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How did Corelli divide his Opus 6 concerti grossi between church and court styles?
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concerto
Caricature of Antonio Vivaldi, pen and ink on paper by Pier Leone Ghezzi, 1723; in the Codex Ottoboni, Vatican Library, Rome. The inscription below the drawing reads, âIl Prete rosso Compositore di Musica che fece L'opera a Capranica del 1723â (âThe red priest, composer of music who made the opera at Capranica [College in Rome] of 1723â).
In his Opus 6 concerti grossi, Arcangelo Corelli maintained the 17th-century distinction between da chiesa (church-style) and da camera (court-style) compositions. He divided the 12 works in the set as follows:1
- Church-style (da chiesa): The first eight concerti are designated as church-style and typically consist of four to seven movements.1
- Court-style (da camera): The final four concerti are designated as court-style and consist of five movements.1
While these titles historically reflected their intended performance localesâserious, liturgical settings for the church and lighter, secular settings for the courtâthe distinction in Corelli's work is primarily one of musical texture and sonority rather than a sharp opposition of musical ideas. The works are characterized by a continuous unfolding of well-proportioned movements, utilizing a trio sonata setting for the concertino (two violins and cello) and a string orchestra for the concerto grosso.21