GEMINIANI, Francesco 1687-1762

Sonate a Violono e Basso ... Dedicate All'Illustrissima ed Eccellentissima Signora Margarita Contessa D'Orrery. Opera IV. [Op. 4]. [Violin sonatas]

London: [The Author], 1739.

Folio. Contemporary dark tan calf-backed marbled boards, raised bands on spine in gilt-ruled compartments gilt, titling gilt. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 1f. (recto typeset privilege dated 26 March 1728, verso blank), 48 pp. On heavy paper. Engraved throughout.

Binding worn, rubbed, and bumped; hinges partially split. Title and verso of final leaf slightly soiled; occasional foxing; p. 35 mispaginated as "33." Lacking privilege leaf.

A clear, strong impression.

First Edition, first issue. Careri-Italian p. 264, 4a. BUC p. 368. Hirsch III, 219. RISM G1501.

"The copies of the Sonatas Op. 4 and Le prime sonate that do not mention a publisher, but give London and 1739 as their place and year of publication respectively, can serve as a first reference for these Works: they must be considered as belonging to be the First Issues of Geminiani’s own Editions, actually more than one issue for each edition. ... The Violin Sonatas Op. 4 are among Geminiani’s major accomplishments. The set ranks among the top-five of his practical works as far as prestige, importance and dissemination are concerned—the other four being the Violin Sonatas of 1716, the Corelli Concertos and the Concertos Opp. 2 and 3. Published in 1739, it is the last of these works, chronologically. After 1740 Geminiani went on composing but none of these later compositions would be considered of equal value as the earlier main works. Musical style around him changed quickly from 1740 onwards and in a direction that was counter to some basic principles of his own composition. He remained true to his “Baroque” idioms applied in a fundamentally unpredictable way, whereas general composition moved to smooth melodic lines in clear and symmetrical metrical patterns with rather predictable melodic formulas and simple harmonies. Geminiani’s Violin Sonatas Op. 4 are among the technically most demanding works of his time and can be compared to similar violin sonatas by composers such as Pietro Antonio Locatelli, Francesco Maria Veracini, Jean-Marie Leclair and Giuseppe Tartini. It is difficult to say whether there are influences from these masters upon one another, in any direction. Due to the relatively conservative character of British musical life in the eighteenth century, Geminiani’s sonatas remained available on the musical market considerably longer than those of the other composers for the violin of his generation." Rudolf Rasch: "Work 9: Le prime sonate (1739)" in "The Thirty-One Works of Francesco Geminiani." geminiani.sites.uu.nl/

Rasch explains the complex publishing history of Geminiani's Op. 4, noting that the first edition was engraved in Paris by Hue; engraving abroad enabled the composer to retain a greater measure of intellectual property rights than he had exercised earlier in his career.

These Op. 4 sonatas represent one of Geminiani's finest achievements in the genre.

Item #40014

Price: $1,500.00  other currencies