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CORELLIANA

Programme

Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)      

Concerto grosso op.6 n. 1 in B flat major

Prelude: andante-Allemanda: allegro-Adagio-Andante Largo-Sarabande: Largo-Giga: Vivace

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725)

Concerto grosso n.5 in D minor

Allegro-Grave-Allegro-Minuetto

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Concerto grosso Op.6 n.1 in G major

A tempo giusto-Allegro e forte-Adagio-Allegro-Allegro

Arcangelo Corelli

Concerto grosso op.6 n.8 in G minor “fatto per la notte di Natale”

Vivace grave-Allegro-Adagio-Vivace-Allegro-Pastorale: largo

Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)

Concerto grosso n.12 in D minor (on ‘Follia’ by Corelli)

VESPRES D’ARNADÍ

Farran Sylvan James, Elisabet Bataller, Cecilia Clares, violins I

Ricart Renart, Oriol Algueró, Maria Gomis, violins II

Natan Paruzel, Miquel Córdoba, violas

Oriol Aymat, Jorge Alberto Guerrero, violoncellos

Mario Lisarde, double bass

Josep Maria Martí, theorbo

Dani Espasa, harpischord and conductor

Arcangelo Corelli, one of the most important composers of the late Baroque period, left an indelible mark on instrumental music. His ‘Concerti Grossi’ are considered some of the masterpieces of this period and had a significant influence on other composers such as George Frideric Handel and Alessandro Scarlatti.

Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) was an Italian virtuoso violinist and composer. He was one of the pioneers in the development of the concerto grosso, a musical form characteristic of the Baroque period. The concerto grosso is a composition in which a small group of soloists (concertino) interacts with a larger orchestra (ripieno). Corelli's Concerti Grossi, in particular, laid the foundations for this form, with a structure in which the soloists and orchestra dynamically exchange musical themes.

The Concerto Grosso in G Minor, known as ‘Fatto per la notte di Natale’ (Composed for Christmas Eve), is one of Corelli's best-known works. Composed around 1690, this concerto is a masterpiece of his output. It is a piece that evokes the Christmas spirit with its melody and festive atmosphere. The concerto consists of five movements, including a brilliant fugue that showcases Corelli's compositional skill.

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) spent much of his career in Italy and England. Handel was strongly influenced by Corelli's music, especially his Concerti Grossi. This influence is evident in works such as his orchestral works and famous orchestral suites, such as the oratorio Messiah.

Handel took the idea of using soloists and orchestra in his music and developed it further, using this technique to create brilliant and emotional works that moved towards classicism. Corelli undoubtedly set a standard in the development of orchestral and concert music that was crucial for later composers such as Handel.

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) was an Italian composer known mainly for his operas and vocal music, but he also composed instrumental music. Scarlatti was a contemporary of Corelli, and although their areas of musical interest were different, he was influenced by Corelli's innovations in instrumental music.

Corelli's most notable influence on Scarlatti is seen in his instrumental works, such as his sonatas for violin and basso continuo. Scarlatti adopted the concertino-ripieno form that Corelli popularised in his Concerti Grossi and applied it to other types of instrumental music, contributing to the spread of that structure throughout Italian Baroque music.

Although Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) was a direct disciple of Corelli, he made his own important contribution to the concerto grosso. His adaptation of ‘La Follia,’ a work originally composed by Corelli, is a notable example. Geminiani expanded the piece and gave it a more virtuosic dimension, highlighting his skill as a violinist. This adaptation showed how the great composers of the Baroque period not only emulated their influences but were also capable of making innovative contributions to the genre.

Arcangelo Corelli was one of the most influential musicians of the Baroque period, and his Concerti Grossi, including the magnificent ‘Fatto per la notte di Natale,’ marked a turning point in instrumental music. His influence extended to composers such as Handel and Scarlatti, who employed his innovations in their own works. These musical connections illustrate Corelli's profound influence and lasting impact on the world of classical music, and his legacy lives on to this day.