Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671 – 1751) was an Italian
Baroque composer. Not much is known about his life. He
was the eldest son of a wealthy Venetian paper
merchant. The family was very well off, and in his
adult life Albinoni was financially independent. He
thought of himself as an amateur musician. Although
completely trained in his art, he did not seek
professional employment in music. He was a fine
performer on the violin, and one of the most prolific
writers of the violin concerto in the ...(+)
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671 – 1751) was an Italian
Baroque composer. Not much is known about his life. He
was the eldest son of a wealthy Venetian paper
merchant. The family was very well off, and in his
adult life Albinoni was financially independent. He
thought of himself as an amateur musician. Although
completely trained in his art, he did not seek
professional employment in music. He was a fine
performer on the violin, and one of the most prolific
writers of the violin concerto in the high Baroque.
Initially Albinoni attempted to compose church music,
but did not meet with much success. However in 1694,
with the publication of 12 trio sonatas and the
production of his opera Zenobia, Regina de Palmireni,
Albinoni had found his milieu. For the rest of his life
he would compose cantatas, operas, instrumental sonatas
and concerti. His operas were popular throughout Italy,
and are very original, although not well known today.
In 1705, he married the soprano opera singer Margherita
Rimandi. Together they had six children, while she
continued with her singing career. Tomaso Albinoni
meanwhile had inherited a portion of his father's
estate, and began a singing school. In 1722, he
published a collection of 12 concerti. He also was
invited to Munich where a production of his opera I
veri amici was given as part of the festivities
honoring the marriage of the Prince Elector to the
daughter of the Emperor. This occurred at perhaps the
height of Albinoni's fame.
Albinoni was extremely prolific and is said to have
composed over 80 operas, 40 solo cantatas, 79 sonatas,
59 concerti, and 8 sinfonias. He composed oboe
concertos, treating the oboe as a lyrical, melodic
instrument, much as the voice would have been treated.
His compositions are extremely individual, and he
possessed great gifts as a melodist. His compositions
were much admired by Johann Sebastian Bach, who used
themes of Albinoni's in several of his keyboard fugues.
Two of these themes come from Albinoni's work Opera
Prima. Bach also used to practice realizing the
continuo harmonies using bass lines of Albinoni, and
pieces of Albinoni's were used by Bach for teaching.
Albinoni was at one time accorded a place in the
history of music next to Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio
Vivaldi. At the beginning of the twentieth century,
editions of his works were published, and his violin
music is still performed.
Although originally written for Violin, Strings &
Continuo, I created this Interpretation of the Allegro
from the Sonata in F Major (Op. 2 No. 8 Mvt. 1) from
Sinfonie e Concerti a 5 for String Quintet (2 Violins,
2 Violas & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC