Geminiani: Complete Music for Harpsichord

A new instalment of the complete Geminiani Edition on Brilliant Classics: the Complete Harpsichord works.

Francesco Saverio Geminiani (1687-1762) was born in Lucca. He began his study at an early age with his father, but his most important lessons followed in his years with the great Roman Master, Arcangelo Corelli. Composition lessons with Alessandro Scarlatti helped inspire and solidify his craft. In 1714 Geminiani settled in London, where he quickly gained fame as an ensemble player, concert violinist, and teacher. Here he became friends with Handel and led the orchestra during many performances together. Geminiani enjoyed great success not only in London, but also in Ireland where he spent a considerable amount of time. In 1760 he settled in Dublin, dying there in somewhat impoverished circumstances in 1762.

Geminiani's playing was distinguished by its great expressiveness, richness of dynamic coloring, extraordinary liveliness, and a strong temperament.

This new recording presents the complete works for the harpsichord, a collection of miscellaneous pieces and sonatas, usually in two movements. The compositions contained in the two collections, in some cases, are transcriptions, i.e. adaptations, more or less elaborate, of original violin or concert compositions; in other cases they consist of substantial remakes with notable variations, which make it difficult to recognize their derivation from the original; in still further cases, they are substantially new compositions that reuse thematic material taken from the reference composition.

Played by Filippo Emanuele Ravizza, a pupil of the great Gustav Leonhardt and Bob van Asperen. His previous recording for Brilliant Classics of Keyboard Works by Johann Joseph Fux met with enthusiastic critical acclaim.