No.10 in G, D.71

Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770) was a teacher, theorist, and composer who was one of the greatest violin virtuosos of the mid-eighteenth century. The majority of works were composed for his own instrument in the form of either concertos or sonatas with basso continuo. There are comfortably over 100 examples of the latter. The Sonata in G minor comes from a set of 12 first published by La Cène of Amsterdam in 1732 and reprinted in London in 1746. There are three movements, the first an Affettuoso whose sighing, pathetic opening doubtlessly gives the sonata its name, the work being one of a number of sonatas given programmatic titles by Tartini. The movement also includes music in the singing, cantabile style for which he was famed. The shorter succeeding movements are a Presto requiring extremely dexterous bowing over a wide range from the performer, and an Allegro in a dance rhythm that still manages to make the odd, expressive gesture.

© Brian Robins, Rovi