VITALI: Sonatas Opus 11 for Violin and Basso Continuo [CD de audio] Luigi Cozzolino (violin), Semperconsort and Vitali

Giovanni Battista Vitali was one of several artistically influential figures in the lively music scene of the Baroque court of Modena. The young Duke Francesco II was an educated monarch, a lover of art and a very good violinist himself. Gabrieli was one of the first cello players and Vitali himself mastered the violone, a large bass violin, and also played the cello. The famous Corelli once politely requested an audience with the Duke and dedicated his Op. 3 to him. Vitali was the patriarch of a dynasty of musicians at the court of Modena that lasted four generations. The Op. 21 sonatas are scored for six instruments, although the court orchestra had thirteen members in Vitali's time. For this recording, therefore, some parts were played in a double configuration. These works were a great success for Vitali and were printed and performed long after his death. A mix of Italian and French style characters, often very danceable, tenderly swaying as if in the soft breeze of the strings. Vitali composed alongside his contemporaries Purcell, Marais, Pachelbel and Corelli.