Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762); ITA

Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762) was born in Lucca, Italy, and became one of the most influential violinists, composers, and theorists of the eighteenth century. He studied violin with Carlo Ambrogio Lonati and, according to early accounts, with Arcangelo Corelli, whose style profoundly shaped his music. After working in Naples, Geminiani moved to London in 1714, where his virtuosity quickly established his reputation. He spent much of the remainder of his career between England, Paris, and Dublin, earning a living as performer, teacher, composer, art dealer, and author. His writings on performance practice became important documents of eighteenth-century musical thought.

Geminiani’s music extends Corelli’s Roman tradition through richer harmony, more elaborate textures, and an often impassioned expressive style. His concerti grossi include original works as well as celebrated orchestral arrangements of Corelli’s violin sonatas, while his sonatas for violin and continuo place substantial demands on the performer. The treatise The Art of Playing on the Violin provides invaluable evidence concerning ornamentation, bowing, expression, and technique, and was followed by other theoretical writings including A Treatise of Good Taste in the Art of Musick. Geminiani’s compositions and writings helped transmit and transform the Italian violin tradition throughout Britain and northern Europe.

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Read biography at allmusic.com.