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The Impromptu in G-Flat Major, Op. 90 No. 3, by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

In 1827, a year before his death, Franz Schubert wrote the Impromptus at the age of thirty. He grouped these eight pieces into two cycles with four impromptus in each, perhaps so they could be played individually or as a whole cycle. The third Impromptu uses the Schubert "wanderer rhythm", combined with a continuous triplet movement in the melody, which is characterized this time by the falling triple. Even at this slow tempo, Schubert keeps this relentless pattern of movement going right to the end. Again, melodic phrases in the secondary voices, mainly from falling triplets - from G flat to E flat at the beginning, for example - give rise to changes in harmony that introduce a "dreamlike uncertainty" to the piece. (Franz Vorraber)

The Piano Concerto No. 26 in D Major, K. 537 "Coronation", by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major, K. 537, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and completed on 24 February 1788. It is generally known as "the Coronation Concerto". The concerto is scored for solo piano, one flute, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani (in D, A), and strings. The traditional name associated with this work is not Mozart's own, nor was the work written on the occasion for which posterity has named it. Mozart remarked in a letter to his wife in April 1789 that he had just performed this concerto at court. But the nickname "Coronation" was derived from his playing of the work at the time of the coronation of Leopold II as Holy Roman Emperor in October 1790 in Frankfurt am Main. At the same concert, Mozart also played the Piano Concerto No. 19, K. 459. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Carnaval for Piano, Op. 9 "Little Scenes on Four Notes", by Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Carnaval, Op. 9, is a work by Robert Schumann for piano solo, written in 1834-1835, and subtitled "Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes" (Little Scenes on Four Notes). It consists of 21 short pieces representing masked revelers at Carnival, a festival before Lent. Schumann gives musical expression to himself, his friends and colleagues, and characters from improvised Italian comedy (commedia dell'arte). He dedicated the work to the violinist Karol Lipinski. Carnaval had its origin in a set of variations on a "Sehnsuchtswalzer" by Franz Schubert, whose music Schumann had only discovered in 1827. The catalyst for writing the variations may have been a work for piano and orchestra by Schumann's close friend Ludwig Schuncke, a set of variations on the same Schubert theme. Schumann felt that Schuncke's heroic treatment was an inappropriate reflection of the tender nature of the Schubert piece, so he set out to approach his variations in a more intimate way, and worked on them in 1833 and 1834. The work was never completed, however, and Schuncke died in December 1834, but Schumann did re-use the opening 24 measures for the opening of Carnaval. Pianist Andreas Boyde has since reconstructed the original set of variations from Schumann's manuscript (published by Hofmeister Musikverlag), premiered this reconstruction in New York and recorded it for Athene Records... (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The 8 Piano Pieces, Op. 76, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

The 8 Piano Pieces op. 76 by Johannes Brahms comprise four Capriccios and Intermezzi each. With this collection of character pieces, published in February 1879, Brahms came forward again after a long time with a work for solo piano, which was premiered by Hans von Bülow in Berlin on October 29, 1879. While he had already composed the first Capriccio in 1871, he wrote the remaining pieces in 1878 in Pörtschach on Lake Wörth. The collection, originally divided into two booklets, shows the influence of Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin, whose complete editions published by Breitkopf & Härtel Brahms supervised at this time. In condensed form, the mostly three-part pieces already point to the internalized late style of Opera 116 to 119, whose characteristics include the multi-layered piano movement, chromaticism, and rhythmic refinements. The piano pieces appeared only after Brahms had not written any independent solo piano works for an extended period. After the Paganini Variations published in 1866, the Waltzes for piano four hands op. 39, which he held in high esteem, and the first part of the Hungarian Dances, initially also written for four hands, there was a long pause in publication in this field, which ended only in 1879. For Andrea Bonatta this shows how difficult it was for Brahms to find new expressive possibilities after the pianistic explorations of the virtuoso Handel and Paganini Variations. For the pianist, chamber musician and gifted sight-reading player, this phase did not mean that he would have completely abandoned the piano. In addition to the Waltzes and Hungarian Dances, he wrote the Sonata for Piano and Violoncello op 38, the Liebeslieder Waltzes op 52, the version for two pianos of his Haydn Variations op 56b, the Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor op 60 and the Neue Liebeslieder op 65 during this period. In 1878, he also began to work on his symphonic Second Piano Concerto in B flat major; the piano thus played an important role in chamber and later concertante music. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

The Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, KV. 453, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was written in 1784. The work is orchestrated for solo piano, flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings. As is typical with concerti, it is in three movements: Allegro, Andante and Allegretto - Presto. According to the date that the composer himself noted on the score, the concerto was completed on April 12, 1784. The date of the premiere is uncertain. In one view, the work is said to have been premiered by Mozart's student Barbara Ployer on June 13, 1784, at a concert to which Mozart had invited Giovanni Paisiello to hear both her and his new compositions, including also his recently written Quintet in E flat for Piano and Winds. Afterwards, Ployer was joined by Mozart in a performance of the Sonata for Two Pianos, K. 448. Another possibility, advanced by Lorenz, is that Mozart did not wait over two months to premiere the work, but performed it in his concert with Regina Strinasacchi on 29 April 1784 at the Kärntnertortheater. As a general consensus for researchers, it can be said with relative certainty that the work premiered during the mid-to-late spring of 1784, following its completion. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Fantasy Pieces for Piano, Op. 12, by Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

A creation of significance for the compositions of the romantic era: the cycle "Fantasy Pieces" for Piano Opus 12 by Robert Schumann. Inspired by a collection of novellas by E.T.A. Hoffmann, called "Fantasiestücke in Callots Manier", it seems that Schumann had the characters "Florestan" and "Eusebius" in mind - two characters he created for representing the duality of his personality: Eusebius depicts the dreamer and Florestan represents Schumann's passionate side. The virtual dialogue between both characters during the movements ends in the piece "End of the Song", which Schumann has described in a letter to his wife Clara: "Well in the end it all resolves itself into a wedding...".

The 3 Intermezzi, Op. 117, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

The Three Intermezzi for piano, Op. 117, are compositions that Johannes Brahms created for solo piano. The intermezzi were described by the critic Eduard Hanslick as "monologues"... pieces of a "thoroughly personal and subjective character" striking a "pensive, graceful, dreamy, resigned, and elegiac note". The Intermezzi of Opus 117 were composed in 1892. The first intermezzo in E-flat major is prefaced in the score by two lines from an old Scottish ballad "Lady Anne Bothwell's Lament": "Balow, my babe, lie still and sleep! - It grieves me sore to see thee weep."... (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Hob. XVIII:4, by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Papa Haydn - nothing of the sort! The great musician always knew how to entertain people without using cheep templates filled with gaudy timbres or highly dramatic gestures. For him, joie de vivre is admissible, even desirable. Behind this rhythmic vitality and all the gestures, the master distinguishes and seduces people to superior thoughts, too. Little is known about the creation of the piano concert in G major. Guaranteed is just a date of performance on April 28th, 1784 at the Concert spirituel in Paris with the blind Viennese pianist Maria Theresia Paradis, whom i. a. Mozart composed for. The importance of Haydn as author of concertos is still underestimated in the History of Music. This particular concerto is composed for a string quartet only, without blowers. It comprises a typical, classically built work full of surprises and embellishments. This extent of humor and playfulness will rarely be accomplished by composers later born. (Franz Vorraber)

The Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) in a version for Piano and String Quintet

"The concertos are just the medium between being too heavy and too light - they are very brilliant - pleasant to hear - certainly without falling into the void - here and there it is possible for the connoisseur alone to get satisfaction - but such - that the laymen can be contented without knowing why." (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart about the three concertos for piano K. 413, K. 414 and K. 415 in a letter to his father on December 28th, 1782). Having provided us with magnificent examples of concertos for stringed and wind instruments, Mozart reaches the ideal conception of a concerto with his piano concertos. They are the high point and peak of his instrumental producing. In Mozart's piano concertos two equal forces are facing each other that are really able to compete. They are therefore essentially his very unique creation. The piano concertos K. 413 - 415 and K. 449 were the first in a row of 17 momentous concertos created in Vienna and consequently founding his fame as virtuoso to the Viennese audience. The double possibility given to the performance, of either playing full orchestra, with oboe and horn (in the C-Major also with timpani and trumpet) or just with string quartet shows the flexibility he wanted to produce. The concerto in C-major K. 415 is the most splendid one. The second movement Mozart first planned in c-minor, but he gave up this intention in favor of a light, jaunty movement in F-major. Nevertheless, there is a slight reminiscence to this original minor movement in the concerto's last movement: the vivid six-quaver beat with his appeal to the Papageno-motif is interrupted two times by a melancholic insertion in c-minor. The concerto in E-flat-major K. 449 is the first composition registered by Mozart in his own catalogue of works that he started in February 1784. It belongs to the most accomplished works of Mozart's music, with his latent, but dramatic dynamic and its depth that goes beyond the diverging antagonism of musical forces. The piano concertos of Mozart never seem to touch the border of the socially appropriate - how could it, being designed to be acclaimed. But even so, it opens the doors to tell about the dark and the bright, the serious and the cheerful, the deepest - to lead its audience to a higher level of knowledge. The audience that is to deal with Mozart's piano concertos is the best there is. (Christoph Soldan)

The Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Through evening's shade, the pale moon gleams - While rapt in love's ecstatic dreams - Two hearts are fondly beating", quoted Johannes Brahms above the notes for the "Andante" in the Piano Sonata No.3. This excerpt of a poem by C.O. Sternau (a pseudonym of Otto Inkermann) characterizes the mood of this piece, which had a large contribution to the fame of the young composer. Written in 1853 this "poetic" sonata marks the end of a cycle of three sonatas. Likewise it was the last tune the 20-year-old composer submitted to Robert Schumann for commentary. Robert Schumann himself described Brahms in an article titled "Neue Bahnen" (New Paths) in October 1853 as "a man with a calling" who was "destined to give ideal expression to the times".

The Variations on a theme by Haydn, Op. 56b "Saint Anthony Variations", by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

The Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn (German: Variationen über ein Thema von Jos. Haydn), now also called "The Saint Anthony Variations", is a work in the form of a theme and variations, composed by Johannes Brahms in the summer of 1873 at Tutzing in Bavaria. It consists of a theme in B-flat major based on a "Chorale St Antoni", eight variations, and a finale. The work was published in two versions: for two pianos, written first but designated Op. 56b; and for orchestra, designated Op. 56a. The orchestral version is better known and much more often heard than the two-piano version. It is often said to be the first independent set of variations for orchestra in the history of music, although there is at least one earlier piece in the same form, Antonio Salieri's Twenty-six Variations on 'La folia di Spagna' written in 1815. Brahms's orchestral variations are scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns (2 in E flat, 2 in B flat), 2 trumpets, timpani, triangle, and the normal string section of first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses. The piece usually takes about 18 minutes to perform. The first performance of the orchestral version was given on 2 November 1873 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Brahms's baton... (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 "Elvira Madigan", by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, was completed on 9 March 1785 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, four weeks after the completion of the previous D minor concerto, K. 466. The concerto has three movements. The famous Andante, in the subdominant key of F major, is in three parts. The opening section is for orchestra only and features muted strings. The first violins play with a dreamlike melody over an accompaniment consisting of second violins and violas playing repeated-note triplets and the cellos and bass playing pizzicato arpeggios. All of the main melodic material of the movement is contained in this orchestral introduction, in either F major or F minor. The second section introduces the solo piano and starts off in F major. It is not a literal repeat, though, as after the first few phrases, new material is interjected which ventures off into different keys. When familiar material returns, the music is now in the dominant keys of C minor and C major. Then it modulates to G minor, then B-flat major, then F minor, which transitions to the third section of the movement. The third section begins with the dreamlike melody again, but this time in the relative key of F major's parallel key, A-flat major. Over the course of this final section, the music makes its way back to the tonic keys of F minor and then F major and a short coda concludes the movement. The second movement was featured in the 1967 Swedish film "Elvira Madigan". As a result, the piece has become widely known as the "Elvira Madigan concerto". Also Neil Diamond's song "Song Sung Blue" (1972) bases on a theme from the andante movement. (From Wikipedia, the Free Encyklopedia)

Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 19, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is considered as the most important Russian composer of the 19th century. The Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 19, were composed in 1873.

The French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The French Suites, BWV 812-817, are six suites which Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for the clavier (harpsichord or clavichord) between the years of 1722 and 1725. Although Suites Nos. 1 to 4 are typically dated to 1722, it is possible that the first was written somewhat earlier. The suites were later given the name "French" (first recorded usage by Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg in 1762). Likewise, the English Suites received a later appellation. The name was popularised by Bach's biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel, who wrote in his 1802 biography of Bach, "One usually calls them French Suites because they are written in the French manner." This claim, however, is inaccurate: like Bach's other suites, they follow a largely Italian convention. There is no surviving definitive manuscript of these suites, and ornamentation varies both in type and in degree across manuscripts. The courantes of the first (in D minor) and third (in B minor) suites are in the French style, the courantes of the other four suites are all in the Italian style. In any case, Bach also employed dance movements (such as the polonaise of the sixth suite) that are foreign to the French manner. Usually, the swift second movement after the allemande is named either courante (French style) or corrente (Italian style), but in all these suites the second movements are named courante, according to the Bach catalog listing, which supports the suggestion that these suites are "French". Some of the manuscripts that have come down to us are titled "Suites Pour Le Clavecin", which is what probably led to the tradition of calling them "French" Suites. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466, was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1785. The first performance took place at the Mehlgrube Casino in Vienna on 11 February 1785, with the composer as the soloist. A few days after the first performance, the composer's father, Leopold, visiting in Vienna, wrote to his daughter Nannerl about her brother's recent success: "[I heard] an excellent new piano concerto by Wolfgang, on which the copyist was still at work when we got here, and your brother didn't even have time to play through the rondo because he had to oversee the copying operation." It is written in the key of D minor. Other works by the composer in that key include the Fantasia K. 397 for piano, the Requiem, a Kyrie, a mass, the aria "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" from the opera "The Magic Flute" and parts of the opera "Don Giovanni". It is the first of two piano concertos written in a minor key (No. 24 in C minor being the other). The young Ludwig van Beethoven admired this concerto and kept it in his repertoire. Composers who wrote cadenzas for it include Beethoven (WoO 58), Charles-Valentin Alkan, Johannes Brahms (WoO 14), Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Ferruccio Busoni, and Clara Schumann. One of Mozart's favorite pianos that he played while he was living in Vienna had a pedal-board that was operated with the feet, like that of an organ. This piano that Mozart owned is on display at Mozart House in Salzburg, but currently it has no pedal-board. The fact that Mozart had a piano with a pedal-board is reported in a letter written by his father, Leopold, who visited his son while he lived in Vienna. Among Mozart's piano works, none are explicitly written with a part for a pedal-board. However, according to Leopold's report, at the first performance of Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor (K. 466), Mozart, who was the soloist and conductor, used his own piano, equipped with a pedal-board. Presumably the pedal-board was used to reinforce the left-hand part, or add lower notes than the standard keyboard could play. Because Mozart was also an expert on the organ, operating a pedal-board with his feet was no harder than using only his hands. The concerto is scored for solo piano, flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (or simply "Joy") is the most common English title of a piece of music derived from a chorale setting of the cantata "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147" ("Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life"), composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1723. The same music on different stanzas of a chorale closes both parts of the cantata. A transcription by the English pianist Myra Hess (1890–1965) was published in 1926 for piano solo and in 1934 for piano duet.[1] It is often performed slowly and reverently at wedding ceremonies, as well as during Christian festive seasons like Christmas and Easter. Bach composed a four-part setting with independent orchestral accompaniment of two stanzas of the hymn "Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne", written by Martin Janus in 1661, which was sung to a melody by the violinist and composer Johann Schop, "Werde munter, mein Gemüthe". The movements conclude the two parts of the cantata. Bach scored the chorale movements (6 and 10) from "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" for choir, trumpet, violin, optionally oboe, viola, and basso continuo. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11, by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Chopin loves singing and as a singing poet of the piano, he inveigles into the universe of dreams. Chopin composed the piano concerto in e minor at the age of 20 during spring/summer of 1830 in Warsaw. It emerged shortly after his concerto in f minor and belongs to the standard repertoire of concert literature. In fall 1830, Chopin left Warsaw to go to Paris. This work is based mainly on polish dancing rhythms; especially prominent is the krakowiak in the last movement. Eventually, his work is characterized by its exceptional cantability. Chopin writes opera for the piano. He most likely performed this concerto himself in Warsaw in the same string casting it can be heard here. (Franz Vorraber)

8 Pieces for Piano, Op. 76, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

The 8 Piano Pieces op. 76 by Johannes Brahms comprise four Capriccios and Intermezzi each. With this collection of character pieces, published in February 1879, Brahms came forward again after a long time with a work for solo piano, which was premiered by Hans von Bülow in Berlin on October 29, 1879. While he had already composed the first Capriccio in 1871, he wrote the remaining pieces in 1878 in Pörtschach on Lake Wörth. The collection, originally divided into two booklets, shows the influence of Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin, whose complete editions published by Breitkopf & Härtel Brahms supervised at this time. In condensed form, the mostly three-part pieces already point to the internalized late style of Opera 116 to 119, whose characteristics include the multi-layered piano movement, chromaticism, and rhythmic refinements. The piano pieces appeared only after Brahms had not written any independent solo piano works for an extended period. After the Paganini Variations published in 1866, the Waltzes for piano four hands op. 39, which he held in high esteem, and the first part of the Hungarian Dances, initially also written for four hands, there was a long pause in publication in this field, which ended only in 1879. For Andrea Bonatta this shows how difficult it was for Brahms to find new expressive possibilities after the pianistic explorations of the virtuoso Handel and Paganini Variations. For the pianist, chamber musician and gifted sight-reading player, this phase did not mean that he would have completely abandoned the piano. In addition to the Waltzes and Hungarian Dances, he wrote the Sonata for Piano and Violoncello op 38, the Liebeslieder Waltzes op 52, the version for two pianos of his Haydn Variations op 56b, the Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor op 60 and the Neue Liebeslieder op 65 during this period. In 1878, he also began to work on his symphonic Second Piano Concerto in B flat major; the piano thus played an important role in chamber and later concertante music. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

The 3 Mazurkas, Op. 50, by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Chopin's "Mazurkas" - he wrote at least 69 Mazurkas - are based on a traditional Polish folk dance in triple meter with an accent on the third or on the second beat, called "Mazurek". Chopin started composing his mazurkas in 1825, and continued composing them until 1849, the year of his death.

The Piano Concerto No. 16 in D Major, K. 451, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Piano Concerto No. 16 in D major, K. 451, is a concertante work for piano, or pianoforte, and orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart composed the concerto for performance at a series of concerts at the Vienna venues of the Trattnerhof and the Burgtheater in the first quarter of 1784, where he was himself the soloist. Mozart noted this concerto as complete on 22 March 1784 in his catalog, and performed the work later that month. Cliff Eisen has postulated that this performance was on 31 March 1784. The work is orchestrated for solo piano, flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Sonata No. 14 in A Minor by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Franz Schubert's Piano Sonata in A minor, D 784 (posthumously published as Op. 143), is one of Schubert's major compositions for the piano. Schubert composed the work in February 1823, perhaps as a response to his illness the year before. It was however not published until 1839, eleven years after his death. It was given the opus number 143 and a dedication to Felix Mendelssohn by its publishers. The D 784 sonata, Schubert's last to be in three movements, is seen by many to herald a new era in Schubert's output for the piano, and to be a profound and sometimes almost obsessively tragic work. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Piano Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, by Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

The Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 was composed by Robert Schumann from 1830 to 1838. It was his last full-length attempt at the sonata genre, the other completed ones being the Piano Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor (Op. 11) and the Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor (Op. 14); he later wrote Three Piano Sonatas for the Young Op. 118. Because it was published before the F minor sonata, it was given an earlier sequence number (No. 2) but still kept its later opus number (Op. 22). This has caused confusion, and recordings of the G minor Sonata have sometimes been published as "Sonata No. 3". There was also an earlier sonata in F minor, which Schumann abandoned; this is sometimes referred to as "Sonata No. 4". Among his sonatas, this one is very frequently performed and recorded. Because of its great variety and highly virtuosic demands, it is enjoyed both by audiences and performers alike. Clara Schumann claimed to be "endlessly looking forward to the second sonata", but nevertheless Robert revised it several times. At Clara Schumann's request, the original finale, marked Presto passionato was replaced with a less difficult movement in 1838. The Andantino of the sonata is based on Schumann's early song "Im Herbste"; Jensen describes the first movement as having "a concern with motivic structure". It is dedicated to Schumann's friend the pianist Henriette Voigt and was published in September 1839. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22 / B. 52,
by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Antonín Dvořák's Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 was composed in just two weeks in May 1875. It remains one of the composer's more popular orchestral works to this day. 1875 was a fruitful year for Dvořák, during which he wrote his Symphony No. 5, String Quintet No. 2, Piano Trio No. 1, the opera Vanda, and the Moravian Duets. These were happy times in his life. His marriage was young, and his first son had been born. For the first time in his life, he was being recognized as a composer and without fear of poverty. He received a generous stipend from a commission in Vienna, which allowed him to compose his Fifth Symphony and several chamber works as well as the Serenade. Dvořák is said to have written the Serenade in just 12 days, from 3-14 May. The piece was premiered in Prague on 10 December 1876 by Adolf Čech and the combined orchestras of the Czech and German theatres. It was published in 1877 in the composer's piano duet arrangement by Emanuel Starý in Prague. The score was printed two years later by Bote and Bock, Berlin. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043,
by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The Concerto for Two Violins, Strings, and Continuo in D minor, BWV 1043, also known as "The Double Violin Concerto", is perhaps one of the most famous works by Johann Sebastian Bach and considered among the best examples of the work of the late Baroque period. Bach may have written it between 1717 and 1723 when he was the Kapellmeister at the court of Anhalt-Köthen, Germany, though the work's performance materials for the Ordinaire Concerten that Bach ran as the Director of the Collegium Musicum in Leipzig are dated c. 1730–31. Later in 1739, in Leipzig, he created an arrangement for two harpsichords, transposed into C minor, BWV 1062. In addition to the two soloists, the concerto is scored for strings and basso continuo. The concerto is characterized by the subtle yet expressive relationship between the violins throughout the work. The musical structure of this piece uses fugal imitation and much counterpoint. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Op. 3 No. 11, RV 565, from: "L'Estro Armonico",
by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

L'Estro Armonico (the harmonic inspiration), Antonio Vivaldi's Op. 3, is a set of 12 concertos for stringed instruments, first published in Amsterdam in 1711. Vivaldi's Twelve Trio Sonatas, Op. 1, and Twelve Violin Sonatas, Op. 2, only contained sonatas, thus L'estro armonico was his first collection of concertos appearing in print. It was also the first time he chose a foreign publisher, Estienne Roger, instead of an Italian. Each concerto was printed in eight parts: four violins, two violas, cello and continuo. The continuo part was printed as a figured bass for violone and harpsichord. The concertos belong to the concerto a 7 format, that is: for each concerto there are seven independent parts. In each consecutive group of three concertos, the first is a concerto for four violins, the second for two violins, and the third a solo violin concerto. The cello gets solistic passages in several of the concertos for four and two violins, so that a few of the concertos conform to the traditional Roman concerto grosso format where a concertino of two violins and cello plays in contrast to a string orchestra. L'estro armonico pioneered orchestral unisono in concerto movements. Vivaldi composed a few concertos specifically for L'estro armonico, while other concertos of the set had been composed at an earlier date. Vivaldi scholar Michael Talbot described the set as "perhaps the most influential collection of instrumental music to appear during the whole of the eighteenth century". L'estro armonico (the harmonic inspiration) was published as Antonio Vivaldi's Op. 3 in Amsterdam in 1711. Vivaldi's Op. 1 and Op. 2 had only contained sonatas, thus L'estro armonico was his first collection of concertos appearing in print. It was also the first time Vivaldi chose a foreign publisher, Estienne Roger, instead of an Italian. Vivaldi composed a few concertos specifically for L'estro armonico, while other concertos of the set had been composed at an earlier date. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 "The Great G Minor Symphony",
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1788. It is sometimes referred to as the "Great G minor symphony", to distinguish it from the "Little G minor symphony", No. 25. The two are the only extant minor key symphonies Mozart wrote.
The date of completion of this symphony is known exactly, since Mozart in his mature years kept a full catalog of his completed works; he entered the 40th Symphony into it on 25 July 1788. Work on the symphony occupied an exceptionally productive period of just a few weeks during which time he also completed the 39th and 41st symphonies (26 June and 10 August, respectively). Nikolaus Harnoncourt conjectured that Mozart composed the three symphonies as a unified work, pointing, among other things, to the fact that the Symphony No. 40, as the middle work, has no introduction (unlike No. 39) and does not have a finale of the scale of No. 41's. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Viola Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G9,
by Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Of Georg Philipp Telemann's surviving concertos, his Viola Concerto in G major, TWV 51:G9 is among his most famous, and still regularly performed today. It is the first known concerto for viola and was written circa 1716–1721. It consists of four movements:
Largo: A mellow movement with long notes. Written in 3/2, with many dotted quarter and eighth note slurs, and is in the key of G. Usually is played with vibrato. Some performers choose to add significant ornamentation to this very simple movement.
Allegro: Most played movement. Written in 4/4 and in the key of G. The melody begins with a distinctive syncopated figure which is also used independently later in the movement.
Andante: A slow, mellow movement in the relative minor and largely on the upper strings of the instrument.
Presto: A fast, exciting movement in the tonic key.
The fast movements contain very few slurs, and many performers' editions include slurring suggestions, often indistinguishable from markings contained in the original. The performer is encouraged to invent a varied pattern of slurs which fits the shape of each phrase.
The slow movements both give the option of a cadenza. A typical performance lasts about 14 minutes. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2 "2nd Razumovsky Quartet",
by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

The String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven and published in 1808. This work is the second of three of his ".Rasumovsky". cycle of string quartets, and is a product of his ".middle". It is in four movements... According to Carl Czerny, the second movement of the quartet occurred to Beethoven as he contemplated the starry sky and thought of the music of the spheres (Thayer, Life of Beethoven); it has a hymnlike quality reminiscent of a much later devotion, the "Heiliger Dankgesang" hymn to the Divine in the Quartet Op. 132. The scherzo movement of the quartet, the third movement (allegretto), uses a Russian theme also used by Modest Mussorgsky in Boris Godunov, by Anton Arensky in his String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, and by Sergei Rachmaninoff in his 6 Morceaux for Piano Duet, Op. 11. The original song, "Glory to the Sun", was recorded by Nikolay Lvov and Jan Prac; sheet music was published in 1790 (second edition 1806), verses in the 1770s. However, Beethoven used it in an ungentle way. According to Kerman, "It sounds as though Count Razumovsky had been tactless enough to hand Beethoven the tune, and Beethoven is pile-driving it into the ground by way of revenge." In an extremely unusual example of melodic setting prior to the 20th century, portions of the tune with strong tonic harmonic leanings are harmonized with the dominant, and vice versa; the harmonic clash is harsh, and many listeners have found this portion of the quartet to be quite amusing, especially as contrasted with the prosaic, almost "exercise-book" counterpoint which precedes it (another example of Beethoven parodying a student counterpoint exercise can be found in the scherzo of the Quartet No. 10, opus 74). (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Symphony No. 36 in C Major, K. 425 "Linz Symphony",
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425, (known as the "Linz Symphony") was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart during a stopover in the Austrian town of Linz on his and his wife's way back home to Vienna from Salzburg in late 1783. The entire symphony was written in four days to accommodate the local count's announcement, upon hearing of the Mozarts' arrival in Linz, of a concert. The première in Linz took place on 4 November 1783. The composition was also premièred in Vienna on 1 April 1784. The autograph score of the "Linz Symphony" was not preserved. [From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

The Concerto for Strings in G Minor, RV 157,
by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

The first works of the "concerto" genre were actually intended to be performed by a large instrumental ensemble (string orchestra and basso continuo) and not by groups of soloists. It is not surprising, however, that the principal violin in such a large grouping soon demanded special tasks. From this, the dialogue between tutti and solo that dominates today finally developed. An early master of this type of composition and the driving force behind its development was the Italian Antonio Vivaldi. The Concerto in G minor RV 157 is still owed to the form without a real solo voice. It begins with a powerful movement in which the two violin parts are in dialogue. A strict largo with dotted rhythm is followed by the sweeping finale, which is somewhat reminiscent of the "summer" of the "Four Seasons". (Irene Schallhorn)

The Messe solennelle de Saint-Cécile (St. Cecilia Mass)
by Charles Gounod (1818-1893)

Charles Gounod has become famous for his opera "Margarete" above all. It is hardly known that his first passion was clerical music. The "Messe solennelle de Saint-Cécile" is worth to be called the most beautiful among his numerous clerical compositions. The work is distinguished by a maze of marvellous melodies, an extremly lined-up orchestra and the harmonious interconnection of solists and choir. The first staging of the mass was in November, 22. 1855 at St. Eustache in Paris. Gounod wrote the work for the celebration of St. Cecile, who is the patroness of clerical music. With certain instinct he combined the dramatic counterparts of clerical music and motifs and melodies of the Grand Opera. The plain covering figures of the orchestra above all give a uniform mood to the sets of the mass, which manifests itself in sacral dignity.

T

he Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 was composed by Robert Schumann from 1830 to 1838. It was his last full-length attempt at the sonata genre, the other completed ones being the Piano Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor (Op. 11) and the Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor (Op. 14); he later wrote Three Piano Sonatas for the Young Op. 118. Because it was published before the F minor sonata, it was given an earlier sequence number (No. 2) but still kept its later opus number (Op. 22). This has caused confusion, and recordings of the G minor Sonata have sometimes been published as "Sonata No. 3". There was also an earlier sonata in F minor, which Schumann abandoned; this is sometimes referred to as "Sonata No. 4". Among his sonatas, this one is very frequently performed and recorded. Because of its great variety and highly virtuosic demands, it is enjoyed both by audiences and performers alike. Clara Schumann claimed to be "endlessly looking forward to the second sonata", but nevertheless Robert revised it several times. At Clara Schumann's request, the original finale, marked Presto passionato was replaced with a less difficult movement in 1838. The Andantino of the sonata is based on Schumann's early song "Im Herbste"; Jensen describes the first movement as having "a concern with motivic structure". It is dedicated to Schumann's friend the pianist Henriette Voigt and was published in September 1839.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

T

he French Suites, BWV 812-817, are six suites which Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for the clavier (harpsichord or clavichord) between the years of 1722 and 1725. Although Suites Nos. 1 to 4 are typically dated to 1722, it is possible that the first was written somewhat earlier.The suites were later given the name "French" (first recorded usage by Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg in 1762). Likewise, the English Suites received a later appellation. The name was popularised by Bach's biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel, who wrote in his 1802 biography of Bach, "One usually calls them French Suites because they are written in the French manner." This claim, however, is inaccurate: like Bach's other suites, they follow a largely Italian convention. There is no surviving definitive manuscript of these suites, and ornamentation varies both in type and in degree across manuscripts. The courantes of the first (in D minor) and third (in B minor) suites are in the French style, the courantes of the other four suites are all in the Italian style. In any case, Bach also employed dance movements (such as the polonaise of the sixth suite) that are foreign to the French manner. Usually, the swift second movement after the allemande is named either courante (French style) or corrente (Italian style), but in all these suites the second movements are named courante, according to the Bach catalog listing, which supports the suggestion that these suites are "French". Some of the manuscripts that have come down to us are titled "Suites Pour Le Clavecin", which is what probably led to the tradition of calling them "French" Suites.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I

n this live recording Michael Mücke plays a violin from Gaspare Lorenzini (Piacenza 1780) and Jens Peter Maintz a Violoncello from Vincenzo Rugeri (1696).

The Serenade for String Orchestra in E Minor, Op. 20, by Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

In music Edward Elgar was a "self made man", who first practiced the small form before gradually approaching the great musical genres. A milestone on this path was the extremely charming Serenade for String Orchestra Op. 20, which was composed in 1892. For this, Elgar probably fell back on a lost composition from 1888. It seems the immediate trigger for the final version of this work was the invitation of a friend to visit the "Bayreuth Festspiele". Elgar studied the creations of Richard Wagner intensively during his autodidactic studies and took up Wagner's opera "Parsifal", which left significant traces in this Serenade - the first composition with which he was fully satisfied. Apparently the publisher Novello, to whom he offered the composition, had a different opinion. Novello did not accept Elgar's offer with the reason, that this kind of music would practically unsaleable. Today this lovely three-part piece is one of the most performed works by the "Englishman", who became famous later with great compositions - not only with his best-known "Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1".

Souvenir de Florence for String Orchestra, Op. 70, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) is considered as the most important Russian composer of the 19th century. He composed 'Souvenir de Florence' in 1890, thus during his later period, and dedicated the work to the St. Petersburg Chamber Music Society in response to his appointment as an Honorary Member. Originally scored for string sextet (2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos), Tchaikovsky arranged the work later also for string orchestra. The title 'Memory of Florence' probably originates from the fact that the composer started working on it while visiting Florence in Italy.

The Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22 / B. 52, by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Antonín Dvořák's Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 was composed in just two weeks in May 1875. It remains one of the composer's more popular orchestral works to this day. 1875 was a fruitful year for Dvořák, during which he wrote his Symphony No. 5, String Quintet No. 2, Piano Trio No. 1, the opera Vanda, and the Moravian Duets. These were happy times in his life. His marriage was young, and his first son had been born. For the first time in his life, he was being recognized as a composer and without fear of poverty. He received a generous stipend from a commission in Vienna, which allowed him to compose his Fifth Symphony and several chamber works as well as the Serenade. Dvořák is said to have written the Serenade in just 12 days, from 3-14 May. The piece was premiered in Prague on 10 December 1876 by Adolf Čech and the combined orchestras of the Czech and German theatres. It was published in 1877 in the composer's piano duet arrangement by Emanuel Starý in Prague. The score was printed two years later by Bote and Bock, Berlin. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219 "Turkish", by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, often referred to by the nickname 'The Turkish', was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775, premiering during the Christmas season that year in Salzburg. It follows the typical fast-slow-fast musical structure. Mozart composed the majority of his concertos for string instruments from 1773 to 1779, but it is unknown for whom, or for what occasion, he wrote them. Similarly, the dating of these works is unclear. Analysis of the handwriting, papers and watermarks has proved that all five violin concertos were re-dated several times. The year of composition of the fifth concerto "1775" was scratched out and replaced by "1780", and later changed again to "1775". Mozart would not use the key of A major for a concerto again until the Piano Concerto No. 12 (K. 414). (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The String Quartet No. 63 in B-Flat Major, Op. 76 No. 4, Hob. III:78 "Sunrise", by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Haydn's string quartet cycle op. 76 came into being due to a common practice of the time, whereby princes, kings, merchants or high-ranking clerics would commission their subordinate court musicians to write pieces of music. Haydn received 100 ducats from Count Joseph Erdödy for the six quartets in 1797. More than two hundred years later they appear like the sum of his art within this genre that he influenced so greatly. The "Sunrise Quartet" in B flat major is the fourth quartet of the work. The name was given retrospectively and is extremely apt: in the first movement, after a few attempts, the first violin leaps from faint sounds into a resonating B major fortissimo that emerges like the rising sun.

The Piano Trio No. 6 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70 No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Carl Czerny, composer and student of Beethoven, sayed about the Piano Trio in E-flat Major: "this trio is no less great or original than its successor (Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1), but it is of a very different, less serious character." The trio in e-flat major was composed during the summer of 1808 immediately after the Sixth Symphony, and applies foreseen traits to Romanticism. Beethoven expands his realm of expression here in two somewhat converse directions: both in a seemingly romantically tonal colourfulness, and towards the inclusion of classic style elements by means of a stricter introduction.

The Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The "Six Sonatas for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord", BWV 1014 - 1019, by Johann Sebastian Bach are works in trio sonata form, with the two upper parts in the harpsichord and violin over a bass line supplied by the harpsichord and an optional viola da gamba. Unlike baroque sonatas for solo instrument and continuo, where the realisation of the figured bass was left to the discretion of the performer, the keyboard part in the sonatas was almost entirely specified by Bach. They were probably mostly composed during Bach's final years in Cöthen between 1720 and 1723, before he moved to Leipzig. The extant sources for the collection span the whole of Bach's period in Leipzig, during which time he continued to make changes to the score. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201/186a, was completed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on 6 April 1774. It is, along with Symphony No. 25, one of his better known early symphonies. Stanley Sadie characterizes it as "a landmark... personal in tone, indeed perhaps more individual in its combination of an intimate, chamber music style with a still fiery and impulsive manner." (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Sonata No. 1 in C Major for Violin, Cello & Basso continuo by Nicola Porpora (1686-1768)

Nicola Antonio Porpora (17 August 1686 - 3 March 1768) was an Italian composer and teacher of singing of the Baroque era, whose most famous singing students were the castrati Farinelli and Caffarelli. Other students included composers Matteo Capranica and Joseph Haydn. Porpora was born in Naples. He graduated from the music conservatory Poveri di Gesù Cristo of his native city, where the civic opera scene was dominated by Alessandro Scarlatti. Porpora's first opera, Agrippina, was successfully performed at the Neapolitan court in 1708. His second, Berenice, was performed at Rome. In a long career, he followed these up by many further operas, supported as maestro di cappella in the households of aristocratic patrons, such as the commander of military forces at Naples, prince Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt, or of the Portuguese ambassador at Rome, for composing operas alone did not yet make a viable career. However, his enduring fame rests chiefly upon his unequalled power of teaching singing. At the Neapolitan Conservatorio di Sant'Onofrio and with the Poveri di Gesù Cristo he trained Farinelli, Caffarelli, Salimbeni, and other celebrated vocalists, during the period 1715 to 1721. In 1720 and 1721 he wrote two serenades to libretti by a gifted young poet, Metastasio, the beginning of a long, though interrupted, collaboration. In 1722 his operatic successes encouraged him to lay down his conservatory commitments. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The String Quartet No. 14 in G Major, Op. 10 No. 1, K. 387 "Spring Quartet", by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The String Quartet No. 14 in G major, K. 387, nicknamed the "Spring" quartet, was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1782 while in Vienna. In the composer's inscription on the title page of the autograph score is stated: "li 31 di decembre 1782 in vienna". The work was perhaps edited in 1783. This is the first of the Haydn Quartets, a set of six string quartets he wrote during his first few years in Vienna in honor of the composer Joseph Haydn, who is generally viewed as the father of the string quartet form. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Symphony No. 21 in A Major, K. 134, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

The Symphony No. 21 in A major, K. 134, was composed by Mozart in August 1772. The symphony has the scoring of two flutes, two horns, and strings. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I

nside St. Mark's Basilica (San Marco), the walls and floor, where not covered by marble slabs, are decorated with mosaics resplendent with gold, hence the nickname "Golden Basilica". In total they cover more than 8000 m² and form the largest continuous mosaic surface in the world. It shows pictures of apostles and the Holy Spirit, scenes from Genesis or even the archangels Gabriel and Michael. The cathedral provided a perfect scene for two choirs mutually responding through their antiphons not only side by side but front to front. The balconies on opposing sides offered the appropriate places for this to happen, and the organs, each located on a separate balcony, created ideal conditions. The idea of placing one choir or even several partial choirs on different balconies or at different places in the basilica was an obvious solution. But also instrumental ensembles took advantage of the basilica's architecture. They sang and played alternately, responded, united in tutti passages and were thus able to fill the space with the full splendour of sound. After the sacking of Rome in 1527, Doge Andrea Gritti, who was in office from 1523 to 1538, wanted to reform Venice and make it a cultural centre for architects, painters, writers and musicians in place of Rome.

Giovanni Gabrieli became second organist subordinated to his uncle Andrea Gabrieli in 1585, after Claudio Merulo had resigned. Only one year later, after the death of his uncle in 1586, he became the principal organist of St. Mark's. As Andrea Gabrieli's nephew, Giovanni was priviliged to benefit from his uncle's knowledge and to study his works, which were already experimenting with music for more than one choir. He finally continued and refined these Trends himself. Today he is regarded as the musician who completed the Venetian School. Many of his works bear the title Canzon, such as the Canzon terza a 6, which was composed as early as 1615. Actually Canzon means song, from which it is derived. As in the vocal motet, various "soggetti" of different character are performed one after the other in imitative form in the individual voices. The sections themselves are separated from each other by clear cadenzas. The Instrumentation of the canzon is not fixed to a particular ensemble formation.

Biagio Marini, born in Brescia in 1594, was also active at St. Mark's, but not as one of the Maestri di Cappella, but from 1615 as a violinist under Claudio Monteverdi. Musically, Marini played a major role in the development of the violin and trio sonata. He was also the first to record double and triple stops and the bow vibrato. His melodies show a lyrical character and he avoids rhythmic repetitions in favor of other compositional solutions.

Cipriano de Rore was in early contact with the inner circle around Adrian Willaert and de Rore's first patrons were probably Ruberto Strozzi and Ceri Capponi. In 1563 de Rore was able to succeed Willaert at St. Mark's, who had died in December. Only one year later he gave up the post as a result of organisational failures. During his lifetime, de Rore wrote over 100 madrigals, in which tightly woven, imitative polyphony is evident, which had previously only been common in motets. Among these is the "Anchor che col partire" for eight voices, published in 1547, which became very popular and was often rearranged for voice and instrument and served as a model for parodies.

Giovanni Bassano appeared as an instrumental musician at St.Mark's in 1576. In addition to Bassano as musical director of the seminary attached to St. Mark's, Giovanni Croce as maestro di cappella and Giovanni Gabrieli as principal organist were also active at St. Mark's. Bassano himself composed, among other things, motets and concerti ecclesiastici, madrigals and songs. Adaptations, reductions and transcriptions were common at the time, so it is not surprising that Bassano also adapted de Rore's Anchor "che col partire" for eight voices.

Claudio Merulo became second organist at St. Mark's in 1557 and finally first organist in 1566. Among his compositions are mainly madrigals, motets, masses as well as stage and organ music, some of which he published himself. He is considered the most important pioneer of the toccata, which captivates with its compositional care, elegance, fantasy and expressiveness. The Toccata "prima undecimo detto quinto tuono" can be found in the collection "Toccate d'Intavolatura d'Organo", published in 1604.

Giovanni Battista Buonamente follows in the tradition of Giovanni Gabrieli and probably also of Claudio Monteverdi. He himself was probably not active at St. Mark's and many of his compositions are lost. Only the last four of his seven books of instrumental music have survived. These, however, were all published in Venice (1626, 1629, 1636 and 1637). Dario Castello called himself "Capo de musici d'Instrumenti da fiato" and "Capo di Compagnia de Instrumenti". He Held both posts at St. Mark's. In content, Castello's sonatas are characterized by the diversity of ideas and notations. Sometimes sections within a sonata are linked together by variations on a theme, but the principle of alternation and contrast is predominant.

Francesco Usper was a pupil of Andrea Gabrieli and from 1614 organist in San Salvatore. In 1622 he was appointed first organist at St. Mark's. In 1624 he became director of the Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista, where he was already active as organist in 1596. Masses, psalms and instrumental pieces appeared in print under the title "Sinfonia". In 1619 "Compositioni armoniche" with motets and ten instrumental pieces were published. Of these, two symphonies, three sonatas (including one by his nephew Gabriel Sponga), three canzonas and two capriccios exist in a copy by Albert Einstein.