Dall'Oglio: Violin Sonatas

Featuring

Maria Krestinskaya
Imbi Tarum
Grigory Krotenko
Domenico Dall'Oglio

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Instruments

The recording features a bassetto (small violone) made by master luthier Giovanni Paolo Maggini in 1600, restored in 2016.

Composer Biography

Domenico Dall'Oglio was involved in political scandals at the Russian court, and his ability to manage complex plots brought him into favor with powerful figures, including the Empress.

Composition History

Dall'Oglio dedicated his 1738 collection of 12 Sonatas, five of which are on this CD, to Field Marshal Reinhold Gustav von Lövenvolde, a leading politician and patron at the Russian court.

Composer Biography

Domenico Dall'Oglio, the composer, and his brother Giuseppe, a cellist, left Italy for Russia in 1735, with their arrival reported in the St. Petersburg newspaper 'Vedomosti'.

Recording & Production

This recording was made in collaboration with the 5th International H.I.F. Biber Competition, with support from the Augustiner Chorherrenstift St. Florian in Austria.

Historical Context

Empress Anna Ioannovna (Anna of Russia) aimed to make St. Petersburg a world capital of ballet and opera, establishing the 'Italian company' of musicians and dancers.

Interpretation

The performers chose a bassetto (small violone) for the continuo instrument, reflecting its use in 1730s Russia and the St. Petersburg court's preference for powerful expression and dramatic contrasts.