PIETRO ANTONIO LOCATELLI  

The Italian composer and violinist Pietro Antonio Locatelli was born in Bergamo, later moving to Rome, where he might have studied with Corelli but more probably was a pupil of Valentini. He won a reputation as a virtuoso, performing in Italy, Bavaria and Berlin. In 1729 he settled in Amsterdam, where he taught and conducted an amateur orchestra and was able to pursue his wider cultural interests.

Orchestral Music

Locatelli wrote a number of concerti grossi, following the example of Corelli. The first set, published in Amsterdam in 1720, includes 12 fugues. L’arte del violino (‘The Art of the Violin’), published in 1733, contains 12 violin concertos and 24 caprices, precursors of Paganini’s famous set for unaccompanied violin. A set of six concertos was published two years later and another set of six, published in 1744, is scored for four violins, two violas and basso continuo. Locatelli combines the Roman style of Corelli with, in his solo concertos, the virtuosity of Vivaldi in Venice.

Chamber Music

Locatelli also published sets of trio sonatas and solo sonatas, including a set of the latter for flute and basso continuo.