Sonates pour violon et basse continue

Description

Albertini, born in 1644 presumably in Milan, just like his contemporary Carlo Ambrogio Lonati, arrived in Vienna at the age of 27, as we learn from Schmelzer's letter. Where he studied and with whom, we do not know any more, nor do we know in the service of whom he was employed or if he lived uninterruptedly in Vienna since then.
However, we do know that shortly before his death he was employed in the service of the widowed Empress Eleonora II, of the Gonzaga family of Mantua. She was the wife of Emperor Ferdinand III and died in 1686, having survived her husband by 27 years. During her long widowhood, she founded a sort of personal court to which a chapel was attached that, although smaller than that of the Emperor, still had a pleasant 24 musicians; the music that was made there is described as "splendid music" - stupendissima musica in 1666.
His sonatas for violin probably come from an exceptional instrumentalist, the only work that has survived the centuries. The fact that they are titled "sonatinae," little sonatas, can be interpreted as an act of humility in light of the supreme knowledge of the Emperor, for within the collection, the pieces, unchanged, do not seem to yield in terms of technical and compositional demands compared to other great works for violin of the same era. Albertini's music has strongly identified with the musical language of his Austrian contemporaries and presents itself as a confluence of Italian influences and the rather virtuosic violin tradition established north of the Alps. The pieces are animated by contrasting movements as well as flowing passages, while free sections alternate with others that are lively and rhythmic. From the soloistic attitude, the dancing charm, and the gentle flow of the melody emanate rich alternations. © Abeille Musique