Corelli, A

Name: Arcangelo Corelli

Achievements: Developed the "concerto grosso" format.

Born: February 17, 1653; Fusignano, Italy

Died: January 8, 1713; Rome, Italy (Aged 59)

Field & Discipline: Music; Composer; Violinist

Language: Italian

Father:: Arcangelo Corelli

Mother: Santa Ruffini

Siblings: Ippolito; Domenico; Giacinto

Spouse: None

Children: None

Education: Unknown

Major Work:

"12 Concerto Grossi"

Life & Times:

By the time he was 23 Corelli had made his way to Rome and was playing second violin at the French national church of San Luigi dei Franceschi.    He studied composition under Matteo Simonelli, a singer in the Papal chapel, and also played violin at concerts arranged for Benedetto Cardinal Pamphilij, one of the most prominent patrons of the arts.  In about 1677, Corelli sent his first composition to Count Fabrizio Laderchi, an official at the Tuscan court, who was impressed enough to enter into correspondence with the young composer.

In a 1679 letter, Corelli told Laderchi he had been commissioned to compose sonatas to be performed in Rome before [worked for] Christina* of Sweden, at the Academy she had founded: the Academia Reale .  In 1681, Corelli dedicated his "12 Trio Sonatas for Two Violins and Cello, with organ Basso Continuo" (Opus l) to Christina.  Opus I was an immediate success,  and was reprinted in Bologna, Venice, Modena, Amsterdam, Antwerp and London over the next two decades.

In 1684, Corelli played at the opening of a new theater in Rome designed for Cardinal Pamphilij, and in 1685, he played an Oratorio by [played work of] Alessandro Scarlatti* at the Roman seminary.  Despite promising Queen Christina he would compose another sonata for her, he dedicated his "12 Chamber Trio Sonatas for Two Violins, Violone and Violoncello or Harpsichord" (Opus 2) in 1685 to Pamphilij.

Corelli was gaining a reputation for his scoring, and for his able conducting of large numbers of musicians.  For a performance ordered by Queen Christina for the British ambassador in 1687, he directed an orchestra of 150 strings.  In the same year, he directed a magnificent celebration put on by the French ambassador to celebrate [directed celebrations for] Louis XIV*'s recovery from an illness.  He also developed the "concerto grosso", in which small groups of instruments were set against a full orchestra.

In 1689, Corelli dedicated his "12 Church Trio Sonatas for Two Violins and Archlute, with Organ Basso Continuo" (Opus 3) to Francesco d'Este of Modena, an avid devotee who wanted Corelli to join his staff at Modena.  But even though Christina had just died and, a year later, Pamphilij had transferred to Bologna, Corelli preferred to stay in Rome, and in 1690 accepted an offer to enter the service of Pietro Cardinal Ottoboni, the 22-year-old nephew of the new pope, Alexander VIII.  Alexander, a liberal, re-opened the public theaters and re-introduced the carnival season.

The court of Ottoboni, who adored music, became a mecca for virtuosi from all over Europe.  Corelli acted as music director and led the orchestra.  In 1694, he published his "12 Chamber Trio Sonatas for Two Violins and Violone or Harpsichord" (Opus 4) written for the academies established by Ottoboni.  He was also involved with theater productions, public and private, and with the administration of Ottonboni's entertainments.

In 1698, John Jackson, a nephew of diarist Samuel Pepys, wrote he had attended a Midnight Mass in which Corelli played with at least 30 other violinists.  Before long, Corelli's compositions were available in England and likely were heard by composers such as [work known to] Purcell*.

The closing of the theaters in Rome after Alexander’s death stimulated the composition of Oratorios, and from 1700, Corelli held the post of first violinist and music director for concerts held at the Palazzo della Cancelleria.

In the same year, he published "12 Sonatas for Violin and Violone or Harpsichord" (Opus 5) which he dedicated to Electress Sophia Charlotte of Brandenburg.  In 1702, he played at the Naples opera, probably in honor of a visit by Philip V of Spain.

From 1702-09, he was involved with annual gala’s at Pope Clement XI's palace, held to honor prize-winners from the Pope's Academy.  In 1705, he conducted more than a hundred strings plus trumpets for a Scarlatti Oratorio (text by Ottoboni) before the pope.

There is no evidence Corelli met [knew work of] Handel* when Handel visited Rome, but he led the orchestra for two performances of Handel's "La Resurrezione" at Easter, 1708.   Handel appreciated being associated with Corelli and based an aria on Corelli's "Gavotta" from his Opus 5.

Corelli's public performances appear to have become less frequent by 1708.  In 1711, he was known to be working on his Opus 6, "12 Concerto Grossi" which was published after his death.

Assessment: Composed the first great chamber music.  His forms were imitated all over Europe

Oneliner: Arcangelo Corelli, inventor of the concerto grosso format

Bibliography:

• Arcangelo Corelli, New Orpheus of Our Times, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999.