The publication of a Collection of Cantatas, and Lessons for the Viola d'Amour in 1724 stands as one of the 18th century's most successful examples of music sold by subscription. Attilio Ariosti, a versatile musician and former Servite Friar, leveraged his status as a prominent Baroque composer to distribute these works to an enthusiastic public.
Early Life and Ecclesiastical Transition
Born in 1666 in Bologna, Ariosti initially entered the Servite order in 1688 at the age of 22. Despite this religious commitment, he secured permission to leave the order to pursue music professionally. His ecclesiastical career continued briefly as he became a deacon in 1692, the same year he assumed the role of organist at Santa Maria dei Servi in Bologna.
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Ariosti traveled to Berlin in 1697 at the invitation of Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, the Queen of Prussia. He served as court composer there until 1703, contributing numerous stage works. Following this tenure, he operated as the General Austrian Agent for Italy from 1703 until 1709 during the reign of Joseph I. His theatrical output remained prolific, including the 1709 oratorio La Passione di Cristo performed in Vienna.
London Career and Instrumental Mastery
After 1716, Ariosti achieved significant recognition in Paris and London. He joined the directorship of the Royal Academy of Music alongside Georg Frideric Handel and Giovanni Bononcini. While he was proficient in playing the harpsichord and violoncello, he developed a particular affinity for the viola d'amore. He demonstrated this expertise by performing on the instrument during an entr'acte in Handel's opera Amadigi di Gaula.
Legacy of the Stockholm Sonatas
Ariosti composed 21 solo sonatas for the viola d'amore. These works, often referred to as the Stockholm Sonatas, are primarily preserved within the Statens Musikbibliotek in Stockholm, Sweden. They are recognized for the composer's inventive use of silence, wit, and preference for unusual harmonic structures. Ariosti died in 1729.
Fast facts
- Born: 1666, Bologna
- Died: 1729, London
- Primary Occupations: Composer, organist, viola d'amore player
- Notable Works: La Passione di Cristo, Coriolano, Lucio Vero
- Theatrical Output: Over 30 operas and oratorios
- Collaboration: Royal Academy of Music director with Handel and Bononcini
- Primary Instrument: Viola d'amore
Questions readers ask
Why are the solo sonatas for the viola d'amore called the Stockholm Sonatas?
The name originates from the fact that the only surviving source for the majority of these 21 works is held in the Statens Musikbibliotek located in Stockholm, Sweden.
What was Ariosti's role in the Royal Academy of Music?
He served as a director of the institution alongside contemporaries Giovanni Bononcini and Georg Frideric Handel during his time in London.
Achievements
- Instruments: viola d'amore
- Genres: opera
