Giovanni Battista Sammartini, a Milan-born composer, is recognized for his essential contribution to music history, particularly in laying the foundations for the classical symphony.
Interpretation
The performers, Ensemble Dolci Accenti, enhance the character of each sonata by using different instruments for the basso continuo, including harpsichord, archlute, theorbo, baroque guitar, and a second cello.
Cultural Impact
Sammartini's influence was acknowledged by notable figures like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who cited him as a perfect example of writing in the adagio tempo.
Recording & Production
This recording was made in July 2020 at the Biblioteca francescana di Santa Maria di Betlem in Sassari, Sardinia, Italy.
Composition History
The album features a selection of Sammartini's sonatas for cello and basso continuo, including six from his Op.4 published in Paris in 1742, and two sonatas of uncertain date.
Cultural Impact
Sammartini's name appears in Laurence Sterne's novel A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, and he was considered a 'greatest and most renowned master' by Leopold Mozart.
Compositional Technique
Sammartini's symphonies helped establish the standard composition of the orchestra and promoted independence and individual timbres in part-writing, transitioning from Baroque customs to sonata form.
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