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Tomaso Albinoni

Italian composer Tomaso Albinoni is best known for the Adagio for strings and organ, a work he did not write, not even in part. The real Albinoni was an important figure in the development of the concerto and an influence on Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach. While there are few unique characteristics in his style, he still managed to impart individuality to his music through his structural schemes and his tendency for repetition. During his lifetime, Albinoni was known for his work in opera, though only two now survive. His most famous authentic work is the Concerto à cinque (Oboe Concerto) in D minor, Op. 9/2. Not much is known about Albinoni's life. He was the eldest son of a Venetian paper merchant. The family was very well off, and in his adult life Albinoni was financially independent so he did not seek professional employment in music. He thought of himself as an amateur musician, although he was completely trained in his art and on the violin. Initially, Albinoni attempted to compose church music, but didn't meet with much success. However, in 1694, with the publication of 12 trio sonatas, Op. 1, and the production of his opera Zenobia, Regina de Palmireni, Albinoni had found his milieu. In 1705, he married the soprano opera singer Margherita Rimandi. Meanwhile, Albinoni had inherited a portion of his father's estate and opened a singing school. The second (Op. 7) of his four sets of 12 Concerti à cinque appeared in 1715. Margherita was also quite busy during these years, appearing in opera productions as far away as Munich (1720), despite having given birth to seven children. On August 22, 1721, at only about 37 years of age, she died suddenly. Albinoni managed to keep busy during this tragic period, composing more operas, the Sei Balletti e sei sonate a tre, Op. 8 (1722), and his remarkable 12 Concerti à cinque, Op. 9 (1722), which is among the most important and influential instrumental compositions of its time and his most enduring work. With the appearance of the Opp. 8 and 9, the composer's career horizons seemed to broaden. He could confidently look beyond Italian borders now, since his reputation in opera, vocal and instrumental music was clearly spreading throughout Europe. He was invited to Munich, also in 1722, where a production of his opera I veri amici was given as part of the festivities honoring the marriage of the Prince Elector to the daughter of the Emperor. By the early years of the next decade, Albinoni's inspiration began diminishing. After his opera Candalide (1734), his next, Artamene, which he would not complete until 1741, would be his last. The composer had turned back to the instrumental realm in the 1730s, producing his Op. 10 collection, another set of Concerti à cinque, in the years 1735 and 1736. Albinoni suffered from diabetes in his later years and began failing in 1749. He died on January 17, 1751. Albinoni was at one time accorded a place in the history of music next to Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi. He was extremely prolific and is said to have composed over 80 operas, 40 solo cantatas, 79 sonatas, 59 concerti, and 8 sinfonias. His compositions are extremely individual, and he possessed great gifts as a melodist. They were much admired by Johann Sebastian Bach, who used themes of Albinoni's in several of his keyboard fugues. Bach also used to practice realizing continuo harmonies using Albinoni's basslines and used Albinoni's works for teaching. Albinoni's operas were popular throughout Italy and are very original, but not well-known today because all but two were unpublished. In his oboe concertos, he treated the oboe as a lyrical, melodic instrument, much as the voice would have been treated. At the beginning of the 20th century, editions of his works were published, which is perhaps why the musicologist Remo Giazotto thought that his own Adagio for strings and organ might pass as one of Albinoni's compositions.
© TiVo Staff /TiVo
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