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Trio Sonatas, op. 1-4 (1740) - Arcangelo Corelli
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Background
Although his Italian contemporaries sought to compose music in any existing genre, Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) focused on instrumental music, and restricted himself to writing solo sonatas, trio sonatas, and concertos. He wrote four sets of trio sonatas (op. 1-4); each set contains twelve sonatas. The sets (books) appeared in 1681, 1685, 1689, and 1694, respectively.
Corelli scholar Marc Pincherle writes, “The Italian masters had evinced a singular predilection for the combination of two violins and bass since the origin of the sonata form at the beginning of the 18th century.”[1] Indeed, the four sets of trio sonatas are written for two violins and bass. One may observe, however, that opuses I and III also contain a part for organ. This difference in instrumentation between opuses I and III, and II and IV, is due to the differing types of trio sonata form.
Opuses I and III are sonate da chiesa, and Opuses II and IV are sonate da camera. A sonata da chiesa, or “church sonata,” usually begins with “a grave and majestic movement appropriate to the dignity and sanctity of the [church].”[2] Afterward, a livelier fugue ensues. In addition to the two violins and bass, a sonata da chiesa will usually contain an organ part.
A sonata da camera, or “chamber sonata,” is a French-influenced suite of several short dances. In a sonata da camera, all movements are in the same mode or key. The suite generally begins with a prélude, or petit sonate, and afterward follows movements such as the allemande, pavane, and courante. Next follow dances such as the gigue, passacaille, gavotte, menuet, chaconne, or other lively dances.[3] Unlike sonate da chiesa, sonate da camera do not include an organ part.
This edition of the set of trio sonatas is edited by Dr. John Pepusch, the composer of The Beggar's Opera.
[1] Marc Pincherle, Corelli: His Life, His Work, trans. Hubert E. M. Russell (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1956), 55.
[2] Ibid, 59.
[3] Ibid.
Bibliography
Title from title page: The Score / of the Four Setts of Sonatas / Compos’d by / Arcangelo Corelli / For two Violins and a Bass
Genre: Instrumental chamber music; trio sonatas
Composer: Arcangelo Corelli
Volume in the UNT Collection: London: John Johnson, [1740] (Engrav'd with the utmost exactness by Tho. Cross)
For further reading on Corelli’s trio sonatas, see:
Allsop, Peter. Arcangelo Corelli: New Orpheus of Our Times. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Allsop, Peter. The Italian ‘Trio’ Sonata: From its Origins Until Corelli. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992.
Chapin, Victor. The Violin and its Masters. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1969.
Drabkin, William. “Corelli’s trio sonatas and the Viennese string quartet: Some points of contact.” Nuovi Studi Corelliani. V: Atti del quinto congresso internazionale, Firenze (1999): 119-38.
Finscher, Ludwig. “Corelli als Klassiker der Triosonate.” Nuovi studi corelliani. Atti del secondo congresso internazionale, Fusignano (September 1974): 23-29.
Pincherle, Marc. Corelli: His Life, His Work. Trans. Hubert E. M. Russell.
New York: W.W. Norton, 1956.
Rinaldi, Marco. Arcangelo Corelli. Milan: Curci, 1953.
Physical
Dimensions: 25.9 x 42 cm.
Conservation: Foxing; bleed-across; frass.
Binding: Brown and gray marble paper over board with brown leather trim; spine reads, "Corelli / Sonatas / Op I - IV.
Comments: North Texas property stamps; Ex Libris Hibberd stamp on front pastedown.
Document
This item exists in multiple volumes. Please use the links below in Related Content to access the lo-res PDF scans.