CORELLI, Arcangelo 1653-1713

The Score of The Twelve Concertos ... For two Violins and a Violoncello, with two Violins more, a Tenor, and Thorough Bass for Ripieno Parts, which may be Doubled at pleasure. These Compositions, as they are now Printed in Score, are of great advantage to all Students and Practitioners in Musick The whole Revis'd & Carefully Corrected By Dr. Pepusch. Vol II ... No. 551. [Op. 6]. [Full score]

London: Printed for & Sold by I. Walsh Musick Printer & Instrument maker to his Majesty at the Harp & Hoboy in Catherine Street in the Strand. Where may be had A new Edition of the four Operas of Sonatas in Score by the Same Author. Vol. 1st. [PN 551], 1735.

Folio. Half dark green leather with marbled boards, dark red leather title label gilt to spine. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 171, [i] (blank) pp.

Binding slightly worn, rubbed, and bumped; endpapers worn, foxed, and slightly stained, with modern bookseller's description laid down to front pastedown. Moderate foxing to most leaves, occasionally slightly heavier; small hole to blank lower outer corner of p. 37; small tear to blank lower margin of p. 53 repaired. Lacking frontispiece portrait of the composer.

Marx p. 203. Smith & Humphries 402. BUC p. 216. RISM C3854.

Vol. I of the set contained the 48 trio sonatas.

"The Concertos of Corelli seem to have withstood all the attacks of time and fashion with more firmness than any of his other works. The harmony is so pure, so rich, and so grateful; the parts are so clearly, judiciously, and ingeniously disposed; and the effect of the whole, from a large band, so majestic, solemn, and sublime, that they preclude all criticism, and make us forget that there is any other Music of the same kind existing." Burney: A General History of Music, 1789

"Despite the modest size of his output, comprising six collections of instrumental music and a handful of other authentic works, and its virtual restriction to three genres – solo sonata, trio sonata and concerto – Corelli exercised an unparalleled influence during his lifetime and for a long time afterwards. This influence, which affected form, style and instrumental technique in equal measure, was most closely felt in Italy, and in particular in Rome, where he settled in early manhood, but soon spread beyond local and national confines to become a European phenomenon. As a violinist, teacher of the violin and director of instrumental ensembles Corelli imposed standards of discipline that were unusually strict for their period and helped to lay the groundwork for further progress along the same lines during the 18th century. To Corelli belong equally the distinctions of being the first composer to derive his fame exclusively from instrumental composition, the first to owe his reputation in large part to the activity of music publishers, and the first to produce ‘classic’ instrumental works which were admired and studied long after their idiom became outmoded." Michael Talbot in Grove Music Online.

Item #39929

Price: $750.00  other currencies