Manfredini: Concerti Grossi Op. 3, Nos. 1-12

Capella Istropolitana

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Cat No: 8553891

Release Date: 12 January 1999

Label: Naxos - Nxc / Naxos Classics

Packaging Type: Jewel Case

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 730099489126

Genres: Classical

Composer/Series: MANFREDINI

Description
Francesco OnofrioManfredini (1684-1762) Concerti grossi, fortwo violins and basso continuo, Op. 3Francesco Manfredini was born in Pistoia in 1684, the son of atrombonist. He studied in Bologna, taking violin lessons from Giuseppe Torelli,a leading figure in the development of the concerto grosso, with itssmall group of solo instruments, and of the solo concerto. Like Torelli,Manfredini also studied composition with Giacomo Antonio Perti, maestro dicappella at the Basilica of San Petronio from 1696, the year in which theorchestra of San Petronio was, for the moment, dissolved.Before 1700 Manfredini was in Ferrara, serving as a violinist at theChurch of San Spirito, but in 1704 he returned to Bologna, employed again inthe orchestra of San Petronio then re-established. He also became a member ofthe Accademia Filarmonica and in the same year published a set of twelvechamber sonatas under the title Concertini per camera, Op. 1. In1709 he published in Bologna a further set of instrumental compositions, twelveSinfonie da chiesa, Op. 2, in fact church sonatas that complementthe earlier chamber sonatas. From 1711 it seems that Manfredini was in Monaco,in the service of Prince Antoine I, who had come to the throne of theprincipality in 1701 and had been a pupil of Lully, whose conductor's stick hehad inherited. Manfredini is mentioned in Monaco court records in 1712 and the Concerti,Op. 3, published in Bologna in 1718, are dedicated to the Prince,who also had in his library copies of Manfredini's Sinfonie, Op. 2. Theexact length of his stay in Monaco and the nature of his connection with thecourt is uncertain. The Prince, however, served as godfather to Manfredini'sson Antonio Francesco and four other children were seemingly born to thecomposer in Monaco. By 1727, however, he was again in Pistoia, as maestro dicappella at the Cathedral, a position he retained until his death in 1762.His son Vincenzo, later maestro di cappella of the Italian opera in StPetersburg, was born in Pistoia in 1737 and another son, Giuseppe, had a careeras a castrato singer.Concerto No. 1 of the Opus 3 set has a first movement that allows dynamiccontrast without specific use of the concertino solo group. The 12/8second movement has a concluding echo effect, while the final duple-metre Allegroprovides a rhythmic contrast.The first movement of Concerto No. 2 also ends with a slowsection, before its repetition, and there is a short solo ending to the secondmovement. The concerto ends with a 3/8 Allegro, a contrast to thepreceding common-time movements.Triple metre marks the second, slow movement of Concerto No. 3,framed by faster outer movements, the first making much use of a descendingarpeggio figure and a third marked Presto, like the even more energeticfinal movement.Concerto No. 4 is also in four movements, the first an Allegro markedby dotted rhythms and the second a thirteen-bar Adagio. The following12/8 Presto makes a contrast, with its gigue rhythm, to the final Allegro.Ther
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