Concerto Grosso in D, Op. 1, No. 9 [Str (8.8.5.5.5 in set): Soli Vn(2) in set]

Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764) composed his Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op. 1, No. 9 in 1721 as part of his first published set of twelve concerti grossi, works that combined the brilliance of the Italian Baroque concerto tradition with the expressive lyricism and virtuoso string writing for which he became renowned. Scored for two solo violins, cello, strings, and continuo, the five-movement concerto reflects the influence of Arcangelo Corelli while foreshadowing Locatelli's more adventurous instrumental style. More than two centuries later, the Italian composer, conductor, and pianist Ettore Bonelli (1877-1932) prepared a free performing edition of the work, enriching the continuo realization, expanding the orchestral textures, and adapting aspects of the score to suit the larger string orchestras and Romantic performance practices of the early twentieth century. The Bonelli edition became widely circulated through Edwin F. Kalmus and introduced generations of orchestras to Locatelli's music before the rise of historically informed performance. Today, Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op. 1, No. 9 is performed both in modern scholarly editions and in Bonelli's more expansive arrangement, the latter remaining of historical interest as a representative example of the early twentieth century's imaginative re-creation of Baroque masterpieces for modern concert audiences. Reprint of the Bonelli edition.