FRANCESCO ONOFRIO MANFREDINI  

Much that we know of Francesco Onofrio Manfredini is supposition and assumption. Indeed, apart from a few landmarks in his career, he was obviously not of such significance as to merit documentation. He was born in Italy in 1684, probably to a musical family. He did take lessons in violin from the great Torelli, and must have become a fine violinist, as we know that he held major playing posts in Bologna. As a composer he left very little, with just 43 published works and a handful of manuscripts. We do know that he became the head of music at St. Philip's Cathedral in Pistoia in 1727, where he remained until his death in 1762. This makes it odd that he did not leave a wealth of sacred music, or was it simply destroyed after his death.

We do know that Manfredini composed oratorios, but only his orchestral works remained in the repertoire. His groups of Concerti Grossi and Sinfonias show a highly accomplished composer, well versed in the mainstream Italian school of composition. Above all they are replete with attractive melodic invention.

The group of twelve Concerti Grossi were published in 1718, and dedicated to Prince Antoine, which may indicate that he was in the Prince's service in Monaco. That would fill in a gap from 1711 where Manfredini 'vanished' from the musical map. Each concerto is in three movements, and while the composer does add a few variants, they are basically in the fast - slow - fast format. Each of the movements is brief, some lasting little more than half a minute. That allows for little more than the statement of a melody, and while these are always most pleasant in their nature, it is the rhythmic vitality that affords them a ready attraction. They are scored just for strings, and in the main are not concertos, as we now know them, but simply symphonic movements. There are exceptions, such as the fiendishly difficult solo violin writing in the final movement of the sixth, and the opening movement of the seventh.

It is music calls for considerable dexterity among the musicians, with little room left for interpretation. The work has largely become popular for the Christmas pastorale, which forms the twelfth concerto.