Classical Music | Violin Music

Recorded on 12/18/2006, uploaded on 02/12/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Through Arcangelo Corelli’s output was seemingly very little, particularly when compared to such prolific composers as J. S. Bach or Handel, his music was nevertheless highly influential in the development of chamber music. Indeed, Bach himself studied Corelli’s music and even fashioned an organ fugue from the Italian composer’s opus 3. Perhaps his most well-known works, however, are the twelve sonatas that make up his opus 5. The symmetry and structural logic of these sonatas combined with Corelli’s superb melodic craft made them a turning point in the development of chamber.

The third sonata of the set, in C major, is actually in five movements, indicating that even Corelli did not feel himself obliged to hold fast to the sonata da chiesa form he so eloquently championed. The first movement, in true fashion, is an introspective movement in an Adagio tempo demanding the soloist to improvise ornaments to enliven the simplistic melody. Next is a vigorous fugal movement, requiring the soloist to take on the task of carrying two of the three contrapuntal voices. The central movement, like the first, is another introspective movement but this time in A minor. A significant difference between the two movements is here the soloist and continuo take on more equal roles as the bass often imitates (though much more simply) portions of the soloist’s melody. Following this doleful movement is another lively Allegro in C major consisting mainly of rapid figurations over a sturdy bass. Though a proper sonata da chiesa could have ended with this movement, Corelli adds one more movement—a gigue—an infusion of the dance suite. This lighthearted movement draws the sonata to an effect close although mysterious chromatic harmonies subtly creep in during the closing measures.      Joseph DuBose

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