Sonates en trio Opus 1

Description

The only complete recording available, newly made by an elegant Italian ensemble of early music, from a historical collection of baroque chamber music. Antonio Veracini (1659-1733) was the uncle and teacher of his most famous nephew, the composer and violinist Francesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768), and one of the most important composers of violin sonatas of the generation that included Corelli and Torelli. His innovative music bridges the styles of Vitali, Bononcini, and Stradella on one hand, and the post-baroque modes of his nephew, Tartini, and Locatelli on the other. Even while working outside the patronage of the Medici family, Veracini played a central role in the civic musical life of Florence in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. A violinist trained from childhood, he primarily wrote with his own instrument in mind, and undoubtedly with the aim of impressing the noble audience with his skill and virtuosic style. He must have succeeded, as he also became the owner of many superb violins and a merchant in their trade. Veracini's Opus 1 collection was published in 1692 and dedicated to his patroness, the Grand Duchess Vittoria. It consists of ten "church sonatas" of the new type illustrated by Vitali's op.9 collection published two years later, although Veracini's style is also comparable to the church sonatas of Corelli published in the 1680s. Most of the sonatas have two fast and extended movements, each preceded by a slower and gravely expressive introduction. Dance rhythms infuse momentum into the finales, and Veracini enjoys fanfares and trumpet-like echo effects. These ten sonatas made a huge impression on other composers of Veracini's time, and it is astonishing that they have only been recorded in a selected form until now. The complete collection is full of great diversity, especially in these recordings made by an ensemble that has been successful in exploring the lesser-known corners of the baroque repertoire.