Essential Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli's influence on the development of the music for strings is undeniable. He was one of the first composers to write solo violin music that was truly virtuosic, elegant, as well as expressive. His works served as a model for later composers such as Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel.
Read more…Corelli composed several sonatas and concerti grossi, which helped to establish the violin as a solo instrument. Especially his concerti grossi op. 6 and his violin sonatas op. 5 are considered to be some of the most important contributions to Baroque music. These two groups greatly influenced the development of the Baroque concerto and Baroque chamber music and they were hugely popular already during his lifetime. His chamber music, with its emphasis on the violin, helped to establish the standard ensemble of strings and Basso continuo.
Corelli was born in the small town Fusignano, Italy in 1653. He quickly rose to prominence as a violinist and composer, and soon became a sought-after performer and teacher. He was a member of the prestigious Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna and later was elected as a member of the Pontificia Accademia degli Arcadi of Rome. Corelli died in 1713; he is buried in the Pantheon at Rome.