Lonati's collection of twelve sonatas, comprising six 'sonate da chiesa' and six 'sonate da camera', was not published until 1701, despite his earlier fame.
Composition History
Lonati's sonatas were already considered somewhat antiquated by the time of their 1701 publication; earlier release would have brought greater acclaim.
Historical Context
Lonati dedicated his sonata collection to Emperor Leopold I, a musician himself and a key figure in the Counter-Reformation, who ensured the success of the work.
Compositional Technique
The only surviving manuscript of Lonati's sonata collection is housed in Dresden, likely brought there by Georg Pisendel, who was J.S. Bach's advisor on violin technique.
Compositional Technique
Lonati's use of scordatura, a 'mistuning' of the violin strings, indicates his awareness of stylistic features from north of the Alps, and he likely knew and appreciated Biber's music.
Composer Biography
Lonati's physical appearance predestined him for vocal roles depicting gnomes and dwarfs in opera.
Composer Biography
Carlo Ambrogio Lonati, a prominent figure in the Italian violin scene, was known as the 'hunchback of the queen' Christina of Sweden due to his physical appearance.
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