June 8th

Thomas Pitts Composer Of The Day, Europe, Italy Adagio in G minor, Albinoni, June

Tomaso Albinoni 8 June 1671 – 17 January 1751

Adagio in G minor Arranged by Remo Giazotto

Tomaso Albinoni
By anonymous – Unknown source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61401

Tomaso Albinoni was an Italian composer born on 8 June 1671 in Venice. He is best known for his beautiful instrumental music, especially his concertos and sonatas. Albinoni came from a wealthy family, which allowed him to compose music freely without financial worries. Although he claimed to be a dilettante, his skills were evident as he published nine collections of instrumental works, featuring violin, oboe, and strings. His music was loved across Europe, and even famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach admired his themes. Albinoni played a key role in developing the solo concerto and trio sonata, creating some of the first concertos for the oboe. While many of his operas are lost, his instrumental music remains popular. The piece most commonly associated with his name today, the Adagio in G minor, is believed to have been assembled by 20th-century musicologist Remo Giazotto based on a fragment of a manuscript attributed to Albinoni. Albinoni passed away on 17 January 1751, but his graceful melodies still enchant listeners today.

17 January

January 17th: Tomaso Albinoni

Thomas Pitts Composer Of The Day, Europe, Italy 17th Century, 18th Century, Adagio in G minor, Baroque, January, Tomaso Albinoni

Tomaso Albinoni 8 June 1671 – 17 January 1751

Adagio in G minor Arranged by Remo Giazotto

By anonymous – Unknown source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61401

Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni was an Italian composer born on 8 June 1671 in Venice. He is known for his contributions to the Baroque era, particularly his operas, concertos, and sonatas. Albinoni’s music includes a variety of forms, such as sinfonias and solo cantatas. Although he gained fame as an opera composer, he is now best remembered for his instrumental works, especially the “Adagio in G minor.” This piece is often misattributed, as it was largely composed by Remo Giazotto, a 20th-century musicologist.

Albinoni studied violin and singing, and his first opera premiered in 1694. He married Margherita Rimondi in 1705 and had six children. Throughout his career, he composed numerous instrumental pieces, including oboe concertos, making him one of the first to feature the oboe as a solo instrument. His music influenced later composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach, who admired Albinoni’s themes. Albinoni passed away in 1751, leaving behind a legacy of over fifty operas and many instrumental compositions that are still celebrated today.