iHarmony – Section Four – Don Robertson's Musical Kaleidoscope

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Section Four

The Great String Era (1680-1750)

The Great Italian 18th Century String Era

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IT BEGAN IN THE 17th bolognese school. Torelli.

Context regarding Op. 6 in Bologna
While Torelli is heavily associated with the Bolognese school and the basilica of San Petronio, his Op. 6 (Concerti musicali) was actually published in Augsburg, Germany, in 1698 during his tenure at the court of Brandenburg-Ansbach. These twelve concerti are considered transitional works between the contrapuntal trio sonata and the ritornello-driven concerto, marking them as important, though not as “Bolognese” in origin as his trumpet sonatas or his later Op. 8.

Giuseppe Torelli influenced Arcangelo Corelli in Rome by pioneering the structural development of the concerto, particularly through the establishment of the three-movement fast-slow-fast form and the shift toward clearer melodic lines over dense counterpoint. While Corelli was active in Rome, his work synthesized Bolognese violin school techniques, including those of Torelli.

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Key Influences and Contributions:

Structure of the Concerto: Torelli’s experimentation with form, especially in his Opus 8 (published 1709), provided a model of three movements (fast-slow-fast) that influenced the evolution of the concerto grosso and solo concerto, which Corelli popularized.
Melodic Clarity: Torelli moved away from dense polyphony, favoring clear, melodic lines and regular cadences, a style that aligned with the emerging Baroque preference for melodic focus.
Synthesis of Style: Corelli’s works in Rome synthesized various Italian styles, including the Bolognese school—to which Torelli belonged—known for its technical and expressive violin writing.
Parallel Development: Both composers were key in defining the concerto grosso (dialogue between concertino and ripieno), with their works often studied in tandem as the foundation of the genre.
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Although based in different cities—Torelli largely in Bologna/Vienna and Corelli in Rome—Torelli’s innovations in structural form were pivotal for the Baroque concerto, influencing the compositional style that Corelli perfected and popularize

Yes, Arcangelo Corelli was in Bologna, studying there from roughly 1666 to 1670. He trained under prominent violinists like Giovanni Benvenuti and Leonardo Brugnoli. In 1670, at age 17, he was admitted to the prestigious Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna before moving on to establish his career in Rome.

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Arcangelo Corelli’s 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 were composed throughout the 1680s and early 1690s, with many likely written around 1690. Although they circulated earlier in Rome—with a known performance in 1690—they were officially published posthumously in 1714.

Composition Period: While the exact dates vary, they were written over a long period, likely beginning in the 1680s and finalized by the early 1690s.
Performance/Publication: Although composed around 1690, they were not published until 1714, a year after Corelli’s death in 1713.
Significance: The collection, commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, includes 8 concerti da chiesa (church) and 4 concerti da camera (chamber).
“Christmas Concerto”: No. 8 in G minor (the “Christmas Concerto”) was specifically created for performances on Christmas Eve, with records of it being performed around 1690.

Scores

ME-001 – The Great String era – Concerti Grossi – Volume 1 (232 pages)
Christmas concerti, Torelli, Gregori, Corelli,
Mascitti, Scarlatti

ME-002 – The Great String era – Concerti Grossi – Volume 2 (265 pages)
Geminiani, Locatelli, Manfredini, Handel

ME-003 – The Great String era – Sonate a Tre
Torelli, Corelli, Locatelli, Caldara.
Tesserini

ME-004 – The Great String era – Sinfonie and Sonate per Solo (250 pages)
Albinoni, Brescianello, Pergolesi, Stradella,
Vivaldi, Locatelli, Mascitti, Corelli, Caldara

ME-005 – The Great String era – Concerti (260 pages)
Albinoni, Cattameo, Dall’Oglio, Durante, Guido,
J.S. Bach, Locatelli, Marcello, Pergolesi, Pez,
Pisendel, Tartini, Vivali

Study Scores

MJ-004 – Great String Era Concerto Study (210 Pages)
Torelli, Geminiani, Vivaldi

MJ-005 Arcangelo Corelli Opus 1 with fugues marked (80 pages)

Videos

Visit “The Great String Music Era” playlist on Musical Kaleidoscope YouTube – – >

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