Thomaso Albinoni Program Notes and Sheet Music

Thomaso Albinoni was an Italian composer of the Baroque era.  He is famous for his operatic and instrumental works, mainly concertos.  He was the first Italian composer to feature an Oboe as a solo instrument as in his concertos.  His oboe concertos are popular to this day.   However his operatic works were not published during his lifetime, consequently much of that music was lost.  

During his lifetime his instrumental works were considered equal to Corelli and Vivaldi.  Bach himself based his Fugue in A major BWV950  on a theme by Albinoni and his Fugue in Bminor BWV951.  

Perhaps the most famous work credited to him is his Adagio in g minor for strings.  Some people thought Remo Giazotto the musicologist who cataloged Albinoni's works wrote the work and not Albinoni, but there is also evidence to the contrary as themes from it were discovered in early manuscripts.  In this author's opinion, the work is to be credited to Albonini.

His output includes operas, concertos, sonatas for one to six instruments, sinfonias, and solo cantatas. While famous in his day as an opera composer, he is known today for his instrumental music, especially his concertos.

Albinoni was born in Venice, Italy, the son of a wealthy paper merchant. He studied violin and singing at a young age, and began composing music in his teens. In 1694, he had his first opera, Zenobia, regina de Palmireni, performed in Venice. He went on to compose over 70 operas, many of which were successful in his lifetime.

In addition to his operas, Albinoni also composed a large body of instrumental music. His concertos are particularly well-known, and are characterized by their beautiful melodies and graceful melodies. He also composed a number of sonatas, sinfonias, and solo cantatas.

Albinoni's music fell out of favor in the late 18th century, but it was rediscovered in the early 20th century. Today, he is considered one of the most important composers of the Baroque era. His music is often performed and recorded, and he is considered a pioneer of the concerto form.

Albinoni's music is characterized by its beautiful melodies, graceful melodies, and emotional depth. He was a master of the concerto form, and his concertos are some of the most beautiful and expressive ever written. His music is still performed and enjoyed by audiences around the world.