Arcangelo Corelli, a celebrated violinist and composer, led an orchestra of 100 singers and 150 string players for Queen Christina of Sweden in 1687, and another with 39 violins, 10 violas, 17 cellos, and 10 basses.
Composer Biography
George Frideric Handel, born Georg Friedrich Händel, left Germany at age 20 for Italy, then moved to London, where he spent the rest of his life and became a naturalized Briton.
Historical Context
London, with its flourishing theatrical roots and burgeoning wealth as a financial center and hub of the British Empire, attracted many fashionable touring musicians from Italy, including Arcangelo Corelli, Francesco Maria Veracini, and Francesco Geminiani.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Francesco Maria Veracini, a Florentine composer and violinist, was known for his eccentricity and for incorporating British folk music, like the ballad 'The Lass of Paties Mill' and the tune 'Tweed's Side', into his operas and sonatas.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in September 2010 at Kastelskirken (the Citadel Church) in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is the first in a projected series with Barokksolistene on the BIS label.
Composition History
Handel's oratorios, such as 'Messiah', were created to meet the demand of a Protestant London audience for sacred themes that could be performed in a secular theatrical setting, as their appetite for Italian-style opera was limited.
Performer Biography
Tuva Semmingsen, a mezzo-soprano, is a member of the soloist ensemble at the Royal Danish Opera and has performed roles such as Rosina in 'Il barbiere di Siviglia' and Zerlina in 'Don Giovanni'.
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