Selected Recordings

Concerto a quattro for strings in D major

‘Concerto da camera’ in E flat major

Concerti Grossi, Op. I

Selected Sheet Music

Violin Concerto in A Major

Source: IMSLP.org

Showcase Piece

L’arte del violino, Op. 3 – XI

Notes and Commentary

Locatelli was born in Bergamo, Italy. A child prodigy on the violin, he was sent to study in Rome under the direction of Arcangelo Corelli. Little is known of his subsequent activities except that he settled in Amsterdam in 1729, where he died on 30 March 1764. His works are mainly for the violin, an instrument on which he was a virtuoso. His most significant publication is L’arte del violino, opus 3. Printed in Amsterdam in 1733, this was one of the most influential musical publications of the early eighteenth century. It is a collection of twelve concertos for solo violin, strings and basso continuo, with a ‘capriccio’ for unaccompanied violin inserted into the first and last movements of each concerto as a sort of cadenza. Locatelli also wrote violin sonatas, a cello sonata, trio sonatas, concerti grossi and a set of flute sonatas (his opus 2). His early works show the influence of Arcangelo Corelli, while later pieces are closer to Antonio Vivaldi in style. He lived from September 3, 1665, to March 30, 1764.—Excerpted from Wikipedia

Books and Music

Selected Books

A History of Baroque Music
Indiana University Press, 2004
George J. Buelow
$57.33 on Amazon

“Given the availability of numerous sophisticated surveys on Baroque music history, this reviewer was astonished that this tome exceeded expectations regarding scope and focus. In an effort to offer a discussion that goes beyond the standard canon of thought, Buelow explores the works of Iberian, Eastern European, Latin American, and indeed even Caribbean composers. The book is replete with extensive score excerpts and analysis, and the chapters are subdivided into sections treating genre, composer, and technical development—an arrangement that makes this sizeable volume painless to navigate.”—CHOICE

Selected Music

Concerti Grossi Op.1 (1996), 1 CD

Sonatas Op. 8 (2006), 2-CD set

Art of the Violin 1 (1992), 2-CD set

More Pietro Locatelli music

Complete Works

• Op. 1 (1721) – 12 concerti grossi (in F, C minor, B flat, E minor, D, C minor, F, F minor, D, C, C minor, G minor)
• Op. 2 (1732) – 12 flute sonatas (in G, D, B flat, G, D, G minor, A, F, E, G, D, G)
• Op. 3 (1733) – L’arte del violino 12 violin concertos (in D, C minor, F, E, C, G minor, B flat, E minor, G, F, A, D “Il laberinto armonico”)
• Op. 4 (1735) – 6 Introduttione teatrale (in D, F, B flat, G, D, C) and 6 concerti grossi (in D, F, G, E, C minor, F)
• Op. 5 (1736) – 6 trio sonatas (in G, E minor, E, C, D minor, G “Bizarria”)
• Op. 6 (1737) – 12 violin sonatas (in F minor, F, E, A, G minor, D, C minor, C, B minor, A minor, E flat, D minor)
• Op. 7 (1741) – 6 concerti a quatro (in D, B flat, G, F, G minor, E flat)
• Op. 8 (1744) – 10 trio sonatas (in F, D, G minor, C, G, E flat, A, D, F minor, A)—Excerpted from Wikipedia

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