Arcangelo Corelli
(1653 -1713)
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Arcangelo Corelli is born on February 7th, 1653 at Fusignano , Ravenna. He was born in one of the richest families of the area. His mother was a widow for a month when he was born. After de first music lessons with a priest in Faenza, Arcangelo was sent to Bologna at the age of thirteen to study the violin with Benvenuti. Four years later he was a musician working at the Academy Philharmonic in Bologna.
After several years of travelling, mainly in Germany, Arcangelo is qualifying himself even more with Simoncelli in Rome. In 1675 he becomes a violin player in the theatre orchestra. In Rome he receives the protection of important cardinals and works at the service of queen Christine of Sweden, whom settled in Rome after renouncing the throne to confirm to Catholicism. In 1700 he was standing on the head of the famous Accademia di Santa Cecilia. The last years of his life, Arcangelo lead a retired live with moods of depression. He dies on January 8th, 1713.
Corelli was one of the great masters of the barok. Among others also J.S. Bach looked up at him. His concerti grossi are in fact religious works, for example “Concerti per la Notte Natale”. From his 12 chamber sonnetsfor the violin and basso continuo is the variation on “La Follia” very well known.