A venetian violinist and composer coeval to Antonio Vivaldi, Tommaso Albinoni was amongst the few ones -in his time- who practiced his own profession freely, and therefore wasn't forced to work under any european court, nor as a subordinate to any religious institute, unlike it happened to several distinguished musicians, Albinonis fellow countrymen. His production was really remarkable and spread throught the whole Europe, as demonstrated by the many editions of his instrumental works published first in Venice and then by the main editors in Amsterdam, London and Paris. His compositions reached obviously Germany as well, where Johann Sebastiam Bach himself found the opportunity to express his own appreciation, transcribing them and utilizing their best themes to enrich some of his own compositions, the same way he had already done with some excerpts by Vivaldi. The Twelve Sonatas for three flutes and thorough bass, which Enrico Di Felice refound in manuscript form in Wiesentheid, Germany, at the Schönborn Margrave Library, are an adaptation of the Ballets for two violins, violoncello and cembalo op. 3, which Albinoni published in 1701 per G. Sala in Venice and were then republished in the same town in 1704, and later in Amsterdam -in two different editions- by E. Roger and P. Mortier. Its obvious that such opus had a paramount success and diffusion, and its adaptation for a group of three flutes is but a confirmation of the huge popularity granted to this music in Germany. Indeed, while in Italy the violin was widespred even amongst amateurs, such a role in Germany was exclusive appanage of the transverse flute, perhaps thanks also to the fact that the imperator himself, Frederick of Prussia, was a flute virtuoso. Formally, the Twelve Sonatas for three flutes and thorough bass are compositions of small proportions, in form of suites composed of four movements. The initial Grave - often solemn - is being followed by an Allemanda (in this case defined as a ballet), by a Corrente (running) - often rather Frenchifying - and then by a final movement (Sonata!!) which is often a gavotte. Its pattern - as in most of musical pieces written on the turn between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - is still the one imposed by Arcangelo Corelli, a standard than, on those days, was assuring success in all european cities, but still the bent and the melodic creativity of Albinoni, plus the amazing colour of three flutes, make it a remarkably interesting opus, beyond its mere historical interest. The performance of these musics - by instruments of that age - is entrusted to Apothèose Ensemble - artistic direction by Enrico Di Felice - an internationally highly reknown Ensemble. |