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Corelli |
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Biography
Arcangelo Corelli was born at Fusignano, in the current-day province of Ravenna.
Little is known about his early life. His master on the violin was
Giovanni Battista Bassani. Matteo Simonelli, the well-known singer of
the pope’s chapel, taught him composition.
His first major success was gained in Paris
at the age of nineteen, and to this he owed his European reputation.
From Paris, Corelli went to Germany. In 1681 he was in the service of
the electoral prince of Bavaria; between 1680 and 1685 he spent a
considerable time in the house of his friend and fellow
violinist-composer Cristiano Farinelli (believed to be the uncle of the
celebrated castrato Farinelli). |
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current-day |
actuel |
the |
province |
province |
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little is known |
on connaît peu de choses |
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early life |
jeunesse |
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master on the violin |
maître de violon |
to |
ow his reputation |
devoir sa réputation |
to |
be in the service of |
être au service de |
to |
spend time |
passer du temps |
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fellow |
compagnon |
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castrato |
castrat |
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In 1685 Corelli was in Rome, where he led
the festival performances of music for Queen Christina of Sweden and he
was also a favorite of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, grand-nephew of
another Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni who in 1689 became Pope Alexander
VIII). From 1689 to 1690 he was in Modena; the Duke of Modena was
generous to him. In 1708 he returned to Rome, living in the palace of
Cardinal Ottoboni. His visit to Naples, at the invitation of the king,
took place in the same year.
The style of execution introduced by Corelli and preserved by his pupils, such as Francesco Geminiani, Pietro Locatelli,
and many others, was of vital importance for the development of violin
playing. It has been said that the paths of all of the famous
violinist-composers of 18th-century Italy lead to Arcangelo Corelli who
was their "iconic point of reference." (Toussaint Loviko, in the
program notes to Italian Violin Concertos, Veritas, 2003) |
to |
lead - led |
conduire |
a |
favorite |
favori |
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grand-nephew |
grand-neveu |
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at the invitation of |
sur l'invitation de |
to |
take place |
prendre place |
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in the same year |
la même année |
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it has been said that |
on a dit que |
the |
path (-s) |
|
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of all of |
de tous parmi |
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18th century Italy |
L'Italie du 18ème siècle |
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iconic point of reference |
référence, icône |
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However, Corelli used only a limited portion of his instrument's
capabilities. This may be seen from his writings; the parts for violin
never proceed above D on the highest string, the highest note in the
third position, The story has been told and retold that Corelli refused
to play a passage which extended to A in altissimo in the overture to Handel’s oratorio Trionfo del Tempo (premiered in Rome, 1708), and took serious offence when the composer played the note.
Nevertheless, his compositions for the
instrument mark an epoch in the history of chamber music. His influence
was not confined to his own country. Johann Sebastian Bach
studied the works of Corelli and based an organ fugue (BWV 579) on
Corelli's Opus 3 of 1689, as Christoph Wolff noted in his biography of Johann Sebastian Bach: the learned musician (W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2000). As a young man, Handel went to Italy and studied with Corelli.
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however |
cependant |
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capability (-ies) |
capacité |
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writing (-s) |
écrit |
to |
proceed above |
aller au-dessus de |
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string |
corde |
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told and retold |
dit et redit |
a |
passage |
passage |
to |
extend to |
aller jusqu'à/au |
the |
overture to |
ouverture de |
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oratorio |
oratorio |
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premiere |
première |
to |
take offence |
se sentir offensé |
the |
composer |
compositeur |
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nevertheless |
néanmoins |
to |
mark an epoch |
marquer une époque |
to |
be confined to |
être confiné à, limité |
to |
base on |
se baser sur |
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as a joung man |
alors qu'il était jeune |
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Musical society in Rome also owed much to Corelli. He was received
in the highest circles of the aristocracy, and for a long time presided
at the celebrated Monday concerts in the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni.
Corelli died in possession of a fortune of
120,000 marks and a
valuable collection of pictures, the only luxury in which he had
indulged. He left both to his benefactor and friend, who generously
made over the money to Corelli's relations. Corelli is buried in the
Pantheon at Rome. You can still trace back many generations from
student to teacher from Corelli.
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society |
société |
the |
highest circles |
lcercles les plus élevés |
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aristocracy |
aristocratie |
to |
preside at |
présider |
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in possession of |
en possession de |
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fortune |
fortune |
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valuable |
de valeur |
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picture (-s) |
peinture |
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luxury |
luxe |
to |
indulge |
se livrer à |
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benefactor |
bienfaiteur |
to |
make over |
transférer, céder |
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generously |
généreusement |
to |
bury |
enterrer |
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at Rome |
à Rome |
to |
trace back |
remonter la trace de |
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generation from |
génération à partir de |
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His compositions are distinguished by a beautiful flow of melody and
by a mannerly treatment of the accompanying parts, which he is justly
said to have liberated from the strict rules of counterpoint.
Six collections of concerti, sonatas
and minor pieces for violin, with accompaniment of other instruments,
besides several concerted pieces for strings, are authentically
ascribed to Corelli. The most important of these is the XII Suonati a violino e violone o cimbalo (Rome, 1700). Corelli is also noted for the Twelve Concerti Grossi, opus 6, which is arguably one of his most famous works.
These concerti have often been popular in Western culture.
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to |
distinguish |
distinguer |
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flow |
flux |
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mannerly |
courtois, bien élevé |
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treatment |
raitement |
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justly |
à juste titre |
to |
liberate from |
libérer de (l'emprise de) |
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rule (-s) |
règles |
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concerto - concerti |
concert |
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sonata - sonatas |
sonate |
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minor piece |
pièce mineure |
the |
accompaniment of |
accompagnement de |
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besides |
à côté de |
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concerted pieces for |
arrangé pour |
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string (-s) |
cordes |
to |
be ascribed to |
être attribué à |
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authentically |
authentiquement |
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arguably |
possiblement |
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famous |
célèbre |
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western cultur |
culture occidentale |
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