal Ottoboni, who recommends him to the pope, who in turn promptly summons
him to Rome. Fictitious accounts such as this were comprehensively exposed in the pioneering
biographies of Carlo Piancastelli (1914) and Marc Pincherle (1933).
3. The plausible notion that Corelli was taught by Benvenuti was fostered by Padre Martini in 1748 in his
capacity as official chronicler of the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna. Martini also states that Corelli
secretly learnt Brugnoli's distinctive performance style. The tradition that Laurenti taught Corelli was
transmitted by the eighteenth-century English music historian, Charles Burney. The claim that Corelli
was taught by Bassani was contained in a poem published in 1693 dedicated to Henry Purcell and then
picked up by both Burney and his rival, Sir John Hawkins. Previously considered chronologically
implausible, the knowledge that Bassani was active in Ferrara from 1667 has led to a reassessment of
this possibility (though a story of an amorous connection between Corelli and Bassani's daughter is
almost certainly an invention). The presumed link with Matteo Simonelli in Rome derives from the
writings of the castrato Andrea Adami da Bolsena.[4][6] Opinions regarding the historical credibility of
such claims vary.[7]
4. Replying in 1679 to a request by Count Fabrizio Laderchi from Faenza for Corelli to compose a sonata
for violin and lute, the composer acknowledges that hitherto his Sinfonie have been written merely to
exalt the violin.
References
1. "Corelli" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/corelli). Random House Webster's Unabridged
Dictionary.
2. Taruskin, Richard. The Oxford History of Western Music, vol. 2, chapter 5 Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2009.
3. Allsop, p. 14
4. Buscaroli, Piero (1983). "Corelli, Arcangelo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 29.
Treccani.it.
5. Allsop, pp. 314
6. Talbot, Michael. "Corelli, Arcangelo". Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 31 January
2013. (subscription required)
7. Barnett, Gregory (2000). "[Review]". Journal of Seventeenth-Century Music. 6 (2). ISSN 1089-747X.
Retrieved 2 February 2013.
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8. Allsop, p. 25
9. Allsop, p. 5
10. Allsop, p. 27-29
11. Toussaint Loviko, in the program notes to Italian Violin Concertos (Veritas, 2003)
12. Sterling Smith Art Gallery: Portrait of Corelli (http://www.smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk/collections
/art/portraits/arcangelo-corelli)
13. D.D. Boyden: "Corelli's Solo Violin Sonatas Grac'd by Dubourg", Festskrift Jens Peter Larsen, ed. N.
Schirring, H. Glahn and C.E. Hatting (Copenhagen, 1972)
14. Allsop, p. 9
Sources
Allsop, Peter (1999). Arcangelo Corelli: New Orpheus of Our Times. Oxford University
Press. ISBN 978-0-19-816562-0.
Piancastelli, Carlo (1914) (in Italian) Fusignano ad Arcangelo Corelli: nel secondo
centenario dalla morte 1913 Bologna: Stabilimento poligrafico emiliano. [Reprinted 2011,
Nabu Press ISBN 9781246456721]
Pincherle, Marc (1933) (in French) Corelli et son Temps Libraire Felix Arcan. [Translated,
Russell, Hubert E M (1956) Corelli: His Life, His Work. New York. Reprinted 1968, The
Norton Library, and 1979, Da Capo Press]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm,
Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopdia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge
University Press.
External links
Media related to Arcangelo Corelli at Wikimedia Commons
Arcangelo Corelli (http://www.hoasm.org/VIIIA/Corelli.html), profile at hoasm.org
Adagio from Op. 5 played by Jennifer Bennett on baroque violin and Yair Avidor on theorbo
(http://www.amphionconsort.com/id4.html)
Video (http://voicesofmusic.org/Concertos.html) of excerpts from Corelli's Christmas
Concerto performed on original instruments by the ensemble Voices of Music using baroque
instruments, ornamentation and playing techniques.
Free sheet music
Corelli, Arcangelo (http://wiki.ccarh.org/wiki/MuseData:_Arcangelo_Corelli), scores for
complete opp. 16, Center for Computer Assisted Research in the Humanities (CCARH) at
Stanford University
Free scores by Arcangelo Corelli at the International Music Score Library Project
The Mutopia Project has compositions by Arcangelo Corelli (http://www.mutopiaproject.org
/cgibin/make-table.cgi?Composer=CorelliA)
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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arcangelo_Corelli&oldid=742316413"

Categories: Baroque composers Italian classical composers Italian Baroque 1653 births
1713 deaths 17th-century classical composers 18th-century classical composers
People from the Province of Ravenna People from the Province of Ferrara
Italian male classical composers Composers for violin Italian classical violinists
Male violinists 17th-century Italian people 18th-century Italian people
Burials at the Pantheon, Rome 18th-century Italian musicians
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