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Donald Macleod delves into the international successes of Arcangelo Corelli.

Arcangelo Corelli was something of a European phenomenon not only during his lifetime, but also after his death. His compositional output was not large, but the development of the printing press enabled his music to be widely circulated. Musically, he bridged the gap between the Baroque and the Classical periods, and is seen as pivotal in the development of the sonata and the concerto. Even today, Corelli’s music is held in high esteem, with composers still inspired by his music. As a violinist he was also legendary, and people flocked from all over Europe to not only hear him play, but to also be taught by him. Corelli spent most of his career in Rome, maintained in some luxury by royalty, nobility and the Church. During his career he collaborated with many other composers including Alessandro Scarlatti and Handel. Despite his fame and continued popularity, we still know relatively little about Corelli, and this Composer of the Week series seeks to explore the man and his music through his personal and professional relationships.

In this programme, Donald Macleod explores those relationships that propelled Corelli to being something of a European phenomenon. The writer on music Charles Burney thought that Corelli’s fame came from his music being so pure, rich and graceful, and that it withstood the test of time. Corelli’s fame initially originated with his ability as a violinist, and this attracted over time a stream of international students. With the evolution of the printing press, Corelli’s music would also bolster his reputation, with not only copies being produced in Italy, but also Amsterdam, Antwerp and London. Publishers fought over printing music by Corelli, disagreeing over whose publication was more authentic. Myths would grow and surround Corelli, all adding to his celebrity status.

Sonata in G minor, Op 4 No 2 (Corrente)
London Baroque

Concerto Grossi, Op 6 No 3
The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
Jean Lamon, director

Sonata in G, Op 1 No 9
Monica Huggett, violin
Alison Bury, violin
Jaap Ter Linden, cello
Hopkinson Smith, theorbo
Ton Koopman, harpsichord

Handel
La Resurrezione (Ho un non so che nel cor)
Nancy Argenta (Maddalena), soprano
The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Ton Koopman, director

Corelli
Sonata in F major, Op 5 No 10
The Avison Ensemble

Concerto Grosso in D, Op 6 No 1
The English Concert
Trevor Pinnock, director

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales