(b Lucca, bap. 5 Dec 1687; d Dublin, 17 Sept 1762). Italian violinist,composer and theorist. He studied in Rome with Corelli and A. Scarlatti, and in 1711 became leader of the opera orchestra in Naples. Settling in London in 1714, he earned instant success as a violin virtuoso and became one of the most influential teachers (of the violin and composition). He published a series of instrumental works, starting with the highly acclaimed violin sonatas op.1 (1716). In the 1730s he made two lengthy visits to Ireland, and later spent time in the Netherlands and Paris. He settled in Dublin in 1759, giving his last known concert in 1760.
Geminiani's principal works are solo sonatas and concerti grossi. His model was Corelli, but he composed with originality, writing for a wider range of solo instruments and using a more sonorous and chromatic idiom; his music is more expressive and dramatic than Corelli's (though still contrapuntal). Most works have the traditional four-movement plan still popular in England. The violin sonatas op.1 and op.4 (1739) are especially difficult to play, and include cadenzas. Geminiani revised the former set as trio sonatas (c 1757), and also made arrangements of others of his works. His 45 concerti grossi have a concertino of two violins, viola and cello; they include arrangements of sonatas by Corelli.
Geminiani also composed harpsichord pieces (mostly arranged from his sonatas) and The Inchanted Forrest, an instrumental piece for a stage work (1754, Paris). His most influential treatise was The Art of Playing on the Violin (1751), the first such work for advanced players; he also wrote on musical taste, harmony, accompaniment and guitar playing.
works:Chamber music
- 12 violin sonatas, op.1 (1716, rev. 1739), later arr. as trio sonatas
- 12 vn sonatas, op.4 (1739)
- 6 vc sonatas, op.5, also as vn sonatas (1746)
- sonatas and arrs. .
- conc. grossi-6, op.2 (1732)
- 6, op.3 (1732)
- 6, op.7 (1746)
- 9 others
- The Inchanted Forrest, in conc. grosso style (1754)
- 18 Corelli sonatas arr. as conc. grossi
- hpd pieces and arrs.
- minuets
The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.
