In Rome, Corelli served as a chamber musician to Queen Christina of Sweden and received significant patronage from Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili, becoming his maestro di musica in 1687.
Interpretation
Early editions of Corelli's Op. 5 sonatas include various ornamentations for slow movements, suggesting that violinists were often judged by their ability to embellish these works.
Composition History
Corelli published his set of twelve Violin Sonatas, Op. 5, in 1700, dedicating them to Sophia Charlotte, Electress of Brandenburg.
Compositional Technique
Corelli's Op. 5 Violin Sonatas blend elements of the formal sonata da chiesa (church sonata) and the dance suites of the sonata da camera (chamber sonata).
Composer Biography
Corelli's final patron was Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, the great-nephew of Pope Alexander VIII, who supported him until his death in 1713 and generously assisted his heirs.
Cultural Impact
Corelli's surviving compositions, though few, had a disproportionately far-reaching influence on both performance practice and compositional technique.
Composer Biography
Arcangelo Corelli, the composer, was born into a prosperous family in Fusignano in 1653, with legends even suggesting descent from the Roman general Coriolanus.
